Kenneth Penn

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2024

Stories (5)

5 Stories

106 karma pts

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“Amber” by Kenneth Penn

Submitted to Contest #281

You’re awake now. Good. I was beginning to think I’d put too much Benadryl into your juice, but I had to be sure you’d sleep long enough for me to tie you to the bed. Shhh! Don’t struggle, dear one. It’s pointless. Harry Houdini himself couldn’t slip out of these knots, I assure you. You’re probably asking yourself if you’ve gone bat shit. You haven’t. Maybe you’re wondering why you’re tied up in bed or what I’ve gagged you with. Don’t worry. It’s just a sock. A clean one I pulled from your dresser. As to the other question, I’ll get to ...

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“Rest For The Wicked” by Kenneth Penn

Submitted to Contest #277

Authors Note: This story contains references to racism/xenophobia and physical violence How long have I been sitting here? Rayan wonders, rubbing a sweaty palm against the leg of his Levi’s. It must be over an hour, and still no sign of the detectives who'd led him in here. The cold, steel-backed chair he's sitting in has become almost painful. It takes a conscious effort to stop himself from squirming. Interview room four is nothing like the television crime shows Mamá watches. It's tiny, barely larger than a walk-in closet, and there ...

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“The Old Soldier's Dream” by Kenneth Penn

Submitted to Contest #252

Booker stirred restlessly in his sleep, plagued by a familiar nightmare. The wind howled like a banshee. He ran, barefoot and shirtless, unmindful of the marbled gray rocks strewn across patches of dying grass. Snowy curls of kinky hair glistened wetly against the dark skin of his chest. His arms pumped madly, his breathing hitching in and out in short gasps. A warning stitch dug painfully at his side, but he couldn’t afford to stop. He wasn’t going to make it in time. Around him, the darkness seemed to thicken, blotting out all but two pair...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Kenneth Penn

Submitted to Contest #248

A deafening cheer erupts from the crowd outside Danny’s hotel window in New York City’s Time Square. The sky darkens as a giant, electric-blue ball begins to descend, a harbinger of the New Year’s arrival. Danny’s heart races, his nausea amplified by the rising tide of voices counting down in perfect sync. “Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven-” Less than a minute left now. What will it be? His humanity, or soul? Three strange beings wait patiently in the room with him. They aren’t human. They don’t look like the aliens he’s seen in movies -...

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“The Eye Of Ludum” by Kenneth Penn

Submitted to Contest #241

"We shouldn't be here," Elna whispered. Jochen turned his head towards her but didn't stop moving forward, though Elna's face troubled him. For an elf, her complexion looked unusually pale in the torchlight. He knew better than to ignore her words, in any case. Elna's foresight had saved his skin at least half a dozen times. He gave Elna’s hand a gentle squeeze. Sapphire eyes gazed into his own, filled with apprehension. "Don't worry," he whispered back, "we're going to be fine." In truth, Jochen couldn't shake the feeling they'd been b...

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Author bio

Hello! I've authored dozens of short stories and am working on the final draft of my first novel. I work full-time as an IT Engineer and have a wife, three beautiful children, a yappy dog, and an overly patient cat. To find out more about me, please visit my website at www.kennypenn.com