John K Adams

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (260)

260 Stories

7878 karma pts

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“Lost or Found” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #145

Susan sat across from Gavin, her date from Plenty of Fish. The waiter poured their wine. Gavin spoke at length and with authority on many topics. Having little knowledge and fewer opinions, she took him at his word. ‘How did I agree to meet?’ Tuning in, she realized he’d begun another chapter on the Speed Dating event he attended. “You’ve been to one, right?” She nodded. “They’re amusing if you like feeding frenzies. But like in poker, if you don’t know who the mark is…” “It’s probably you…” He laughed, not knowing she meant herself. She ...

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“Photographic Memories” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #144

So much stuff. Did Leo have nothing better to do than collect stuff? ‘What was he trying to tell me?’ “Gabe?” Sophie called down the stair well. “Down here, babe.” She descended a few steps and peeked into the basement. Gabe stood amidst the labyrinth of newspapers and boxes his father had left behind. “Wow…!” “Leo wasn’t a hoarder, but you can see it from here. He always knew that one article near the bottom of that rear pile would come in handy someday.” “What are you going to do?” “I need to work fast. The bottom layers are turning int...

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“Tony’s Picnic - Another Tony Adventure” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #143

Tony, Antonia’s stuffed panda, tried to control his excitement. He watched the commotion of prepping for a family excursion to the woods. Anticipation made him quiver with excitement. Not wanting to be left behind, he sat amidst the chaos. Tony always wanted to go on a picnic and ‘Get back to the land,’ as the song said. Only Tony heard, ‘get back to bamboo.’ Either way, he wanted to reconnect with his roots. Especially if they were bamboo roots. Antonia placed Tony atop the wicker picnic basket. She called out, “Mom! That’s everythi...

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“Shhhhh!” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #142

Shhhhh! They called it spring. Intellectual crocuses sent shoots peeking through encrusted snow. After years of unrest followed by martial law, curfews began to be relaxed. The generation who came of age during the darkness began to explore the potential offered by their rediscovered liberties. The young man known as ‘Roach’ entered the library. Though warm outside, he wore a hoody pulled over his shaven head. He stepped to the counter and asked for Twigs. From her desk, Madeline looked at him. “Twigs? A book…? Oh, uhm… You mean Dorothy?” ...

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“One Man’s Opinion” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #141

Gerald went into his favorite coffee shop to write his theater reviews. Some cafés are about the food. Gerald went for the coffee. Coffee was his thing. He really liked coffee. Black. No. You don’t understand. He lived for coffee. Let me put it this way. Gerald was a caffeine addict. Gerald was how caffeine got around each day. He wrote poems about coffee. No one read his poems. They were a labor of love. He knew he would, one day, be hailed as the ‘Coffee Bard.’ Anyone knowing his poems could not doubt his love of coffee. He took satisfact...

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“Prom Blight” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #140

Prom Blight “I remember my prom. What a night… Changed my life… Never forget it.” Lisa’s mother fussed over Lisa’s hair and reminisced. Tonight was Lisa’s prom. Expecting another pointless story, Lisa tuned her mother out. Recent conversations with friends carried more weight. Matthew, her date, would be there soon. ‘This is prom night! Why so gloomy?’ She had too many mixed feelings. Her friend, Hannah, knew why prom was the biggest social event of the year. Simplified, both boys and girls believed sleeping with their date was the prime re...

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“Deadline ” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #139

“Grow up.” “No, you grow up.” Sebastian paused. ‘Maybe…’ he thought, Pen to paper, he wrote. Nancy said, “Shut up!” “No, you shut up.” Melissa stood her ground. ‘Better…’ Sebastian then shook his head, slashed a line through the second dialogue and circled the first. ‘First drafts always suck,’ he thought. ‘I’d rather be working at home.’ Writing a novel is hard enough without the distractions that come with sitting in a hospital bed, endless tests and hovering nurses. This defibrillation detour was no help. His deadline loomed. He needed f...

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“Shedding Light” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #138

The warm glow from the fiber-place filled the large room. Since the abolishment of fossil fuels, many innovations were necessary. This appliance had glowing fibers dancing in an updraft to create the illusion of fire. It didn’t warm the air, but kindled the heart. The family sat facing the fiber-place. But each stared at the device glowing in their hands. Depending on its use they were called torches, or smarphs. A cool glow lit their masked faces. No one spoke. The sound of snapping of fibers and the humming fan filled the room. Fingers dan...

