Short Story
The Substance
I stepped out on my porch, the rays of the sun beating against the window beckoning me to come outside. The warmth from the morning sun felt comforting but there was something off about the air. Like a storm approaching. I looked up. The sky had a strange hue to it. An odd shade of pink and grey coming together to make a color that's hard to describe. A color you didn't think could exist.
By Jasmine Aguilarabout an hour ago in Fiction
The Last Light in Room 312
The hotel was too quiet for a place so full. Detective Avery Knox noticed it the second they stepped inside. No chatter. No footsteps. Just the hum of old lights and the faint smell of cleaning chemicals that tried—and failed—to hide something worse.
By Imran Pisaniabout 3 hours ago in Fiction
The Silence Between Footsteps
Chapter One: The Body at Briarwood Manor Briarwood Manor had always felt like a place that watched you. It sat on the edge of the lake, all stone walls and tall windows, like it had secrets built straight into its bones. People in the nearby town called it historic. Others called it cursed. Detective Rowan Hale called it inconvenient—especially when the call came in at 6:12 a.m.
By Imran Pisaniabout 3 hours ago in Fiction
The Meridian at Founders' Ridge
The sign at the entrance was tasteful, navy lettering on cream stock, the font the sort that suggested old money had always been there, like a geological feature. The Meridian at Founders' Ridge: A Curated Community for Patriot Families. Below it, in smaller text: By Appointment or Open House. Today: 1 to 4 PM.
By Tim Carmichaelabout 3 hours ago in Fiction
A Young Fool & The Giant
(Author's note: From a failed attempt at a fantasy novel came a world I truly enjoyed creating. This short story was the story's prologue and I think it stands alone well enough to be shared. I hope you enjoy what was the start of Frederick's journey.)
By Jean-François Lamotheabout 4 hours ago in Fiction
Essay Topic: What Do You Want to Be in the Future?
Sometimes a simple question reveals the most complicated truths of life. “What do you want to be in the future?” seems like an ordinary classroom topic, yet it uncovers the tension between childhood dreams, family pressure, financial limits, and imposed decisions.
By Ebrahim Parsaabout 5 hours ago in Fiction
Perhaps Death Is the Collapse of Our Illusion of Being the Center
In a philosophy class, a student asked, “Is death the end of life?” The professor paused. “Before you answer,” he said, “remember this: the universe was moving before you arrived—and it will continue long after you leave.”
By Ebrahim Parsaabout 16 hours ago in Fiction
A Christmas Carol
I was going through some old documents I had when I came across this. I wrote it for somebody I cared about a few years ago. She loved the Christmas Carol Story but brought up that she wished things turned out better for Scrooge and Belle. So I wrote an ending that met that criteria. This person isn't around anymore so instead of this collecting dust I figured you could have it. Hope you enjoy!
By Donny Foleyabout 18 hours ago in Fiction
