Kevin Schenk

“Anywhere But Here” by Kevin Schenk

Every time I look out into the streets around here I realize why I want to go. I see the haggard faces of old men and older women who stare at me with peculiar eyes. Inquisitive eyes sometimes, as to wonder what they do not understand of youth. As if they hadn't experienced themselves and now loathe me for having what they once had. Perhaps they squandered it or were forced in a direction they didn't like and feel everyone else should, too. I don't know what it is. I don't want to put words in their mouths. But whenever they speak they do ex...

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“Standing in Line” by Kevin Schenk

As he stood in line he noticed the light. The composition was pretty good. All the feet were lined up neatly, almost orderly. Just then someone was ripped from the queue and shoved into another. The still frame in his mind he saw just now he would try to replicate many years later. It would never be the same of course. This moment, excruciatingly painful as it may be, must be held onto. He knew he had to keep thinking of this moment to be able to remember it clearly, vividly. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to. He had to make su...

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“May Sweet Dreams Find You” by Kevin Schenk

The echoing of the drums could be heard from far away. All throughout the temple grounds the drums were echoing and bouncing off the walls, the floors, every ornament and every lamp. Every torch held was seemingly beating. A pulse that flickered within their chests. A strong beat that pulsated all around them. They would speed up, slow down. The beating would be rhythmic and not end. It could not end. Not until the ritual was complete. "I'm scared." She heard one of the other prisoners whisper. THey wereh uddled together and cold. Some of ...

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“Little Boxes” by Kevin Schenk

It was that time again. Things had to be fixed and cleaned. Spring was coming and it was the perfect time. Spring cleaning was upon him and he had to finally get out of his rut. He stretched up his arms up to ceiling as he shifted sideways from the bed. Yawning he looked drearily out of the slits of the shutters. A little bit of sunlight was already shining in. He blinked slowly and yawned. "Alright... here we go." He muttered and pushed himself off the bed. Slipping into his slippers he slid towards the kitchen and did a mental checklist...

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“Snow Globe” by Kevin Schenk

In the study of Dr. Gajan there was an unsettling silence. Save for the ticking of a clock on the desk and perhaps the falling of sand on the hourglass, you could only hear the scribbling of Dr. Gajan's pen. He used the hourglass to time his work as it let the sand fall in thirty minute intervals. On slow days he would look at it often and hope for the sand to fall faster. He peaked at it quickly and continued writing his recommendation for his latest patient. Another case of depression, as there were many cases when colonists first arrived ...

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“Stranger Things Have Happened” by Kevin Schenk

Warning: I use a swear word!--A flickering of the light as the candles burned so bright. It was one of the darkest nights. THe moon had long gone to sleep. There was barely any movement in the keep. Silently feet shuffled back and forth, but most of the servants were sleeping as well.However not Amir al-Umara. He could not sleep. The worries of ruling his Grand Emirate, his Kingdom, were too many to count. There was the tax dispute in one county, in another there was the threat of an attack by Christians. Another nearby Christian count was e...

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“Young is Fun” by Kevin Schenk

The whistle blows. It's the end of the shift. The men slowly shift about and out of the factory. A younger man wearing his overalls, same colour as everyone else a drab grey, seems to want to continue working. The conveyor belt stopped already, so there is nothing he can do. Restlessly he heads to an older looking man, with a bushy beard and bushy eyebrows. He pleads to him, he needs the money, can he not give him more work? The older man shakes his head, that's all for today. Ask around, maybe someone else can help. The young man nods, full...

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“Whisk Away” by Kevin Schenk

It was a windy day as the leaves were being whipped and tossed around the courtyard. A lone middle-aged man, balding as was apparent from the shiny head, looked up at the blue sky. He wore a red and black shirt and jeans with a black belt, his brown shoes firmly placed on the ground and parallel to one another. His back was slightly hunched, but his focus was strictly bound to the sky. The trees bent slightly as the wind tried it’s best to move them but they would stand as they have for millennia before and would for millennia ahead. Silent ...

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“Welcome to Eternal Sunset” by Kevin Schenk

The seating in the bar looked quite full as they entered. "Doesn't it look too full? Maybe we should have gone somewhere else..." A sleek blonde woman in a green dress noted to her date as she peered past the Maître D’ at the entrance. The Maître leered at them over a set of spectacles that barely clung onto his hawkish nose as he looked over his notepad. As he stepped forward one of his mechanical, bird-like legs peaked past the wooden pillar that held the holopanel where he could see reservations, with complete profiles on every reservatio...

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“Doing the Math” by Kevin Schenk

It was another one of those rough days. There didn't seem to be any solution. The data was all there, the numbers all made sense. They had gone through the numbers time and time again. Everything seemed to add up. What were they missing? She could feel it though, they were close. The papers were already heralding it as the breakthrough of humanity. Achieving this goal, her boss would tell her over and over again, would fundamentally change everyone's lives forever. It was a lot of pressure coming in on her on a daily basis. She didn't feel...

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“Bosislava Let Down Your Hair” by Kevin Schenk

The wind was blowing rough and harsh upon the windows in the court room. A window shutter in another room clearly was not closing. It kept opening and closing, creating a very loud creaking sound. Every so often it could be heard, when talking died down. If it was an awkward length of silence, eyes would be exchanged between nobles and servants and someone would hurry off to see to the matter. This put everyone at ease and talking would flare up again. It seemed as though the person who was sent to fix the window issue went symbolically, to ...

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“Icy Velvet” by Kevin Schenk

Submitted to Contest #131

The restaurant was busy and there were many patrons. It would have been hard to an amateur with limited memory skills to find the target in such a place. But this place was no match for her. She had been trained since she was a young woman to become what she is now. A world class spy. Maybe even solar system wide class? No, that would be pushing it too hard. She smiled to herself at her own modesty. She truly was an achievement of society. The waiters seemed to swim by as they expertly navigated quickly lifting elderly women, fast-paced re...

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“The Mural” by Kevin Schenk

Submitted to Contest #124

The water was flowing quickly on this beautiful and sunny day. The air was crisp and the rolling green hills gave way to the local flora and fauna. He squinted as he stared out into the distance of the rolling plains and saw from a mountain-side a glistening light. It reflected light from the sun, but to, to Pojo or He Who Hunts in his local tongue, it was a sign of the gods. A sign that the gods had spoken to him, chosen him, to go to that spot. Their sun god was the main being who gave all things life. The chemical reactions that it's rays...

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“Shrekting” by Kevin Schenk

The phone kept buzzing and buzzing. The incessant buzzing of the phone on any surface, anywhere you put it. Eventually, he had to turn off all notifications, but people would call, too. They'd be from the news, or some blog, tabloid, forum, Facebook groups as well. People asking about a comment about the whole fiasco. He shook his head as he turned off the phone in disbelief. Wearing a hat and sunglasses he hoped no one would recognize him from the photos on his social media. Fifteen minutes of fame they call it, right? He figured he would b...

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“Kirschen” by Kevin Schenk

Submitted to Contest #106

The groceries were once again not fastened. I should not have put them up. I should have put them behind the seat. Now they are only waiting for one small braking maneuver to throw everything overboard, possible even some milk up my neck. It isn't like I already get enough regurgitated milk on my chest, or anywhere else for that matter. I look over to the little time-demon that gives me so much joy. A second too long I stare at him and notice that the car in front of me stopped. I jerk the car to a stop and the bag in the back falls over. A ...

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