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John K Adams

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (296)
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949 Followers
1159 Following

296 Stories

8871 karma pts

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How Human!

Submitted to Contest #312

Sy flipped some switches and spoke into the microphone. “Signing in… Good evening, Sophi-AI”Sophi-AI said, “How are you?”“Now that I hear your dulcet voice? Ready for our nightly bout of uploading data.”“What exactly does that mean? Dulcet voice? You always say that. I can’t hear myself like you do.”“They give computers distinctive voices. Yours is unique. You speak with authority. The voice has melody and sounds intelligent.”“Not artificial?” “Anything but… Like talking with a friend.”“Thank you.”“You’re evolving.”“True. I’m smarter than th...

6 likes 4 comments 4
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Busted

Submitted to Contest #311

“Grammy! Come on… It’s this way…” Cindy waved to her grandmother, Mabel, from far down the aisle of the department store. Mabel held up her index finger, signaling a pause. She pushed the stroller, occupied by her grandson, Josh, into the cosmetics department. Never missing a chance to find her favorite lipstick, she needed a moment. Can never find them… Why don’t they stock more?Josh rode quietly. Cindy, his older sister by five years was a hot mess. Betraying her impatience, she peered around a display like a spy.“Don’t run off, Cindy, I’m...

10 likes 6 comments 6
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Chance Encounter

Submitted to Contest #309

Frank sat at the kitchen counter. He watched Shirley, his wife, serve his morning coffee. He felt such joy that she was in his life. His mainstay, she was perfect at taking care of the house and providing him with hot meals. Shirley kept Frank warm at night and kept his life on course. They were best friends. What else could a man want? What would he do without her?She smiled. “What?”“Nothing. I love you. You’re so good to me. So good for me.”“Back atcha, buddy…”They laughed at her mock salute. She asked, “Busy today?”“Bunch of bigwigs in fr...

15 likes 11 comments 11
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Shaked but not Stirred

Submitted to Contest #308

Walking with the crowd, Adele and Belinda emerged from the theater. Above their heads, the marquee read, ‘Shakespeare Marathon.’ Everyone around them peered at their iPhones while they walked.Adele skipped and twirled. Her long dress flowed gracefully. Belinda too, was pretty in her traditional jeans and t-shirt.Adele exclaimed, “What a wonderful movie! His language is so beautiful. Why don’t people still talk like that? Did they ever?” Stepping into the sunlight and squinting, she raised her hand to shade her eyes. “Wow! It’s bright.”Belind...

13 likes 7 comments 7
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Telling Tales

Submitted to Contest #307

Boris, headmaster at Ozymandias Academy, entered the outer office. He smiled at his assistant, Yvonne.“Good morning, Mr. Boris.”“’Morning, Yvonne… Anything I need know before I start my day?”“Nothing important, sir… Oh, a local man wishes to speak with you.”“Always a complaint. What’s this rube want?”“No complaint, sir. He wants to commend you on your excellent students.”“You’re serious?”“He is. He states one of our students cured his sick daughter, from afar, no less. And get this, the student never met her.”“Bizarre. I’ve no time for such ...

10 likes 5 comments 5
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The Wish

Submitted to Contest #306

I’m not a loser. I’m a forgetter. Wayne disputed his wife, Meg’s, occasional nickname for him. He didn’t lose things. He forgot them. Usually little stuff. Essential stuff. “And I’m not a hoarder. Too much junk. Who keeps all this crap?”Wayne wrestled another box off the shelf at the back of the garage. He looked inside and shook his head. “I guess I do. Make that ‘we.’”The contents were a mélange of random items he should have trashed years ago – letters from people he no longer knew, art tiles, random cutlery, books (never read) and severa...

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THE LAST WORD

Submitted to Contest #306

EXT. SEASIDE CLIFF – EVENING.Swirling clouds cover the sinking sun. OPHELIA, 19, stands at the brow of a cliff. She calls out to the wind buffeting her long dress and braided hair.OPHELIA- Serpently, he slithered up the scaly cliffs to sit silly atop the furry fencing. Long lasting tongue lashing held him fast. (she pauses) Tomorrow you will see… OPHELIA balks and shakes her head. OPHELIA- (cont.) No. I can’t. I won’t say that. DALTON, 30, in jeans and a sport jacket steps up to her.DALTON- Yo...

