Joe Swanson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2020

Stories (275)

275 Stories

3913 karma pts

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“City Light” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, it will kill you, if you’re not paying attention, just a warning. So many go about life with their head in the clouds, like these brick canyon walls are as magnificent as the red sand stone of Utah’s Arches, without the clarity clean air provides, or the quiet that comes with desolation. But then we aren’t in Utah, so can’t expect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to follow us down the trash laden alley ways and rodent infested subway tunnels. But then I’m used to the decay. Pl...

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“Six of One...” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

   I love this city; I just can’t live here.  But then, that has little to do with appreciating a fix that takes you to a place you can believe in, or one that you can’t forget, if only on a Monday. It is not just the excitement of the city; it is more than that. The lights, the noise, the immediacy that permeates from every crack in the sidewalk; the city, the world, as though taking its final breath. The pulsating waves of fear, hate, euphoria that accompany you on a stroll through a town that is being born, ...

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“Watching” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #84

Sitting here in the shade of a brick building whose brick has shed its soft alluring demeanor and has taken on the stories of those that have passed; those that live and those that no longer care or need to. When time marches slowly enough past our front door, it allows one of two things to happen. Either we look for detail and appreciate the effort, or we get bored of the sameness, and begin to think of things we have no business thinking about, but for the distraction. Jammie Espiers sat on his stoop overlooking Franklin Avenue and ma...

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“End of the Beginning” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #84

“Tripoli? This is Blue Sky. Can you hear me?” “Loud and clear, Blue. Long time……heard from you." "What you been up to? Nothing bad, I’m sure. Last time we spoke I hope I didn’t come across as being too inquisitive. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that we live in such different worlds, such different lives, I just can’t envision what it would be like to be there with you, living like you live. Hope you don’t mind if I ask you about your life. Just want to know what it must be like to be fre...

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“You Can't Get There from Here” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #84

“Does it do any good sitting here. We’ve been coming since the accident. Last Christmas Eve, and now it’s another Christmas Eve and she’s still in there someplace but doesn’t seem like she is ever coming out. We should go back home. We got other’s to think about. It’s Christmas. She won’t know if we are gone or not. They say when she’s ready she’ll come out. Comas they said, don’t have an expiration date. Could be tomorrow, never. We should go.” “You ever pray to her?” “No use in praying.&nbs...

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“Back of the Bus” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #84

“You’ll have to move to the back of the bus.” “Why do I have to go to the back, when all these other people are sitting up her in the front?” There it was again. Like head ache you get from those newfangled blue headlights, so they can see better at night, but blind everyone else. I’ve been driving a bus for most of the past twenty years. I said most of, because the disease came, and everything shut down. People were told to stay home or die. Course some of the people thought it was a joke of some kind, so they kept taki...

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“As Good As, Any Other Day” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #84

As Good As, Any Other Day     Eleven O’clock, PM, AM. Doesn't really make a difference when there is nothing to do but listen to your heart beat, and wonder what it’s like out there. Last I heard, we were supposed to be in for it. Possibly the worst we’ve ever seen. I don’t know what that is supposed to mean. “Worst we have ever seen,” It’s what they were predicting on the radio and TV, when we had radio and TV. Don’t now anymore, what we got. It doesn’t seem like it takes that long for time to ...

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“To Be, Or Not to be” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #83

“You can’t stay here. They are going to eradicate all life on this island. Something to do with contagious viruses being released under the sea. Contamination has been discovered on the other side of the island. I don’t know any more about it than that, they didn’t tell us much. But Dad, they said to come and help you get resettled. You need to leave. We need to leave, now.” “I’d rather not.” “It is not a matter of whether or not you want to leave, it is a matter of having to leave. The World Health Organization...

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“Little to Nothing” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #83

Can you imagine what it must have been like back then? Back before there were people, trees, flowers, water, anything. Just one big hot rock coming to life. It all seems so unreal because of the length of time it takes for evolution to catch up to itself. Trial and error, over and over, until something works. Life if funny like that; shows up when you least expect it, and when you most need it to. Did I ever tell you the story of Bart Little? He was a guy I met on the docks. He was the biggest liar I e...

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“Other World” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #83

“You ever have reason to believe there are actually two worlds, ours, and that one up there. I know it is different, but how different can it really be? We breathe water, they apparently breathe air, but given the facts, we are basically the same. We are just on different sides of the Oxygen Triangle.” “What is an Oxygen Triangle? Sounds intriguing. Don’t believe I’ve heard of it though. This big push lately about getting prepared for big change, has taken the majority of my time. Do you know Old Starfish? ...

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“Room 222” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #83

“Yes, my name is Bipkin. I believe I have a reservation for five nights… well, actually seven nights, but the travel agency is paying for the last two nights, so... I’d asked for a ground floor room because of my leg. Fell on the way to the travel agency, you know ice, that kind of thing. Stupid really, but then there isn’t much choice unless you plan on spending six months a year inside. Which we do anyway, but we don’t talk about it, and we don’t like it, but you know…” “Why yes, you’ll be in 222. It is not on...

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“Farfetched?” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #83

“Lay down here on this couch. No need to be skeptical. For some reason this is called a psychiatrist couch; if I were you, I’d…but then, it is not my place think on your behalf. Remember, it is in reality, just a stuffed bench with a built-in head rest, nothing more, nothing less. Anyway, lie down and tell me why you look like the spice of life has left your menu. I’m a good listener, or so I’ve been told.” She is like that, helpful. Sometimes too helpful. She is the kind of person who finishes sentences fo...

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“Gumming It” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #82

“Put that sign on the door next to that canister ashtray. They shouldn’t be smoking in here anyway. Tape it good. If they don’t see it, just give them another reason to jump all over us.” “OK. Good as done. Anything else?” “Get your gear, go in there, and make sure there is not one speck of dust anywhere. These geniuses look for any excuse to put this on anyone but themselves. Not going to give them that option. If they can’t make this thing, whatever it is supposed to be, work, that’s on them. Ma...

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“ The Circus” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #82

“Do you remember what we talked about?” “I am what I am. I do not have to remember because, I am what I am.” “If you say so. I would like your advice on something I’ve been thinking of developing to stop all this nonsense about lies and truth. Is it in your opinion, or factual recognition, possible to devise a device that could tell if a phrase, sentence or word, was the truth?” “It is possible but would be limited to individual interpretation of what the truth or a lie consists of. There are many variations on a theme.&n...

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“The Room” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #82

“Please go down to the end of the hall. The door will open automatically. Go to your left. Enter the second door on your right. It will be open. Please be seated and await instructions.” The voice ominous, cold, coming from a speaker that was not visible. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t the monotone voice of an undertaker. I dutifully followed the instructions. The door as promised slid open as I approached, its green eye blinking unceremoniously as if I had disturbed it. I followed the cor...

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