Jonathan Blaauw

“Broken” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #134

[TW: Child loss] She was broken when I found her.I first glimpsed her frail form at the edge of the beach, where sand gives way to sea. The dauntingly unchanging vista, the site of my nightly penance, had become indelibly etched into the dark crevices of my soul, so it took a moment for me to register something was amiss with the scene that fateful night.When the fact of her pitiful presence lodged itself firmly into my consciousness, I hastened forward, a sick, familiar dread churning in my gut. Hampered by the gusting wind, I crossed ...

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“Missionary Position” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #132

[TW: Possible strong language]At one time or another, each of us will pause to ask ourselves the age-old question What is the meaning of life? The natural follow-up to Why am I here? is Where am I going? For many, these moments of cosmic contemplation are short-lived. We pause, we reflect, maybe we vow to be a better person, to start giving to charity or going to church, and then we go right back to living as we were. Some, however, embrace these lucid intervals and use them to inspire real change.When Simon enc...

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“Forest Fires (Sole Survivor)” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #77

The day was deathly still.The summer sky was ablaze with color, awash with silent splendor. Thick, gray-white flakes drifted down from above, blanketing the earth. Andrew made his ponderous way up the slope, between the trees, marveling at the sight he never thought he'd live to see.He was all alone. His sneakers crunching through the snowdrifts and his breath rasping from his narrow chest the only sounds in the tomblike stillness.This was his moment.The brittle day had the same haunting-hallowed feel of Easter mass at St. Marks. A sacred si...

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“Please Don't Feed the Strays” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #59

Warning: The following story contains scenes of violence that may be upsetting to a younger audience. Reader discretion is advised.“Dad, are we lost?”“No, sweetie. Of course not.”“Where are we then?”“In the car.” Tom chuckled as Abby rolled her eyes at him from the backseat in a perfect imitation of her mother. Alongside him, Susan was staring straight ahead, a tiny muscle working in her jaw – a clear sign she was annoyed. “Don’t worry, this road has to come out somewhere.”Except Tom was worried. The trip had started well enough. They’d left...

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“S.M.A.R.T Goals” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #58

As someone who’d always considered himself a shining example of an emotionally healthy, well-adjusted adult male, Rodger never imagined he’d land up going to a life-coach for help. But then, he didn’t expect to find himself a walking cliché – middle-aged with an expanding waistline and wandering wife at the age of 43. The whole concept had seemed ridiculous before. Rodger no more needed someone to coach him in the finer points of living than he needed someone to teach him how to grow his hair. Or so he had thought.Now, his once luxuriou...

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“First-Case Scenario” by Jonathan Blaauw

I have a confession to make. More of an admission, really, for ‘confession’ implies wrongdoing, and I have done nothing of the sort. On the contrary, I have achieved much in my decades-long career and will leave behind a legacy that endures long after I have breathed my last.So what if it was all based on a lie?Is it better to do the right thing for the wrong reasons, or the wrong thing for the right reasons? That is a question that plagues me now in my retirement, with nothing to occupy my mind but the deeds of the past and the actions of a...

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“The Return of the Usa” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #57

Tanna Island, Vanuatu, Southwestern Pacific “They came from the sky.” The legendary tale always started the same way. No matter how many times he heard it, Kailani always felt a delightful shiver of expectation when the story began; the story of the mysterious gods, the Usa, and their miraculous visit to Tanna all those years ago. This year, Kailani would be listening to the ceremonial telling of the account even more attentively than usual, given what he was planning to do the following day. The secret he held close to his hear...

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“Intergalactic Culinary Preferences” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #56

The arrival of extraterrestrial visitors had been so widely featured in popular culture that when it finally happened it was something of an anti-climax. The strange, oblong-shaped craft touched down on the front lawn of the White House to minimal fanfare, not a single reporter in evidence. Conspiracy theorists, had they known, would surely have cried ‘government coverup’ and rushed to their blogs and Youtube channels to share the ‘truth’ with anybody foolish enough to listen. There was no coverup, though. Given all the goings-on in the wo...

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“Game, Set, and Mismatch” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #56

It was truly amazing what one could find on the Internet, Trevor thought as he fussed nervously with his tie in the mirror. The last thing he thought he’d be doing at this stage of his life was getting ready for a date, yet here he was, primping and preening like a teenager.First dates are always anxiety-inducing affairs, even when you’re 38-years old, and the sad fact that Trevor had never been on one before made it all the more sofor him.He regarded his reflection in the mirror. He wasn’t ugly, per se. In fact, he wasn’t much of anything. ...

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“The Ban-ana Republic 🍌” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #55

Warning! This is the property of the South African government and has been classified Top Secret. If you do not have the requisite security clearance in accordance with the State Security Act (1978), Section 4, Subsection B, Paragraph 7, Article 13, Line 2, possession of this document is a criminal offense and you will be prosecuted. Unless you have family, friends, or passing acquaintances in the government, of course. Or unless you know who to bribe, blackmail, manipulate… In fact, don’t worry about it. You’re fine. Read on.At the very bot...

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“Into the Icarian Sea” by Jonathan Blaauw

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #55

    Can you keep a secret?    Five simple words. This innocent question, posed as it was by a king, caused Daedalus untold grief. He had answered in the affirmative and remained true to his word, yet still King Minos had imprisoned him so that he may never speak of the monarch’s monstrous secret.    The injustice of it burned Daedalus, but his true lament was reserved for his fellow captive – his son. The boy was just as innocent of wrongdoing as his father, but the imprisonment was...

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“The Story” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #54

As the sun crested the horizon on what looked set to be another glorious summer’s day, Peter stood on his balcony, steaming cup of coffee in hand, marveling at the sight of the world bathed in the new dawn light. He was ready to seize the day, no matter what obstreperous obstacles lay in his path.    Peter yawned. He stretched. He cocked his head, listened intently and, after a moment, gazed upwards in puzzlement. Then, muttering to himself, he retreated indoors to get dressed.    Urgent business await...

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“The Spectacle(s)” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #53

The weather can have a curious effect on human behavior. Motorists, for example, frequently lose all driving ability when it rains, and when the Summer heat descends, sanity often departs the scene. There is a well-documented correlation between temperature records and crime rates, after all, and even the most skeptical observer would be hard-pressed to attribute this to mere coincidence. For some unknowable reason, people do strange things when the mercury rises.    That was probably the reason Ms. Moore decided on the G...

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“Meltdown” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #53

When Emilio’s popsicle slid neatly off its wooden stick and plopped in the dirt at his feet, he finally snapped. It had been a long time coming. In his fragile emotional state, watching his sugary prize melting beneath the sun’s relentless glare was more than he could stand.    One might not think it such a big deal, especially for a grown man, but losing the frozen treat - purchased not just for palatable pleasure but also as soothing relief from the interminable heat - to the very calefaction it was meant to relieve is ...

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“Isolation Therapy” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #52

Less than 30 seconds. That was all it took to change Dr. Amanda Robertson’s life forever. One moment of madness during a Morning Live interview wiped out 15 years of ceaseless toil that had seen her rise to the top of her chosen field. Now it was all gone; her professional reputation was destroyed and her career was over.    Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned in one. That old adage had taken on stark relevance for Amanda in the days following her spectacular on-screen meltdown. It summed things up perfectly. Plenty...

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