A Short Life

by John Lane

On Monday, Jack was born from a test tube in Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. On Tuesday, Jack graduated with an accounting degree from Penn State University. On Wednesday, Jack was installed as president of KPMG U.S. Foundation, Inc. despite the fact that Jack had no experience. On Thursday, Jack was fired after it was discovered that Penn State University influenced KPMG board members into giving Jack the position as publicity for the university's test tube program. On Friday, Jack was admitted for suicidal urges at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He never made it to Saturday.

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John Lane's fiction has appeared and is forthcoming in Black Hare Press, Ghost Orchid Press, Black Ink Fiction, Dark Dossier Magazine, Trembling with Fear, The Disappointed Housewife and other venues. His essays have appeared in Morbidly Beautiful, Celestial Toyroom and Pure Slush. In 2020, John’s story, “Dimension Traveler,” tied for Rejected Manuscripts’ third most voted entry out of 130 stories. He's a member of the editorial team for 101 Words, a reader for Black Hare Press, a member of the Horror Writers Association, and an Army and National Guard veteran.