Lynn Penny

“Karma in Balance” by Lynn Penny

Continuation of Spare a Room? and A Honest Living."I don't feel comfortable with this," Alfred grumbled to his wife, staring down the hallway and at the guestroom wishing that it was empty. The girl inside had to be up to no good. She brought a dirty fox into his house! Also, what normal person has a name like Ace?"Remember that good karma," Annette chimed in from inside their bathroom. "That poor girl just needs a place to stay for a little bit.""We aren't a bed and breakfast!""But we are good people," Annette leaned out from the bathroom, ...

37 likes 12 comments 12

Read story

“Elevator 7” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #105

Everett woke his son—Simone—up bright and early, holding out the nice-looking outfit his mother had picked out. Heaven knows why they decided that allowing a 4-year-old to come into a business office for “bring your kid to work day” was a good idea, but Everett wasn’t about to argue. Anastasia thought it would be good for Simone, and Everett wasn’t about to argue with her.Happy wife, happy life.What harm could come from bringing his cute kid to work? Maybe they would lay off giving him extra work to do, as no one wanted to deal with a bored ...

55 likes 12 comments 12

Read story

“The Life of a Lone Flower” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #104

There once was a seed—a tiny, single seed—that fell from the top of the hill and into the cracks of the earth, finding its new home within a dark, lonely cave. The only light to reach the depths was from the small opening where the seed made its fall.It was a small fit for the seed to take root, but all the while, just as cozy as it needed to be. Day by day, the small ray of sun gleamed down on the tiny seed as it grew more and more. At first, there was just the tiniest bit of stem, but out of the blue bloomed the most beautiful Flower.The g...

72 likes 21 comments 21

Read story

“Butterfly” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #103

Cyra wasn’t sure of many things in their life. The concept of airplanes kept them up at night; the idea of calling someone millions of miles away always got them to stop and contemplate in the middle of coffee shops. Asides from that, there were a couple of things that Cyra knew were certain, such as the fact that pineapple did belong on pizza, gender was unworthy of their title, and that lovey-dovey anything was not their thing.At least, that was something Cyra was sure about.Their friends would sometimes come to them about all their dreams...

100 likes 25 comments 25

Read story

“An Honest Living” by Lynn Penny

Note: Continuation of Spare a Room?“How can you call yourself a good person when you profit off of the death of others,” The dealer sputtered, blood dripping with each word. His arms stretched tight as he pulled against the rope that kept him bound.“Trust me, I know that I’m not a good person. Who can be?” Ace asked, slowly walking around the dealer, her loyal fox Peanut following in her footsteps. “In order to be considered good to one person requires being bad to another. I don’t want to be a good person for you.” She stopped in front of t...

39 likes 8 comments 8

Read story

“One of the Willing” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #102

Content Warning: Sexual Context, Drug and Alcohol Use, Death, Suicide, Apathy towards Suicide and Death.The following narrative does not mirror the author’s perspective on these subjects. It is a character perspective from someone who lacks empathy.Everyone has questions.Some people have answers.The real question is, how many people are willing to accept all the answers?Nydia was willing.The flash of the LED lights always gave Nydia a headache, echoes of shitty club music pounding within her skulls. Today was a terrible day to run out of Adv...

52 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Days” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #100

The food ran out three days ago.Matt paced back and forth, rock and sand digging into the crevises on his feet, the sharp pain a constant reminder that there is no end to suffering. Wallowing in darkness, the slightest hint of light shining through the crack in the ceiling of the cave, a taunting mouth just out of reach.“They must be looking for us!” Anabelle cried, gripping her knees as she curled up against the wall of cold rock. “It’s been weeks, they have to be looking for us. A whole army of people could be looking for us!”“They aren’t ...

87 likes 27 comments 27

Read story

“Tomorrow is Another Day” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #99

NightCrawlers: Victims of a Parasite that turned into Nocturnal Cannibalistic Hunters whose only instincts are to kill and eat.“Is it even worth it as this point? The constant fight to live, for what? Just so we can contine to struggle the next day?” Tybalt mumbled as he wrapped a bandage around Rowan’s bloodied forearm, his face flashing a somber look under the glow of the fire. Rowan huffed and turned away to gaze at Oliva, the young girl that had just joined the small pack. Their large black mutt—Lucifer— curled up next to Oliva, protect...

