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John K Adams

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

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1029 Followers
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150 Stories

9852 karma pts

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Metamorphosis II

Weekly Contest #361

His antennae jerking back and forth, Twitchy approached me. He said, “New bunch of humans moving in, Franz. Lay low.”I scoffed. “You know who you’re talking to? ‘Lay low’ is my middle name.” No one sees me. I stay out of sight. Haven’t seen the light of day in years. Twitchy stopped short. “You have a middle name? How many names do you have?”“Only two. I was joking about the middle.”“Everyone I know has the same one. Call out, ‘Hey Roach!’ and everyone looks up. Two names is excessive.”“Right. Well, my great-great-grandfather, or somebody pa...

13 likes 6 comments 6
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Runaway

Weekly Contest #359

Connie walked from room to room driven by her growing anxiety. Each room had her décor, her taste. No sign of life. Does anyone else live here?Her eight-year-old son always came straight home from school. What’s going on? Where’s Jason? Should be home by now. She picked up clothes her husband left by his dresser and shoved them into the hamper.Harold’s working late, again. And of course, he’ll unwind with the boys at the Nightcap afterward.In the kitchen, Connie poured herself a glass of water. They’ll want dinner. Hate cooking, only to eat ...

18 likes 4 comments 4
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Build-a-Bot

Weekly Contest #358

The phalanx of robots marched up the middle of the street in silence. Some carried signs reading, ‘Robots are people too,’ and ‘AI is real.’Screaming human counter-protesters lined the sidewalks. They also carried signs. Some were obscene. The most popular ones read, ‘Get to Work!’ ‘Ban the bots!’ and ‘Who programs the programmers?’ Standing by, police showed no inclination to intervene. Not being human, the marchers didn’t need protection.Marching in unison, the robots ignored the humans. Rocks and bottles bounced off their metal and plasti...

15 likes 7 comments 7
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Second Fiddle

Weekly Contest #357

Milo looked up when his assistant, Cam, knocked on his office door.Cam looked worried. “Joel wants you in his office. And I quote, ‘Now.’”“I’m sitting by my phone. He could have had Shelly buzz me.”“Yeah… He said to keep it quiet.”“Got it.” A four o’clock meeting? Why me? Nothing good can come of this. Milo stood to leave. He put his finger to his lips as he passed Cam, who smiled.Joel, the show’s producer, ran a tight ship. If he wants this kept quiet, then quiet it will be.Joel waved Milo in, gestured to close the door and pointed to a cha...

17 likes 5 comments 5
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Perfect Fit

Weekly Contest #356

Echo awakened with a start. Another dream! It was so real. How can this be? I haven’t seen Harris in a year. And now all I can do is dream about him? Every night? Who am I, Alice in Wonderland? No thank you. Harris! Wherever you are, connect with me or leave me alone. Enough! I need to move on…She flopped back onto her pillow and pulled blankets up to her chin. Let me sleep… Please!Echo dozed and slipped back into dreamland. Harris emerged from a dark forest. On seeing him, Echo caught her breath. She waited as he approached. A slight breeze...

10 likes 6 comments 6
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Best Served Cold

Weekly Contest #355

Diana got to the restaurant early. She looked into the bright, clean dining room. But not too bright…Most of the tables remained empty.Why did Jenny want to meet? She sounded so odd.She saw the woman wearing a restaurant staff uniform. Ah… that’s her. Can’t believe she’s a waitress… Oh, well, gal’s gotta eat.The hostess caught Diana’s eye. Diana said, “I’m waiting for a friend.”“I’ll seat you when she arrives.”They smiled at each other. Nice place… Why hasn’t George brought me here? We’ll have to…She saw Jenny pull up and hand her keys to th...

17 likes 7 comments 7
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Spaced

Weekly Contest #354

Standing with her mother, Cindi asked, “Is he okay?”“I’m sure. Your father’s adjusting after his long trip.”“I’ve seen more active statues. Are we sure aliens didn’t switch him out?”“Yes. I know him. He’ll be okay.”Elaine and Cindi, watched Dan, husband and father, sit by the pool in the umbrella’s shade. The celebration of his return from outer space swirled around him. Despite lively music playing, Dan didn’t move. He appeared oblivious to the dozens of people dancing and chatting around him.People left him alone. It was as if an invisible...

