Kelvin Joseph

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2021

Stories (17)

17 Stories

20 karma pts

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“Write, right?” by Kelvin Joseph

It was a bright day like any other. The sun shone, birds chirped, and the streets bustled with cars and people—it was all very typical. I awoke a few minutes before my alarm, buzzing with thoughts about the story I planned to write that day. Our English Literature instructor had announced a writing contest, promising that the most impressive stories would be published in the university’s literature magazine.I don’t recall if I showered that morning. The air was crisp, the temperature having dipped to eleven degrees centigrade—a less than ide...

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“Race of Life” by Kelvin Joseph

The sun evaporated anything on its path, drying leaves and grass. Those who worked under it felt their skin peel off as the day grew older. However, under a shade provided by the government – a boda boda shade – the sun’s hostility wasn’t as brutal. The iron sheets above blocked the unforgiving scorch, baking those who were under it. The boda boda riders were trying every way they could to scratch the earth for a penny to feed themselves and their families. Though under the shade, the riders enjoyed a moment of reprieve for it was an open ov...

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“The Interview” by Kelvin Joseph

The Interview The only sound permeating the room was the soft hum of the ceiling fan spinning overhead. A collective hush had fallen over the candidates seated on uncomfortable wooden benches, their faces fixed on the nondescript floor, each lost in their own thoughts. In this expansive room, measuring fifteen feet by ten, a table occupied a corner, accompanied by a dispenser on one side and a door on the other. A row of chairs lined up, holding five individuals patiently waiting to be summoned by the secretary stationed at the reception t...

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“Ratu's Coffee” by Kelvin Joseph

"I don’t know," Safari said, briefly studying the steam rising from the coffee on the table. The sun cast a warm glow on their faces, though the road below had already succumbed to the evening shadows. Ratu’s Coffee, a four-story haven, allowed patrons to bask in the sunlight like tourists, overlooking the city below. “I think that’s strange,” Ogolla affirmed, his disbelief evident. “I don’t think the government can be doing that!” “But that’s what’s happening,” Safari defended. “We’re back to square one, back to the days when mothers co...

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“Pass me the Hammer” by Kelvin Joseph

"Pass me the hammer," Ndugu's deep voice commanded, breaking the silence in the carpentry workshop. I looked at the hammer, lying just three feet away from the door I was working on. Without a word, I picked it up, glancing at Ndugu briefly, silently signaling my intention to throw it to him. In the next moment, the hammer soared through the air, landing perfectly on the floor beside him. "Where are your manners?" Ndugu asked, a hint of disapproval in his voice as he watched the hammer bounce effortlessly. He didn't even bother to reach for ...

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“Clockwise” by Kelvin Joseph

Same time, same place; every day! The siren yawns for twenty minutes each morning, waking the entire neighborhood as yellow boxes pick students from their homes, driving them to school. It’s the kids I’m worried about most of the time. Mornings are cold, the air is freezing, and they don’t have any choice but go to school. Nonetheless, everyone needs to do what they must. That’s why I wake up at the same time every day, wear the same uniform, and go to the same place without fail. I don’t go to school like the students I meet each mornin...

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“Breaking Free” by Kelvin Joseph

The surface vaporized, tar melting under the scorching sun. While inside a GTR, hand on the steering and gearbox; a mirage on the horizon set the pace for his heart. A steady beat filled with rejuvenating efficiency. A race. The cracking blue sky scattered with cloud buds, several other cars; Ford Mustang, Mitsubishi Lancer, and a whole lot vibrating under the sound from their exhaust pipes. Cheer and bass fluidly set the tone and mood in the small town. Strapped in, Joe muted all the noise and cheer. He needed to win the race; he need...

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“Attention Deficit” by Kelvin Joseph

Three-thirty, three-forty; three-fifty. Five-thirty, five-forty; five-fifty. Two hours. Two clean hours of nothingness and serendipity. She didn’t do anything except think about a lot of nothingness. She even didn’t realize it yet until the phone rang; her friend asked if she was free later that day. “No,” she replied, quick with her tongue, silent with her intention. She’d realized the job she ought to have completed hadn’t been touched. “Maybe some other time,” she explained, gatekeeping her resentment for being lazy, “are you free tomor...