48 likes 16 comments 16

Read story

“Life in Passing” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #98

“Is that me?” The Latina woman whispered with a hand covering her mouth as she pointed at the splattered mess of blood and flesh on the cement that was once a cyclist crossing the street at a crosswalk. Vera was used to seeing souls freak out at the sights of their own gruesome corpses, but that didn’t make it any easier.“I’m so terribly sorry,” Vera’s novice—Sam—croaked out. Vera recognized the face of sheer despair that was painted on their face. Sam being one of the newest recruits, facing their first violent death, Vera expected nothing ...

95 likes 28 comments 28

Read story

“Mosaic” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #97

“Hey mom, sorry I haven’t called for a couple of days. Classes have been crazy, and I have three papers due next week. I know grad school Isn’t going to be a piece of cake, but it’s been spreading me thin. I cannot wait for winter break. I hope your leg is feeling better. I miss you so much. Love you.”Lyra listened to Nora’s voicemail while seated on a chest in the attic. Around the room were paintings that she could never part ways with, the most beautiful creations of her life, second to her daughter. It used to be her art studio, her sanc...

77 likes 18 comments 18

Read story

“Spare a Room?” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #96

It was his job to protect her.From the day the doctors confirmed the pregnancy, he knew that he had a newfound purpose in life. Watching her grow from a tipsy toddler to a grown woman made the greatest and worst moments of his life. It was great because he got to watch his beautiful daughter blossom into the woman she was today.Worst because now he was tormented, chained down just to watch a monster peel the petals off.******George knew something was off when he heard his daughter giggling from the front of the motel. Mere hours ago, she was...

91 likes 39 comments 39

Read story

“The Blood Soaked Hands of a Healer” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #94

There was no bloodshed, splattered walls, or screams of agony. It was the worst battlefield Cerelia had ever stepped foot in. She had walked knee-deep in the blood of her brothers, wrapped their wounds while the light in their eyes faded with the whispers of the lost flying by her ears. Hundreds of dying wishes intrusted in her heart, their lasts breaths of life seen only by her. Cerelia had wept for the lovers of those she had never met before the day she broke the news that families would never reunite. She prayed for the survivors s...

68 likes 9 comments 9

Read story

“First Step Back into the Trenches” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #93

“Tonight?”“Yes, it’s going to be a small get together, a potluck!” Vanessa explained as she danced around the kitchen, grabbing at random bags of ingredients. “I’m making an pie, you can start by peeling those apples.” She handed Zyra a peeler, not leaving any time for a ‘but.’“How many people is small?” Zyra asked after she washed up and started working on mauling a pile of granny smith apples. Zyra didn’t trust that their definition of small was the same, granted that she hadn’t had much social exposure since before her explosive brea...

72 likes 21 comments 21

Read story

“Mother Knows Best” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #63

There is no point in coming.His hands burned with a nervous shake that couldn’t seem to leave his body. Such an insane urge to just grab the nearest chair and smash it into a million splinters, but that would get him kicked off the grounds. They would all look at him, judge him as he was forcefully pulled from his seat in the middle of the cafe.She isn’t here yet. There is time to run.His eyes scanned the different nurses and residents that passed by his table. Some had familiar faces, but never did he ask the name of any of them. He preferr...

88 likes 43 comments 43

Read story

“Opportunities Aplenty” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #62

“I can’t believe I actually did it! I can feel my hands shaking, feel how shaky they are!” Sylvia pressed her hands against the exposed skin of Kitty’s chest. Kitty took hold of her hands and grasped them tight.“Your hands are more cold than anything else,” Kitty chuckled, leaning down to peck her cheek. “Trust me, you have this in the bag. Nobody deserves that extra funding more than you do.”“I’m not so sure. Dr. Vargo didn’t have anything good to say last time I went to him.” Sylvia gained that high pitched voice that always arises when sh...

62 likes 20 comments 20

Read story