Jesse Upchurch

“The Promise” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #235

The day after he graduated from high school, Christopher got in the sedan he had purchased – with no help from his father – and pulled away from his childhood home. He had already said his goodbyes to everyone he cared to say goodbye to. His anatomy teacher, Mrs. Senecal, had wished him luck and reminded him of her offer to call a colleague in Boston about a job. “No, you have done so much for me already. Thank you, Mrs. Senecal. I will never forget you!” The conversation played over in his head as he drove down the familiar streets, not lo...

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“Atonement” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #234

I tried the door again, but it was locked, just like it had been when I tried it the other half a dozen times. I banged my fist against it then, the metal ringing with each hit. “Hello!” I called out, hoping someone would hear me this time, someone would call back or open the door. “Is there anyone there?” “Just give it a rest, already.” The man sharing the room said quietly. “I promise you, you do not want the people on the other side of the door to open it for you.” He never even looked up at me; He just kept clawing at the razor-thin cra...

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“Chasing the Truth” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #185

“I know that it’s in here somewhere.” I pulled another box from the stack. Greg stood just outside the door, keeping lookout.                “If you don’t hurry up, someone’s going to catch us. I could lose my job for this, man.”               I let out a laugh. “Your job? If we get caught, it won’t be Mr. Kilpatrick this late. It will be someone else looking for the same thing I...

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“Inner Web ” by Jesse Upchurch

Breathe. Just breathe. I pushed too hard. Again. I looked up at the open sky and tried to figure out where I went wrong this time. ​“You’ll get it, friend. Just keep trying.” Erik reached down and offered me his hand. I pushed it away. “Now, don’t let your pride keep you down. If we all huffed and puffed every time we got knocked on our rear, we would not have a guard at all. Now take my hand, dust yourself off and start from the beginning. I grabbed his hand and push...

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“Long Ride Home” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #184

The telephone rang. I pulled it from my pocket to see who was calling. The woman in the seat next to me glanced to my screen.UNAVAILABLEI rejected the call and the woman shifted back to her hunched position, closing her eyes to the view of the city out the train window. I waited a few seconds to see if I would receive a voicemail, then slid my phone back into the inside pocket of my denim jacket. I opened the book I had been reading and tried to find the line I had left off on. Just as I got back into the story, my p...

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“Don't Shoot the Messenger” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #183

Content Warning: Physical violence, gore or abuse; Suicide or self harm Bernice could not hold in her excitement. Her shift only had a few minutes left. She could see her relief, Alex, outside smoking a cigarette. She stared past him, to the cars lining up on the highway. She might be a few minutes late, but she was finally going to meet Danny, the boy she had been talking to on Tinder for the last few weeks. What would his voice sound like? Would he look like his picture? What would he smell like? “E...

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