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“The Office” by Kelvin Joseph

[verbal violence, sexual content] I need a change. I’m growing old of all this noise. Screaming, shouting, deadlines, and pressure. I’m tired of it all. My brain fries each time I come to work. I’m always aware of the oven I’m about to step into, and it’s frustrating. Why do we work anyway? Why do we wake each morning and meet a boss of a man who cannot distinguish the four Ps in marketing? Where did he even get his degree from? Does he, have it? Sometimes I look at my boss and tell myself, were it not for luck playing tricks on me, he i...

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“un~DECIDED” by Kelvin Joseph

Ah! Five hours to go. There’s still time. I already know what I’m going to wear; I know the shoes that’ll match the pair of jeans, and everything is perfect. I won’t be late this time. I made a promise that I’ll turn a new leaf. The old me is gone, and in five hours; if my math is right, I’ll cook a meal, eat comfortably, cycle slowly, and arrive just in time. Without breaking a sweat. There’s still time. The path to progress is when you know how to define the problem. Before I realized I’d morphed into a last-minute man, I never saw i...

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“The Night Club” by Kelvin Joseph

Three in the morning. A perfect time to link up. “Ninja,” texted Bernard, “Remember to sleep,” he joked, addressing Frank who only saw a notification from the status bar. The sender’s name popped up, and immediately, a smile formed on his face, conquering an invading enemy; sleep. “Not until I’m done with this video,” he replied, his eyes hovering on the other screen where his project lay. “What are you working on,” asked Bernard, himself tired of fixing the bug in his code. “Something like python?” “Sound. Hissing,” he replied, gig...

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“Pitch Black” by Kelvin Joseph

Pitch Dark{Sexual content. Physical violence, gore, or abuse}Revenge is a must.First, you were never to take matters into your heart. You were never supposed to look and save that memory. You didn't have to look, to begin with. What did you hope to find? Love? Be serious for a second. You didn’t think you’ll find love in her. And if you did, what a surprise!You were supposed to be stronger than that. It doesn't matter that she had cute eyes. All you had to do was stare at anything. Wall, carpet, wall clock; you had options! It also matters n...

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“The Session” by Kelvin Joseph

The Session “Speak now.” “Okay. I hate myself.” “Why have you come to that conclusion?” “Well, first things first. I never thought I would be sitting on this chair, with you on the other side.” “And why is that?” “Who thinks of seeing a therapist!? Not me!” “Yet here you are.” “Yeap. Life, right?” “How’s life?” “Um, hard. Complicated. Definitely not the way I thought things would be for me. especially my love life.” “What about it? Your love life?” “Ah! Things have been … helter-skelter. If that means anything. I just don’t understand why ev...

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“Sheila's Sam” by Kelvin Joseph

“I’m not even joking! You need to understand the rules of the game unless you want out.” Her flowing anger burst its banks. Sheila ranted, lamenting about why there was no food in the house. “I get tired when I come from work,” she added, smashing her forehead with a sigh. “I don’t think you even understand.” It had already gotten late. The night was old enough to be half its age. That day, their manager extended their shifts. Something happened, a fraud, and he didn’t want his hands dirty. So, he had to clean them, and the cleaners were his...

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“Deja Vu” by Kelvin Joseph

[Story is multilingual, featuring Swahili, translations in endnotes] It’s funny. Coincidental at best. In fact, I wasn’t expecting it to happen that way. It just did, and that’s when I believed what a friend always said – once you see it, it never goes away. It had seen it, and instead of going away, it became more apparent. Deja vu. Travelling was at the core of my to-do list; Tanzania being one of my cherished destinations. I wasn’t sure it would be Zanzibar or Arusha. All I knew was a time I’d want to go see the beautiful Kilimanjaro...

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