Scott Christenson

“Amber Code Hell” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #159

Last week after getting off a flight in Hong Kong and being sent into a 3-day hotel quarantine, I was naked, alone and afraid. Admittedly, only naked when I needed a shower, but alone and afraid much of the other time. After disembarking the plane, I notice the authorities have worked out all the detours I might make before showing up at the hotel. Shops. Bars. Walks in the park. I'm channelled out of the airport and straight into a taxi with locked doors. In the early days of quarantine, more than a few tourists had stopped for ‘a...

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“Gluten Is What Makes This Nation Stick Together” by Scott Christenson

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #159

In Hoboken New Jersey, Felix lied to his wife Luna that he was going out only to pick up the sandwiches. Luna was very patriotic about wanting to eat sandwiches for lunch. He knew her preferences well. In the three or four years since they had been married, he couldn’t remember a time when they had ever argued about anything. Next year they even planned to make a baby.Outside, instead of going directly to the sandwich shop, Felix walked around the corner and away from Luna’s spying eyes, went into a bank branch. He took out his New York bank...

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“Your Cat™️ Customer Service” by Scott Christenson

🏆 Winner of Contest #158

Hi, I'm Timmy McHill and drugs and AA started me on the road to where I am today in the world of feline telephone fraud. I’m not sure which one, maybe both. My career in Customer Service began right after I took a quick detour from university at age 19. My educational readjustment happened because the University Police didn't understand the economic theory of harm reduction. Since the nursing students I was attending class with had an inflexible demand for party drugs, they would be dealing with real drug dealers downtown, which was har...

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“Blind Date Done Deal” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #157

“I’m trying to figure out who should be jealous of whom here?” Regina’s date asked, his handsome features glowing. She thought about how she would answer this question as the cameras of Australia's largest reality television show zoomed in.**Pre-Date Interview:“What do you hope for in life?” the director asked.“To be happy,” she said, smiling and looking straight ahead and not moving around in her chair as they had taught her. Her mother had told her to always look her best, “We need to have men look at you the way your dad looks at Aus...

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“2072 / The Third Gender” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #156

“What is it you are missing that gets you feeling restless, for what do you yearn?” The cheerful voice on the television moved to the next public service announcement. “In 2072, every child needs a Father, a Mother and a Jander. Or a Mother, a Mother and a Jander, or…”   Watching TV in her faction's break room, Ava found herself annoyed to be told that 3 people had to find each other in order to start a family. She hadn’t even managed to find one yet. Desperately, she wanted to change the channel but there weren’t many other c...

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“Something Comes to the Surface at The Sheboygan Freediving Competition” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #155

Every kind of animal, including humans, is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of our immense world.-Ed Yong Marcia looked at the distant gray waters of Lake Michigan and hoped her husband Bob would enjoy himself that day. Bob was ranked 37th in the nation in Freediving - CWT division. Well, that meant about 10 people in America knew who he was, but she understood how important this was to him.“You look a bit off today,” Marcia said, seeing Bob slumped in his chair.“I’m fine. Why did you say that?” Bob...

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“The Value Of Time / El Valor Del Tiempo” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #154

Later on it was the whole family shouting, “We’re running out of time!” but at the beginning it was simply Uncle Julian not coming home one night. The next morning at 10am, the phone rang. “We have your Uncle. If you want him alive, don’t contact the police. We will call again in a few days.” And then just like in the TV shows they hung up. The caller had an accent from the Amazon provinces south of the capital, where the FARC has their strongholds.Many sleepless nights later, the phone rang again.“Your Uncle misses his wife, and Martic...

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“Emperor, Do You Back The Coup?” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #153

Isao’s youthful legs burned from kneeling since dawn. It wasn't acceptable to shift positions in front of the Emperor. In three years at the palace, the divine one had never spoken to him, yet had never complained about him either.The sovereign had been woken early to receive General Honjo and Minister Yuasa, who arrived with news of a coup. Soldiers filled with nationalistic fervor had mutinied and overrun the capital.The barrel chested General Honjo stood ramrod straight in a uniform covered with medals. He bellowed, “The Righteous Battali...

