John Jenkins

“Mona Lisa's War” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #242

(Note: There is mention of war in this story, and in the title.)It was a cold day in summer at Le Louvre and Bernardine had a problem. He'd lost his keys again. It was time to lock up for the night and he was at a loss for how he would accomplish his duty. In record time, he sprung into action. Was it in the African section? The Middle Easter tapestries? Was it in the bathroom? He knew he'd left his set of keys there before. All the while, time was ticking away. As he was looking around, something felt heavy in the palm of his hand, but...

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“The Lighthouse” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #240

(Note: There is a mention of an AK-47 in the story, and a rocket launcher) It was a hot summer’s day at the Meringo Lighthouse in downtown Chicago. This had been hailed as the world’s first landlocked lighthouse. Built right in the center of State and Madison over the Red Line Subway station, this was an accomplishment that was both useless and vital simultaneously. Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Lightfoot, had hailed it as a new step forward in technological progress. “You can’t think of any reason to have a landlocked lighthouse? I can think of...

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“Are You Going to Eat That?” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #238

"Are you going to eat that?" said dad, pointing at Fran's belly. "That's not funny, dad," said Fran."Humor an old man."It had been weeks since Fran had dropped out of high school. Then came the battle of a lifetime. Her parents fought over what they should do with her. Should she join a home economics course? Should she join Job Corps? Peace Corps? The military? Such things were rolling through their minds. Fran hadn't been the best student to begin with. She was a solid middle classwoman. After years of study and progress, th...

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“The Death of Nostalgia” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #236

I’m not nostalgic about my past. That would be too easy. I’ve been thinking recently. About everything. About how the Determiners came. Their swords of light tearing through the night sky. And while no one in the Frayed Districts can be said to have had it easy these past few years, I’m the last person to be nostalgic over spilled milk. I’ve been thinking a lot about Bena. She was the love of my life, my commanding officer. Colder than a salamander’s belly. But she understood things that no one else did. Things about duty, honor, Transpende...

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“The Month Long” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #233

(note: The word "penis" is used once in this story.) Le Veintidos de enero, 2025 Dear diary. I have set it upon myself to be a virgin at 40. I got the idea a few years ago when I saw the Steve Carrell film 40 Year Old Virgin. In the film, Steve plays a man who has never had sex his entire life. His 40th birthday has just passed and he’s wondering what he’s going to have to do to achieve his maleficent goal of “getting laid.” I was like his character in that I was just never able to “seal the deal.” I want to make it to 40 without having sex....

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“War in Space” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #231

It was a day like no other. January first, 2038. New year, new me. At least until the Incinerators came. Let me organize this story in a way that will be the most gratifying. I don’t get to tell stories often, and I don’t want to bore anyone. Space. The beginning and ending of the trudge of life. Life, that ever-expanding, ever-fruitful bending of a straitened reality. Never showing anything. Always learning. The science of space travel had just turned 10 years old. In our short jaunt through space, we colonized all the planets of our solar...

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“The Bolverases” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #225

“No way, man,” said Shempert. “This isn’t working.” Shempert had been slaving for months, years almost, trying to finish his self-portrait. He’d tried and given up a dozen times, at least, never knowing how close he came to realizing his dream. “What’s blocking me?” said Shempert. “What’s missing? I’ve been doing this forever.” Shempert picked up a cup of what he assumed was water and began to drink. Paint thinner again. He spit it out. For a while, he just stood there and looked at the picture. “I can’t figure you out. What is it? What is...

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“Awful Busker” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #218

It was 1:31 pm when Jamison arrived there, at the Piazza Romanazza in the Pietro district of Italy. He was looking for someone, checking their faces. In each face, he saw only a trace of his quarry. Some fit in certain ways, it seemed. He almost settled on a few. But she’s with another man, that can’t be her, he’d say to himself. Suddenly, he looked across the Piazza Romanazza. Did he see her? The object of his fancy? The distance was far, over fifty meters. There was a busker playing in the street, satisfying his wares. Creating a flight o...

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“Mr. Slaters' Enterprise” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #215

[Note: Yes, this story contains references The Devil] “Hi, I’m Mr. Slaters,” said The Devil. “Want to make a deal?” “I don’t even know who you are,” said Timothy. “You just randomly walked up to me. You could’ve been a suicide bomber.” “I still could be. Deal’s on the table. Whenever you’re ready.” “Wait a minute. How did you…? Who told you I was…?” “Well, it wasn’t exactly a secret. You’ve been applying to that Amazon warehouse job for five years now. You’ve told everyone about it, even your ‘Bey’. It was only a matter of time before I foun...

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“Earth Day 2080” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #210

“Is the camera on?” said James Botson, a news reporter with the New York Times. He was then looking into a giant television camera, which was overlooking a field in Jasper, a suburb of New York City, in the United States. The level of anticipation was high. People had come from miles around to see what was happening. Further afield, there was a unique object standing in the grass. It looked like a rocket, but it wasn’t something that you could quite look at. The entire thing was covered with a surface that fumbled the eyes. One didn’t know...

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“Success Changed Forever” by John Jenkins

It was 8:00 in the morning on a Friday, which meant only one thing: computer time. Marcus Weatherbly was ready. He had gone out to the local diner to have a quick meal and was now getting ready to sit down and get to work. The video game he’d been working on was now an intense beast, a thing of beauty. If only he could get it done. There were so many little things to add. So many methods of improvement. As the super-fast computer powered up, almost instantly, Marcus thought about his goal. This would be the game to end all games. The best g...

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“The Death of Intrigue” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #205

With swift decorousness, the judges gavel slammed on the ledge, creating a vibration of fear that shook the courtroom into silence. No one could match the judge’s power, his influence. He was a man who could change the world by his decree alone. “Okay, okay, silence,” said the judge, looking down at those standing before him. There was an atmosphere of finality, almost of some relief, for both prosecution and defense. Both had fought a hard fight, had come through a metamorphosis and into a new being. Both had sacrificed for this moment. ...

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“After Parté” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #201

It was over. The moon shone through, looking like the eye of a scared giant. There was nothing else that could be done about it. The Rabies had performed, making a case for the ultimate value of Rock and Roll. But there was something else afoot here, something that a few thousand plastic cups and loogies couldn’t change. Purple Pendergrass was alone. Of course, in a sense, we are all alone in our own ways. We come into this world alone – except for the twins - and we leave it alone. But Purple’s aloneness was something more, something diffe...

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“The Accuser” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #197

“Archamirades!” said Jonus, standing on the high cliff of Mount Mapley as he looked over at the Mountain of the Gods over 50 miles away. The gods were so fickle – waiting for the perfect opportunity to reply, never wanting to seem too eager. Jonus stood there, his tattered rags soaked all the way through, his feet penetrated by spines and rock jelly. What could this mere mortal have that the gods would want? Or was it the other way around? “They’re not hearing you, my lad,” said Shella, Jonus’s wife and loyal companion. Jonus couldn’t help b...

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“Treasures of Life” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #192

(Note: There is some slight crossdressing in this story) “Bone-Jo,” said Franklin, looking over his shoulder. “Bone-Jo take a look at this.” It was a long weekend and Franklin and Bone-Jo had spent hours maintaining the grounds of the Oshkosh Pet Cemetery and Maximum Security Prison in Rockford, Illinois. They were both lifers, but one less than the other. Bone-Jo had three consecutive life sentences, whereas Franklin’s three life sentences were concurrent. They’d come to the prison on the same day and had already spent twenty years in. T...

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