Scott Christenson

“The Question” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #275

How do you go about accusing a family you’ve never met of being murderers? That was a thought that tumbled through Fletcher’s head on the drive up to Weyauwega.He hadn’t trained to ask these sorts of questions to strangers. At any point, he could have turned around back to Milwaukee, but he continued ever northward. His destination, Weyauwega, was beyond where the farmlands of southern Wisconsin turn into the marshy forests of the north. The inhospitable land that Native American tribes were driven in order to free up farmland for immigrants...

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“The Revolution Cookbook” by Scott Christenson

23. Symbolic Public Acts - Protest DisrobingsAfter earning my Master's degree in International Relations from Yale, along with a minor in Arabic, I found myself a month later living in a tiny apartment in Amman Jordan, earning minimum wage, and working for an American NGO funded by a silicon valley billionaire.Two weeks after I arrived, I spent all Thursday afternoon navigating the city’s bus system to locate a loaf of multigrain sourdough. Rebecca was having a brunch party the next morning, and apparently didn't have time to do it herself.“...

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“The Dentist of Zagreb” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #268

I’ve found my peace.No patients, no traffic jams, no pills—just daily mindfulness and meditation. I’m living proof that doctors can change. You can choose a different path if you take control of your life.The 11 AM church bell rings, marking the start of my day. I live under the shadow of a medieval cathedral in a beautiful, walkable European city.I finish my Asanas and prepare to step outside for a leisurely day of total freedom.Mobile in hand, I stroll Ben Jelacic Square, searching for a new lunch spot. The streets are covered with graffit...

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“The Beekeeper – Herzliya, 2044” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #267

Do you remember what it felt like the first time you were stung by a bee? The sharp, searing pain, a jolt of panic, and then, a few seconds later, a sense of relief when you realize it still hurts, but the pain isn’t that bad, and you can handle it. That’s what being in Israel in 2044 felt like.Meira didn’t talk about it for a long time, but these days, since passing 80, she talks her memories with close friends. When Meira was a child, her parents had told her that Israel was the chosen land. Her dad was a beekeeper in New Jersey. The ...

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“The RIght Stuff 2069” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #266

Danya groaned under the weight of the heavy equipment that she lugged across the tarmac. It felt like a metaphor for her life. One spent under the burden of following other people’s suggestions, which led to this dead end, working at a military air airfield in North Dakota. As she lamented her eight years in the Air Force, she gazed up at the stars flickering in the pitch black sky, and let her mind wander.She turned to her crewmate, Greg. “What sound do eagles make? Do they caw, or chirp, or…?”Greg's gaze remained focused on his e...

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“Going Overboard” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #264

By the end of Saturday morning, I had interviewed everyone connected to Greg Allman who rode the Princess Voyager. Cruise ships should be joyful places and it was Greg's 10th wedding anniversary, but by now, I am no stranger to the dark side of these vessels. At 9:45 AM, Greg’s nephew, Dylan Allman, sits across from me at the interview table. Aged nineteen, thin, and jittery, he has an earnest stare that demands the listener believe him. His leg bounces incessantly under the table. “I can tell you’re a smart kid.” I lean forward slightly to ...

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“Hernias and Villians” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #263

Andre stared at the scars on his face in the mirror, each one a testament to his refusal to back down from a fight. Thirty years after high school, and he still took pride in never having run, no matter how outnumbered. Back then, using threats of violence helped him to extract homework, money, and food from his classmates. Admittedly, being part werewolf made it easier.Being a bully in school was perfect training for his current role as gang leader. From his 10th floor nightclub, Andre the Cruel ruled over the border town of Golgak. The vod...

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“A Hot Drive” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #262

As Stephanie stepped out of her Gulfstream G300, the hot pavement beneath her feet felt like a frying pan through her flats. She squinted against the sun, and that’s when she saw him–the man standing in front of her, who had a youthful masculinity that made her heart race. He was smoking hot.When you are ultra-wealth category, you need to keep a distance. It’s too easy to be scammed by people who see you as a dollar sign. She pretended not to notice him as she approached.“I will drive you anyplace you want to go,” he said, his voice was...