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“That Love” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #137

Jammed with glasses and bottles, the bar table barely had room for Maureen’s ashtray. The crowd gathered to celebrate Dan’s recent divorce. Some knew him their whole lives. People circulated in loose orbits from table to bar . Many toasts were made to his third ‘post mortem.’ Dan’s friend Gabe held his glass up and spoke. “Cats have nine. You’ve completed three. Dan, time you break the habit and quit while you’re ahead.” Hilarity ensued. Friends urged Dan to speak. Swaying, he said, “Thank you. I hope you’ll attend the next.” Applause...

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“Love at First Slight” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #136

Dennis opened the front door to see his senior classmate, Dakota, standing on the porch. “Dakota? What do you want?” Not awaiting an answer, but leaving the door open, he returned to the kitchen. She entered, shut the door and followed. On her way, she sniffed the air. The odor of stale cigarette smoke being absent, the house smelled unexpectedly fresh. Walking by the living room and seeing well placed furniture, book shelves… in short, a normal home, surprised her. There were no torn curtains. No clutter. She had expected early cob-web. T...

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“Pay Back” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #135

Standing in the cafeteria line to pay, Sally Little hid her face when she saw the young man standing nearby. She couldn’t chance his recognizing her. She had no doubt who he was, though she hadn’t seen him for over a decade. The panic attacks had finally subsided, but she’d never forgotten Creech. Now, her nightmare stood almost in reach of her. There was no mistaking his hulking physique, and the same red hair. Even back then, at thirteen years old, he’d been bigger than many men. Who else could it be? His size wasn’t what disturbed her. A...

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“Twinkle, Twinkle” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #134

Sterling put the finishing touches on his gift for Astrid.‘Truly cosmic,’ he thought. ‘She won’t believe it…’She would arrive at any moment and he wanted everything to be perfect.Hearing the doorbell spurred him to stow scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon. He poured wine into the crystal glasses, and placed them on the table next to her gift.He faced the door, and said, “Yes!” He opened the door to the love of his life, looking beautiful as ever.She said, “Hi! I now have non-binary, preferred pronouns for my hands. No longer left and right, ...

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“Froggie and Toad ” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #133

Who can truly know their parents, beyond the superficial aspects they share? ‘She was a good cook.’ ‘…Tidy.’ ‘Faithful.’ Can we know more than stock phrases? Do we want to? What key events ruled their lives? How did they see themselves? What wounds did they nurse? How did they connect with others? Parents are like mountains. You might scale their heights. But who can penetrate their depths? What lies veiled behind those mists? Or in those distant forests seen from the paths leading to the summit? By the time we become aware enough to ask, t...

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“Freedom” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #132

Paula met Stephen outside the ER on his release. “Hey Sis…” He walked stiffly and groaned when they embraced. “You okay?” “Fine. A little sore from the fall, but… nothing broken…” They walked to her car. His clothes hung loosely. “You’re too skinny, Stephen. Don’t you eat?” “All the time. You cook for me. My metabolism’s efficient. So sue me.” “You can’t keep doing this, Stephen.” He kept quiet. “What, this the fourth time?” The door lock clicked and he climbed in. “I hope this knocked some sense into you…” Connecting the seatbelt took so...

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“The Mask in the Mirror” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #131

From the doorway, Penelope scanned her mother’s crowded living room for a friendly face. Golden sunlight poured through picture windows. The lake lay in the distance. Sailboats chased the breeze. ‘Oh, to be on a boat…’ She had to give her mother, Diane, credit. She knew how to entertain. ‘Who actually has this many friends?’ A string quartet played, smoothing lulls in conversation. Liquor flowed. Waiters drifted by with platters of catered food. Laughter punctuated the din. From above the fireplace, Diane’s portrait observed the festivitie...

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Author bio

I enjoy seeing how words and memory wrestle with reality. Locked within the cage of language, I like rattling the bars. Please read and comment, even if you don't like. Ramond Gorringe has read my story 'Haunted' aloud on his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azY66UEfocs Copyright © 2021 John K. Adams - All Rights Reserved. Using content for commercial gain without written permission is prohibited.

Shortlisted 2 stories ⭐️

Contest #208

Behind the Door – read story

Contest #198

DMV in Retrograde – read story