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“I Have Few Words For This” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #152

“I can see it now,” Regina said right after she pulled up her bangs and looked at her forehead in the mirror. Jake, her boyfriend, had pointed out a pimple. She was irritated to be receiving negative advice again, she found it controlling. In the last few months, Jake had also been constantly complaining about her inability to open up about herself.**After dinner, he sent her a link for a Recovering from Setback seminar. Jake looked at her from over his laptop.“Do you see the seminar link yet?” Jake asked.“I can see it now”, she sa...

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“The Miracle At Bondi Junction” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #152

We had been kicked out of our Airbnb. A tiny guest house behind a real house about a half mile from Bondi Beach. After Australia’s lockdowns were lifted, rentals were tight in the city. Another more desirable tenant had replaced us.Lately I had also begun to wonder if, instead of being here on the other side of the world, we should be in Brooklyn visiting my daughter in university, but the immediate concern at that moment was the day’s move to our new place of shelter.Two large suitcases stood next to us as we waited on the main street of Bo...

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“Five Times I was asked to Get Off the Bus ” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #150

We see computers attaining consciousness as deeply troubling. Another entity entering into the exclusive domain of us intelligent apes? We may be kicked off the island, pull the alarm!But not quite yet. I myself am not fully conscious yet, at least not when it comes to things like checking if I have food on my face, having my shirt tucked in, having my bills paid on time or generally having my shit together. For these practical activities I have the sentience level of a pug and would prefer some outside computerized help.My wife Trish worrie...

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“Octopus Game p3 - The Noise Complaint” by Scott Christenson

Steve Storm’s company had changed the world but in Medina Washington, right across the water from Seattle, the nation's richest man couldn’t alter his own backyard. It all started with the goats. Looking out the windows he scanned the wide lawn still pockmarked by their tiny hooves.“Lime, do you want to come down to the water with me today?” Steve asked his girlfriend as they drank their post awakening Kombucha.“I think I’ll stay inside.”“But watching the sunrise might facilitate your energy flow?”“The goats are gone Steve.” And she slu...

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“Octopus Game p2 - The Other Way” by Scott Christenson

Jason watched the guards lock the doors from the inside. A TV studio filled with kitchen equipment now held the 5 of them captive. “So, do you cook Alice?” he asked. She had bossed him around mercilessly in the previous stage and he wanted to stay one step in this round.“Successful people don’t waste their time cooking, Jason. They use other people for that.” “And can I ask what it is you do with your valuable time?”“I’m leading Amaze’s Brand Strategy new initiatives, looking at Porter's Five Forces to analyze our competitors’ move...

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“Octopus Game p1 - The Other Way” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #146

Jason stared at the crocodiles in the pool and felt the beads of sweat on his forehead. Traces of blood from the previous team were still lingering in the water. “Let's have a moment of mindfulness, to calm our thoughts before the game begins,” a curly haired woman said. Jason had never seen her at work before, her name tag said Alice.“How can I calm my thoughts while I’m in front of crocodiles that want to chomp on my femur for breakfast?,” Jason said.“No need to be hostile Jason.” “They are the ones that are hostile!” he said poi...

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“Octopus Game” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #145

In the control room Jason laughed out loud when he saw the first ten customers walk into Stage One.“This is dope. We did it!”“It’s going to be a fun day,” Phil replied.“And we got green uniforms this year instead of the red ones, more low key for lunch outside.”“Yeah, yeah,” Phil said, sounding impatient to get things moving. Phil was Amaze’s Chief Experience Designer, why he took things a bit too seriously. He picked up the microphone, “Good morning Amaze Loyalty Program Customers. We welcome you to the first day of the Amaze loyalty s...

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