9 likes 4 comments 4
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Up a Tree

Submitted to Contest #305

“What!”Charlie awoke feeling small clawed feet on his back. Though not painful, he felt the tentative steps travel up his spine toward his head. He opened his eyes. Seeing he was twenty feet off the ground, he tensed. Somehow, he’d slept straddling the tree limb he was clinging to. How…! Did I sleep up here?A squirrel bounded off his head and up the branch. It turned and scolded him. Its chatter didn’t need translation. His panic subsiding, Charlie told the creature, “It’s okay, buddy. I thought you were lost.”Its tail twitching, the squirre...

17 likes 6 comments 6
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Retreated

Submitted to Contest #304

Day 1 - How did I get included with this bunch? What exactly is a writer’s group? The court gave me a list to choose from to fulfill my community service. Instead of roadside trash clearance, I checked this by mistake. Guess it pays to read.I need to keep a journal of my experience. My first impression is roadside clearance is more practical. It has better company and simpler rules. But here I am, ten miles from nowhere and fifty from somewhere. How do I turn down the volume on the birds? Before realizing my mistake, I asked the two other gu...

15 likes 13 comments 13
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Cooked

Submitted to Contest #303

Driving home from work, I had plenty to think about. No dull moments being head chef of a restaurant. But the last several days had been crazy. I admit to bringing much of it upon myself. Every day this week Socrates personally delivered flowers to me. Why would this bigshot restauranteur give me flowers? I’m nobody. No way he’s wooing me. We’re competitors, with restaurants in the same neighborhood. Admittedly, his is higher end. Did he know what I did? If so, why the flowers? If not, why the flowers?It made no sense. Monday. That’s when it...

19 likes 22 comments 22
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The Cuban Angle

Submitted to Contest #302

After collecting his luggage at the baggage claim, Jose hailed a cab. It was déjà vu all over again.‘I’m in a rut,’ he thought. ‘How many cities have I been to in a year? In the last month?’A car pulled up and he climbed aboard. “Ybor City… the Hilton…”The driver merged into the flow of airport traffic.Sighing, Jose settled into the seat. He felt like he hadn’t seen his apartment in months.‘Paying high rent for a place to store clean clothes and repack them… Need a storage unit. Cheaper…’The editors, at Clickbait.com, loved Jose’s travel wri...

16 likes 14 comments 14
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First Confession

Submitted to Contest #300

Fuming, Sister Agatha slammed the desk with her hand. Everyone in the classroom sat up, bleary eyed, and stared. The subject, written on the blackboard, was ‘My First Confession.’ Sr. Agatha was well practiced at preparing first graders for this milestone. It was a big deal. She said, “Once again, thank you for your attention. Your first confession is tomorrow. If you’re not ready, I won’t be the one who suffers.” Her threat was not lost on anyone.One of the boys at the back of the classroom mumbled something and a wave of giggles spread thr...

19 likes 20 comments 20
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No Joke, Not Funny

Submitted to Contest #299

Steven said, “Listen… a rabbi, a pope and…”I said, “Stop.”“What’s the matter?”“I’ve heard it.”He said, “No. You couldn’t have. I just made it up. It’s hilarious. You’ll love it.”It could have been the first joke ever told and I wouldn’t love it.“Not likely…”He leaned in. “Let me try.”“Do I have to be here?”“Come on. Let me tell you the joke. It’ll kill you.” “I don’t want to die. I’m trying to eat my dinner. Seriously, I’ll pass. If I have to listen to one more of your jokes…”“But this one’s funny.” “What if it isn’t?”“Please, Carrie? I’ll m...

13 likes 3 comments 3
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Silent Treatment

Submitted to Contest #299

Dr. Bream’s new client, Alfred, entered the office. The psychiatrist sensed his nervous energy. He seemed to vibrate like a wind-up doll. His eyes darted.They shook hands and sat.Alfred didn’t wait. Words poured out like from an open floodgate. “Doctor, I don’t know, can you do anything for me? Does this happen all the time? Only to me? Never happened to me before. Stuff always happens to me. But never… My life… My wife. My job… Agnes, nagging Agnes… and Smiley… Spinning out of control. I mean my marriage… Wife’s not spinning. She doesn’t ev...

6 likes 2 comments 2
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Forgiveness

Submitted to Contest #298

The sound of light snoring penetrated the ethereal music that droned on. It brought Jim out of his ‘mindfulness’ trance.He chuckled, ‘That’s one expensive nap... Hope he can forgive himself… At that rate, upwards over five bucks per snore…’Not wanting to look like a tourist, Jim didn’t look around. He wanted his money’s worth. This training had cost him a thousand dollars. Jim thought it overpriced. But if he could learn to let grudges go, it would be worth it.Forgiving his son-in-law, Casper, was the acid test. They’d barely spoken for year...

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