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Sjan Evardsson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2019

Stories (270)

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303 Followers

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270 Stories

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The Historians

Teryn looked at the drab, grey building hidden behind high fences. “Here we go again.”“These so-called science stories are killing me.” Liz checked her camera equipment before hoisting it to her shoulder. “Oh, it’s a breakthrough,” she said in a mocking tone, “look, toast in sixty seconds.”Teryn frowned. “At least your name isn’t attached to every one of these. As long as the network keeps sending me out to these nothing-burger stories, I’ll never get promoted. Always a junior producer, never a real science reporter.”“Maybe there’s a story t...

6 likes

I Thought I Was Over It

I flinched away from his touch. I didn’t mean to, I just couldn’t help it. “Again?” he asked. “Last night? Did you get any sleep after?” I nodded to the first two and sighed at the last. “Sorry, Balan. Maybe I’m not ready for this.” “No need to apologize. I understand that it isn’t easy and saying ‘Get over it’ helps no one.” He set down a mug of coffee near me, careful to maintain some distance. He gave me a few moments before he asked, “Not ready for which this? Us…or…? I mean, if you need space I can move back in with my family—” “No...

3 likes

Waiting for Moonrise

Reba traveled often for work. I knew that going into the relationship. But this trip was different, it wasn’t right. She was going to be away from home on her thirtieth birthday — on a weekend no less.I called her boss to find out where she was so I could fly out and surprise her. For months I’d saved up to buy her the diamond bracelet she always eyed as we walked past the jewelers, and I wanted to give it to her on her birthday.Her boss was confused. “Isn’t she home with you?”“She takes these two-day trips all the time. You mean it isn’t fo...

3 likes

The Marshal

The stranger walked into the edge of town on a dull, cloudy morning. A tall figure wearing a wide hat and wrapped in a blanket against the chill. Only their boots showed beneath the blanket. Not the flashy footwear of the wealthy, they were well-worn and practical work boots.It was far too early in the morning for most of the town, so the only witnesses to the stranger’s arrival were the livestock in the pens near the road, and the innkeeper who happened to be outside to watch the sunrise and take a guess at the day’s weather.He waved at the...

5 likes

Gramps Was Right

His lungs burned, his legs cried out in protest, his feet threatened to fumble at every step. His arms had long since grown numb holding the precious cargo tight to his chest. Ahead lay the safety of the ’burg; a vast network of hidden and secret paths through, between, and below the crumbling buildings that he knew with his eyes closed.He ran past the faded pink facade of the abandoned HiLux Hotel, dodged right down an alley then continued deeper into the ’burg. Once he was satisfied that he was no longer followed he allowed himself to slow...

3 likes

Better With a Friend

The PV Hobby Horse, a small cargo ship in the manufacturer’s default medium grey, sat at one end of the docks. Mid-bulk transports took the other occupied slots, while the big ships were loaded by drone on the opposite side of the station. Sidra Boston, captain of the Hobby Horse and professional bounty hunter, found herself facing a trip back into aslodzhin space to fulfill a promise. The trip was going to cost. Any other species’ space, she’d find someone that needed a small cargo delivered, but not so the aslodzhins. They already had her...

3 likes

Damned Bureaucracy

The small cargo ship, in the default medium grey, was wholly unremarkable. The same and similar made up the fleets of corporate and private couriers, with the result that it was not surprising to see it anywhere. The anonymity and ability to blend in served Sidra well…usually. This station, run by the hyper-bureaucratic aslodzhins was the exception. The “bugs,” as many humans called them, had their own ways of doing things and didn’t like a “squishy,” as they called humans and other endoskeletal beings in their own language, upsetting the o...

3 likes

But They Still Laugh

Nobody ever worked harder or more tirelessly to keep their community safe and informed than Carl. Since everyone in his small town was so reserved, hiding even trivial details from each other, he had to find things out on his own. He knew how reserved everyone was, because he was the most open person ever, and they told him nothing. That didn’t stop him from reaching out, sharing the little secrets with anyone and everyone who’d listen for just a moment. The other day, he’d had to tell Jennifer that Michael was sweet on her, and she should...

4 likes

2 Years, 1 Month, 17 Days

It had been two years, one month, and seventeen days since Syllah had left. I never did figure out what came over her. She’d become bitter, sarcastic, and cold, but I tried to work it out. It was as if she was trying to drive me away.She left, though, while I was at work. Just cleared out all her things and was gone with only a text message that said, “I’m gone, don’t worry about me.” I was left wondering if I’d done something wrong, or maybe she’d gotten bored of me.My friends had tried to dissuade me from getting involved with her in the f...

3 likes

Glyphs

The small craft set down in a field, silent as an owl. Three young women filed out into the moonless night, turning on night-vision goggles. One of them lugged a device on her back and twelve drones flew behind them. “Are you sure about this?” Astrid asked. In the NVGs everything looked green, including her friends. “I don’t want to get in trouble.” “It’ll be fine,” Dani said. “We’re grad students on break, we’re expected to have some fun.” “This is a school trip,” Gwen said. Astrid grabbed Gwen’s arm and stopped. “How do you figure that...

2 likes

According to the God of Plans

“You finally chose a hero?” - “Yes, see? There she goes now.” “A human?” - “What? Why is that even a question?” “If you want an unpredictable hero…I guess.” - “I’ve lined up everything in her life to lead her to only one conclusion. She will take up the mantle of my chosen one and bring about my age.” “If you say so.” - “Don’t be a jerk. You had your age with the dwarves. Our sister had her time with the elves. Cousin had her season with the dark elves. It’s my turn.” “Sure. You know, you could’ve picked a troll, an orc…hell, even a ...

2 likes

Walk-Out Closet

Everyone over the age of two knows how doors work. You can open a door and go from one space to another, and from the other to the one. That’s it. Nothing more. Except for the door that stood open in front of Scott. The landlady had insisted that his new apartment was laid out exactly like the model unit. The model unit’s walk-in closet only had one door, though. This second door had to lead outside his apartment. By the location of his corner apartment, it should lead directly outside. He had opened it, hoping to be pleasantly surprised b...

3 likes

Unsung Heroes or Something

Jordi found the presence of the reporter and camera jarring. This was a place where no one came, unless they worked in laundry, He looked for the telltale purple hair of Jen or the mustard yellow that represented the only color Jules ever wore. He saw a flash of them through the glass of the door to the decontamination room airlock. Careful not to catch the reporter’s eye, he moved to the door. The door opened with a hiss of inrushing air and the two women stepped out. “Hey Jordi, ready for lunch?” Jules asked. He kept his voice just abov...

2 likes

No Good Option

Few things are as disheartening as being given a choice that is no choice at all. Technically, it was a choice, but the only options were bad or worst. If she called the vote for the resolution, Earth would become a vassal state of a multi-star-system empire for which citizens were resources to be used as the empire saw fit.The other option would be not to call for the resolution, at which point the blockade of gargantuan warships protecting Earth would leave. Without their protection, Earth would have to fight off the other group of warship...

2 likes

The Captain's Garden

The gardens were far more lush and inviting than they’d ever been. A heady aroma of flowers, evergreens, and loam greeted every visitor. Butterflies flitted between the flowers, worms and isopods burrowed in the dirt and converted detritus to nourishing soil. Beneficial fungus and bacteria worked together with the bugs and plants, while springtails kept their tiny selves busy preventing runaway fungus. A water feature in the center housed spirulina punching far above its weight class in converting CO2 to oxygen. Jack looked on the garden wi...

4 likes