12 likes 2 comments 2
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Bottom Feeder

Weekly Contest #353

The tidepool where Ane Anemone lived was as beautiful and peaceful an environment as any anemone could imagine. It was her paradise. Cool, shimmering currents of water flowed over her friends and family. They thrived on the nutrition and oxygen it brought them. The other anemones living on the seabed admired Ane. Matriarch over generations, Ane was mother of them all.Being a Clownfish, Chloe was immune to Ane’s poisonous, stinging tentacles. She made daily rounds tending to Ane and her friends. In the spirit of a hairdresser grooming royalty...

13 likes 5 comments 5
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Higher Power

Weekly Contest #351

Higher PowerShaking his head, Booker read the sign outside the meeting. Attendees streamed by him and into the building. The sign read, ‘Welcome to our local chapter of the AA. Note: This is Ambivalence Anonymous, not Alcoholics Anonymous. Please come in. You might like it.’Despite his mixed feelings about going in, Booker figured it might be worth spending an hour to check it out. A friend of his at his job at the PR agency had recommended this meeting. His co-worker was sure it would help his struggle with indecision.Inside the meeting roo...

11 likes 2 comments 2
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Monstrous

Weekly Contest #349

I’m a monster. You’ll never know me. I’m not one of those cute, movie monsters. I’m not celebrated like the classics – King Kong, or Godzilla. You’ll never catch me driving a monster truck. Not a collectible, or cuddly, you’ll never see plush toys of me resting on a child’s pillow. I’m not one you’d find lurking under children’s beds or haunting their nightmares. That’s for rookies. I like a challenge I can sink my teeth into. Many adults have awakened screaming after my visit. Comes with the territory. Nothing like it.Forget Manga. No one w...

14 likes 6 comments 6
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Human

Weekly Contest #348

Chloe was of two minds about things. On the one hand, she cared. She cared deeply about people and animals. She hated anything that caused suffering. She spent much of her waking life avoiding anything causing any discomfort or pain. She felt guilty at killing a fly that wouldn’t leave her apartment. Countless Daddy Longlegs owed their lives to her rescuing them from drain traps.She often felt she didn’t do enough.But, despite her caring for Joel, more than anyone else she knew, she had to break up with him. She just couldn’t care anymore. B...

18 likes 8 comments 8
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Gaslight Café

Weekly Contest #347

Garret was restless. Sometimes he would drive for hours to clear his head. He liked his car. It was dependable.Hunger nagged at him. Though he’d seen the sign before, he’d never stopped there. Tonight, the name intrigued him - The Gaslight Café. A shingle below the lighted sign read ‘More than enough.’A vintage Model-T Ford in pristine condition stood near the entrance. Its owner, picking up take-out, could exit at any moment, hop in and drive into the past.Time travel, freeway close. Could be nice. A quiet place to sit and nurse your dreams...

6 likes 2 comments 2
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Writer’s Roadblock

Weekly Contest #346

Plunk, plunk…Used to be clack, clack. Or scritch scratch. The more things change…I wrote the short story, ‘On the Edge.’ You’ve heard of it. Maybe not. Been a while.That story grabbed everyone who read it. A published jewel, it glowed. Every sentence perfect. It stunned.If AI could dream, it would wake up screaming at its lack of imagination…AI might regurgitate all the experts, but can it capture a beating heart? A shimmering soul? Pain? Make you cry? Or care?Ahh, but with ‘On the Edge,’ readers’ mouths dropped open. And the last sentence? ...

17 likes 8 comments 8
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The Eye

Weekly Contest #345

Richard liked to paint. It’s all he did. Francesca, his attendant, suspected it was all he could do. He never spoke to anyone that she knew of, as long as she knew him. Regardless, she did her job bringing him food, changing his linens and checking his vitals.Francesca always wondered what Richard did before coming to the hospital. Since he didn’t speak, she could only speculate. But his painting said it all.His images were so vivid, fanciful, deep, engaging, and touching.He once painted a picture of a shipwreck at night. Francesca saw the ...

16 likes 10 comments 10
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The Education

Weekly Contest #344

I’m not really the college type. But my parents said if I want to ever make money, I need college. And they paid my way. I nearly flunked out. Probably would have if not for Easton Westerly, the history professor. Everyone’s heard of him. He was well loved by all, but me.I basically majored in foosball and slough. Made money at foosball. It kept me in Spaghetti-o’s. In certain circles, I was a star.The school’s reputation was good. That was mainly due to the prolific author in residence, Prof. Easton Westerman.If ever a professor was a celeb...

20 likes 10 comments 10
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