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“The Farm” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #260

The CIA never confirmed it, but Daria Ahmadi knew her ability to speak fluent Farsi is what led to her recruitment. Six months out of Ohio State, having sent hundreds of unanswered job applications, she had been working at her parents' Subway sandwich shop in Minneapolis when the US government flew her to Washington DC for an interview.Three weeks later, she was at ‘The Farm’, deep in the Virginia woods, training on how to be an intelligence officer. She learned how to tail targets without being seen, how to collect dead drops, mastered all ...

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“Elephant Party” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #259

Dylan loved baby elephants. I try to keep this in mind as I picture my old roommate Miles bursting through the door, then making everything about him. I’ll focus on the elephants. We’ve all had that friend–the one we were inseparable from in school, but as the years go past, find ourselves drifting away from, until one day, we wonder why we were ever friends in the first place. For me, that friend is Miles. I feel a gentle squeeze on my arm and turn to see Clara, my wife. “It’s Dylan's day today,” she murmurs. Her eyes sparkle...

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“The Comedy of Nigerian Novelists” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #257

Janitor Tobe Adeoyo trudged through the dimly lit halls of 50 East 34th Street. The clock had just struck 8 pm, and he proceeded wearily from office to office, ready to clean any mess left behind by the editors, sub-editors, publicists, and literary agents of New York’s publishing community.Fourteen long years have passed since he left the small town of Otukpo in Eastern Nigeria to chase the American dream. Life in the Big Apple was like a bad plate of jollof rice: spicy, unpredictable, and occasionally burnt. One thing remained certain –Tob...

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“Five Stages In Hong Kong” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #255

DenialJune 1997 Raymond Mok’s parents believed the world was ending when the Chinese flag was raised over Hong Kong in 1997. Friends had fled to Vancouver, but the possibility of leaving the city hadn’t even occurred to them. They owned a noodle shop in a public housing estate, and with 14-hour workdays, and the constant bustle of customers, there was little room left to contemplate such a drastic move.In the following weeks and months after the handover, things turned out to be not as bad as they had expected. Tanks didn’t roll through...

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“An English Breakfast” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #253

4 June 2026 8:25 amWilliam's mobile displayed his favorite minute of the day. He always knew when it was 8:25am. He was very concise about his daily schedule and when he ate his breakfast.He sat alone at Ned’s Coffee in front of a plate of scrambled eggs, fried tomatoes, baked beans, and a heap of sausages, all topped by two slices of bacon. With all the shit happening in the world, thank god he could still get a proper English breakfast. Worst of all, the plant-based food maniacs were hounding everyone with their agenda, so this style ...

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“The WhatsApp Swindler” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #252

-based on a true storyI like to steal things. It matters little whether it’s an unattended iPhone on a coffee shop table, a Barney jacket taken from in front of the sales staff, or a packet of almonds snatched at CVS. The value is inconsequential. The act is exhilarating. But after three close calls–each of which I needed to talk myself out from–I realized my little hobby clashed with my grander ambitions. And why steal things when people will simply give them to you?I study her from head to toe. My girlfriend Amanda is standing before me, a...

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“Tennis At Mar-a-Lago” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #250

Ayesha was ambitious, good at school, and now had a real job. When her mom asked her to keep an eye on Dad, the pint-sized first-grader took the assignment to heart. Later that afternoon, on hearing noises in her dad’s study, she tiptoed to the door. The wood felt rough as she pressed her ear against it. Her heart raced in anticipation. From TV, she knew parents usually take drugs or kiss other people behind closed doors.Dad was talking, but the words he used were confusing. “The testicular biopsy results show a stage 3 carcinoma…” He w...

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