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The Korean Krueger Effect (Spy)

  Synopsis: A notorious bounty hunter known as "Freddie Krueger" is hired to capture two North Korean defectors in Seoul. The mission, intended to be his last, forces him to confront the true cost of his chosen profession . This was my entry into the 2025 NYC short story competition. I had to use the following prompts: Genre: Spy, Location: Skyscraper, Character: Bounty Hunter James looked in the mirror and sighed. He was 38, but the life he had chosen had taken its toll; he could easily pass for over 50. He gently touched the most recent scar on his right cheek, wincing as he recalled the final blow that had delivered it—the last defiant act of a desperate man. Exiting the bathroom of the back-street coffee shop, he grabbed his black coffee from the counter and sidled into the booth where they always rendezvoused. “So?” James scoffed. “We’ve been working together for a long time, and still, no time for pleasantries?” He looked his employer in the eyes, h...
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You and Me, and Steve. 250 word short story.

The following was my entry into a 250 word short story competition. Although not my favourite genre to write, it was good to write something less dark. The prompts I had to work with were:  Drama.  Action: Compromising.  Word: Stop. You and Me, and Steve. Jess and Phil. That was who it was supposed to be, so why is ‘he’ always here?’ Jess thought to herself glaring at Steve who chugged another beer, high-fiving Phil as they celebrated some sporting nonsense in the game they were watching. Phil waved his friend away, closing the door to be confronted by Jess, wearing a face like thunder. “Every day, same old story” she fumed. Steve had been coming over daily for weeks. “Sorry babe,” he mumbled, “You know he’s going through it with the divorce.” “Humph,” was the response.  Phil soothed, “You know I only have eyes for you”, “Prove it” Jess responded, “Tell him, he can’t come every day, from now only every other day”. Phil pondered, “Firm, but fair, ok Hun, now give me t...
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Chirp - a modern horror story.

The following is a silly horror story,  it's a little far-fetched, but regardless it is a horror story, with scenes of violence, murder, threat, manipulation, and mental and sexual torture, so please don't read if you are uncomfortable with any of the above.   Chirp Chirp. Katy smiled at her phone, knowing she was addicted to the thrill of social media, even if she would never admit it. It was that addiction that had signalled the end of her previous relationship when Mark decided he had enough of her staring at the screen, with anything he said sailing over her head. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the latest snap on her favourite app Snapchat. It wasn’t a known sender… ‘Interesting’ she thought opening the message. A buff-looking guy in a football jersey. Well, she didn’t know him, but he was certainly her type. That was six months ago. It had been a wild six months. Katy and Dan were love’s young dream, brought together by their mutual love of social media ...
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All hail the King!

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  The Queen is dead, long live the King!! You might be forgiven for thinking this blog is a homage to the King (I am British after all), however, it is in fact my first review of a restaurant in Zhangjiakou, namely: The King of North East Barbecue Northeast barbecue Hunan (Times Square West Branch) Hebei Province Zhangjiakou City Qiaodong District Times Square West East Gate 东北烧烤川湘菜(时代广场西区店) 河北省张家口市桥东区时代广场小区西区东门东南110米 Working hours 5pm - 3am    Location and layout   It took a while, but finally a Zhangjiakou review, and what better way to start than with The King. Ideally positioned mere moments from a University Campus (and a ten-minute walk from my apartment) The King is on a bustling  street that is choc full of various restaurants, including multiple other Barbecue restaurants, alongside Hot Pot, Burger, and Chicken restaurants, so if you don't fancy delicious grilled meat, in this area there is a plethora of options. Inside the restaurant, it is a little ...
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Croak, ribbit, scoopity, splash!

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  I’ll be your Croak Monsieur I’ll be your Croak Madame I find you absolutely ribbiting! Blue Frog Bar and Grill🐸   Multiple locations across China It's been far too long since I posted, so I am rectifying that with a review of a restaurant chain that I've had waiting in the wings for a while now- Blue Frog, Bar and Grill!   Location and layout   Blue Frog is a Western-style restaurant and has around 30 locations scattered across the major cities of China, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. I've visited a Blue Frog in both Beijing and Tianjin, the two I visited were both located as part of a mall, making them easily accessible and not hard to find.  In terms of layout, there is a nice distance between tables, with a prominent bar as a focal point. There was a sort of patio outside area in the Tianjin Blue Frog, which was a very pleasant experience, overall nothing to complain about here! The patio area 5 Nik Knacks Menu So? What are my options? well, a ...
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Location: Beijing, China
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