Sebastian Ehlke

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (17)

17 Stories

842 karma pts

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“States of Matter” by Sebastian Ehlke

“Could I ask her out?” He says. My head almost spins straight off and lands in the dirt, like a loose toddler on a merry-go-round before I stop it. I stare at him while my thoughts catch up with my body. I close my mouth and look back forward. He squints at me for a second before looking back forward. The sun keeps him from looking at me for too long. I appreciate that. The wind plays with a few dead leaves on t...

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“The Homecoming Jester” by Sebastian Ehlke

Once upon a time, in a land “that is like, actually the worst place in the world”, a congealed mess of odors swept through the commons. The lunch ladies insisted this came from their passionate work in the kitchen. They also maintained that this ‘ungodly stench’, as the students called it, actually smelled good. The students only agreed with the lunch ladies on one of these points. The FDA agreed with neither, classify...

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“The cold that keeps me” by Sebastian Ehlke

 I stare out onto the vast blanket of white before and it glares back at me with the sun’s piercing rays. I rub my eyes and blink a few times. My foot taps on the slippery wood beneath me. It provides a backbeat to the lengthy nothing that floats on the wind like an invisible paper airplane. I steady my foot as it gives a final, grandiose tap to end its performance. Its impact creates a few small cracks in the ice. I sigh. A small fog appears in front of my face. As it dissolves into the a...

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“K9P” by Sebastian Ehlke

A woman clad in a black suit and tie walked along the sidewalk. With her left hand, she lifted a cup of coffee to her unusually bulbous lips. In her right hand, she held a brown briefcase. Her asymmetrical eyes looked ahead and saw two men in similar clothes looking towards a grey building on the opposite side of the sidewalk. One pointed a device towards the building while the other fiddled with one of the numerous piercings on his face. The device looked like an elegant combination of a telescope, a satellite dish, and a 1999 Toyota Cam...

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“Retiring at Last” by Sebastian Ehlke

Inside a decrepit apartment building in a boring town in a questionably-existent territory sat an old man. He covered what remained of his hair with a dark green flat cap and when attempting to stand upright, his spine declined to cooperate and his head stuck out in front of his chest. He sat in front of a television playing the travel channel. The oceans of a Hawaiian beach repeatedly swallowed up a few feet of shore before spitting it out again. He had dreamed of sitting there, unemployed and carefree, for as long...

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“The Autumnal Sun” by Sebastian Ehlke

A few weeks was all it took before the once clear skies and lively sun had faded into a grey mass hanging overhead. Each day’s forecast warned of a chance of rain small enough to warrant not bringing an umbrella, but large enough to leave you romping around in wet socks and a homemade puddle on the off chance the clouds felt a little too temperamental. The outside world sat at a temperature too cold to enjoy, but too warm to have an excuse for staying inside all day. I sat near the edge of the store and stared out t...

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“An Isolated Tribe of the Upper Peninsula” by Sebastian Ehlke

Welcome to springfield. The sign's white letters reflected the moonlight off of them and into a gleam of white light hitting my eyes as I passed. The top left corner had lost the green coating that covered the rest of the sign, instead sporting a rusted brown. Unincorporated. As if trying to hide the insignificance of the town, the word hung below the initial greeting with parts hidden behind brush. ...

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“A victor's expense” by Sebastian Ehlke

Tattoos covered his bare chest, flowing from one powerful arm to the other and coating every surface in between. As he bounced back and forth the ink did little to hide his enormous muscles. Sweat dripped off them and onto the ground below, littering the mat with darkened spots. I studied him as he moved, taking note of anything that could help me during the fight. His size stood out as a defining feature. Each of my previous opponents had slightly varied in height, but none had dwarfed me like the man who then oppo...

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“How (not) to commit a murder” by Sebastian Ehlke

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “How to commit a murder? Why would I ever want to do that?”, To that I say this: I don’t know. People have different reasons for doing similar things that can seem crazy to others, and this is no exception. I won’t sit here trying to justify the act. I can’t. Neither can you. Despite any rationale you can think up, no explanation will ever be satisfactory to the point that you don’t see yourself as a monster for considering doing it.The road that lies befo...

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“An exercise in imagination” by Sebastian Ehlke

“Three-fifty,” behind the counter stood a young boy, chewing on gum and while he waited for me to pay. He dressed himself in a red shirt and black pants, declining to tuck in the shirt as if doing so was an act of defiance against the ungrateful leadership of the small family owned store where he worked. On his chest sat a laminated white card that spelled “Greg” in bolded black letters. After speakin...

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“Its not you,” by Sebastian Ehlke

Light emanated from the screen door piercing through the darkness to provide an isolated spot the night had failed to claim. As Richard stood in the dull glow, he prepared himself for what lay on the other side.Happy wife happy life, an expression tossed around by friends, family members, even mere acquaintances like a toy football that Richard failed to catch. Just the thought of hearing this remark directed at him, even in passing by someone who meant it to help, had potential to ruin his day.

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“Saving the village!” by Sebastian Ehlke

The crisp mountain air stung my lungs as my legs threatened to yield to the unrelenting pressure they were forced to endure throughout my journey. With each step, I seemed no closer to reaching the end of my quest. Every day melted into the last with the end out of sight.I decided to give in to my fatigue and boredom, and fall to the ground. The rocks beneath me felt uneven, but I savored the opportunity to rest. As I caught my breath, I closed my eyes to picture how my mission would end.There I was, st...

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“In pursuit of calm” by Sebastian Ehlke

A golden beam of light shined its way through my window and lit up my room with an angelic orange glow leaving no spot darkened, despite the blinds attempting to protect my window from this sort of interference. I looked outside to see the world illuminated with this same beautiful radiancy. Outside, various birds, insects, and other land-dwelling animals assembled to perform a joyful symphony for all the world to hear. The usual hustle and bustle of the city failed to impede their song as no person dared step outside.

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“The real monster” by Sebastian Ehlke

“It has big red claws, and a super scary face like this,” The boy contorted his face, stretching parts of his skin to form a hideous expression. After he spoke, the boys around him erupted in laughter, seeming to neglect the intended horror of the story. I sat on a rotting tree trunk a few feet away from a dim fire. Patches of moss and various fungi grew on the makeshift bench, and various insects found shelter inside. These elements left it nearly untouched by the others who preferred to lie on the ground. Next to ...

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“The new age of information” by Sebastian Ehlke

Clouds present during the day have since hidden away somewhere as if afraid of the dark, allowing an unimpeded view of the abyss above. Far off stars look like minuscule specks of yellow light dotting the sky like a splatter of paint across a dark blue canvas. The sun has fallen below the horizon, and instead of its usual bright energy, its brother provides a pale glow. The few trees surrounding me grow from small patches of dirt, with their roots often sticking out from the ground. Their trunks are narrow and cover...

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Author bio

UW Milwaukee Feedback greatly appreciated! Currently reading And Another Thing... Just finished The Catcher in the Rye instagram: @c.bqss