James Fritz

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2023

Stories (8)

8 Stories

222 karma pts

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“One Surly Bus Driver” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #246

The Greyhound bus isn’t as packed as I thought it would be. Usually, the Minneapolis to Chicago route is sold out. Katrina and I have a row to ourselves. She snuggles up close to me in the seat. I can practically taste her fruity perfume. Her glasses droop low on her face as she reads her Kindle. Her dimples look more pronounced whenever she’s concentrating on something. If there were an award for the most kissable nerd in the world, she would win.She’s letting me stay at her house over Christmas break. I’m going to meet her parents for the ...

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“The Tunnel of Temptation” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #226

David and I wait at the entrance to the Tunnel of Temptation for a boat to arrive. We’ve been on every ride except this one. He wanted to save this one for last. “That way, if you get tempted with an old fling, at least we’ll have already done everything else beforehand!” I had never heard of Pumpkin Palooza until he told me about it. Supposedly it’s this traveling carnival that goes to a different town across the country every year on Halloween. A nice change from handing out candy again. “Enjoying yourself, Sarah?” he asks. “Of course! I h...

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“Escape from New Alcatraz” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #219

Depth: 3.3 kilometers. Distance from New Alcatraz: 900 meters. Time since loss of contact: 27 hours, 43 minutes. I squeeze the grip on my M4 carbine. The on-board submarine computer sounds deeper than Barry White. I try to ignore it. All I can think about is the safety of my platoon. This is unlike any mission we’ve ever been on. Technically, the place we’re going to doesn’t exist. The US government set it up in international waters, outside of official jurisdiction. It was touted as the world’s first functional underwater prison, designed f...

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“A Letter from a Dissatisfied Shangri-La Festival Attendee” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Customer Relations, I am addressing this letter to your Customer Relations Team since (a) I am a customer and (b) our relationship is in hot water. Since your company took down its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest, and TikTok, you have left me no choice but to write a physical letter. And even though I’m from Gen Z, I know how to address an envelope. I recently had the misfortune of attending the first-ever Shangri-La Festival in the Bahamas. From the moment ...

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“Liar's Dice” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #210

“That’s the last time we’re playing Candy Land for Adults!” Sheila said. “I am officially banning it from any future Halloween parties!” “What do you mean, hon?” Lucas asked. “You didn’t get a kick out of Cough Drop Canopy, Viagra Village, and Menopause Mountains?” “Whoever made this variant is a hack,” Sheila said. She pushed the board game aside. “What else do you guys want to play?” Viv asked. “Your house, your pick.” “You know,” Lucas said as he got up from the table, “I’ve got something we can end the night with.&nbs...

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“A Surrealist's Worst Nightmare” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #206

I grasp a champagne flute as I saunter around my art exhibition at the Met. Everybody who’s somebody is here for the grand opening. Dealers, collectors, curators. My Surrealist paintings cover the walls. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding roughshod over a planet-sized baseball. A pinball machine with skyscrapers for flippers. The interior of an office building in which everybody who works there has a lampshade and lightbulb for a head. There’s no in-between when it comes to my art. You either love i...

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“On Time” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #193

The contact is late. I stand outside the Bolshoi Theater. A bowl-shaped fountain shoots a jet of water into the air. The front doors look like they’re made of solid gold. Ten white columns hold up a beautiful golden awning. I pace along the walkway in front of the entrance. The flash drive in my suit pocket feels as heavy as a brick. Loaded on it are the plans for Russia’s new hypersonic missiles, the first of their kind in the world. If the FSB catches me with these plans, well… I wouldn’t put it past them to strap ...

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“The Greatest Fairy Tale of All Time” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #186

The Fairy Books sat in a pile on Marcus’s nightstand. The colored spines stacked on top of each other looked like the arcs of a rainbow.He pulled his comforter up to his chin. His father sat in a chair next to the bed, flipping through the Red Fairy Book. Some of the worn pages had broken from the spine.“Come on,” he said, “I haven’t read any of these to you in a while.”“No,” Marcus said. “I want a new story. We’ve gone through all those before.”Marcus’s father set the book down. He rubbed his forehead with his ...

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Author bio

James graduated from Loyola University Chicago with degrees in business and music. He currently works as a data analyst in Illinois but seeks to write full-time soon. He enjoys reading and writing, piano, jiu jitsu, snuggling with his partner, and his self-appointed role as president of the Evgeny Kissin fan club. You can find him on Instagram under the handle @james.fritz.writing