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Latest Stories

March 19, 2024
Fantasy Stories Wondering Monk

Just My Imagination

The alarm clock went off and started playing an awful tune. Tom opened his eyes and closed them back, squinting. He reopened one eye and stood up to stop the torture. The phone was on the desk, in the furthest spot from the bed. Although he changed his way of…
March 19, 2024
Science Fiction Stories Ocelotlzin

Earth Is Dead

Recording… It doesn't matter who I was; I probably lived a long time ago, and I am now just a voice someone added to the audio-visual records. What is essential is the recollection of events that lead to the current state. So, a little history needs to be…
March 08, 2024
Flash Fiction Benoit

Some Enchanted Evening

It was a rugby tackle with tears: Chrissy burst in, sobbing and babbling, hugging James. Her face was all wet, eyes wild. What…? My parents split up, Dad has moved in with his boyfriend and I cannot join them. I am shut out. I have lost my dad. Torrent of…
March 08, 2024
Horror Stories Marvel Chukwudi Pephel

In The Hands Of My Legs

The car pulled up in front of the large salon. The neon sign, that sexy broad thing, on the salon'sroof read "Mr. Gil's All-night Salon". The exhaust pipe of the car was pumping solid smoke, theswirls moving from the car and towards the salon.…
March 07, 2024
Mystery Stories Vanessa Leigh Giles

Casualty of Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Chapter 1 Until Death do us Part ‘Ring, ring!’. I answered the telephone and asked, “Hello, good evening. Who’s this? “Hello.” This is Dr. Smith from Red Cross hospital. “Is this Mr. Locke, John?”, he asked, hesitantly scratching his bald head. “Yes, doctor.…
March 07, 2024
Crime Stories Robert Pook

Bar Room Trigger

Another return journey on footpaths so familiar. He strides across each crack in each paving stone. Regular loose drain covers sidestepped. Mapping long ago mapped in Richard’s desolate mind. His pace hastened by the sight of the oncoming storm. Quickening…
March 04, 2024
Horror Stories Ano Chinemerem

Sanctity

Where should I begin? I could begin by telling you about this comely boy, whom every notable person around the streets agrees his smile could charm the bills off one. Between one smile, there was his goodness, his dreams and humanity—a little far ahead?— but…
March 04, 2024
Flash Fiction Emanuel Diaz

Et Mortui Partium

As Rafael stepped out into the rain, it wasn't the ordinary drops that fell from the sky. Instead, it was a storm of souls, each one taking the form of shimmering jewelry as it cascaded toward the ground. Rubies, diamonds, and sapphires twinkled amidst the…
February 29, 2024
Poetry Jing Li Ava

London

‘Am I in London?’ "I am." Where is Elizabeth? Happy living story All of your chapter Bounlance joy Please my heart Power hand Wise mind Our baby Vow vow Love all love Miss I miss Endless wonder Bring us together Love all love Miss I miss For everything My…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Rob Pook

Life Sentence of The Smith

Born nine months after his country won the World Cup.A child prodigy.Cast off at age twenty-four.Husband, father, emigree, away on the other side of the world.The blue-collar life.The dreams of success.The search for fulfillment.The long years of empty…
February 29, 2024
Mystery Stories Joshua Lowther

The Operator

Jason looked over to his right, his eyes barely able to focus themselves on the subject of his attention. His neck ached terribly from the strenuous movement. He was tired. The captain’s gaze came to rest on the rookie sonar operator sitting tense at his…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Salvatore Difalco

The Chute

At dusk, we left our unit with a soft pink bundle. I carried it through the wet streets and into the black woods. I said I’d take it all the way, the bundle, but that we had to drop it in together. My wife’s green eyes flashed. “Don’t make me do that.” I…

Andreas sighed. It was Saturday, and he hated having to go into the office on weekends.

Why now, of all times? It was his daughter's birthday. There was a party that afternoon, one where he'd be the master of ceremonies for Sally. He had to be there.

But the call had been insistent: extra work had been sent in from head office. His second in command, falling ill with a cold, had begged off sick and told Andreas that he'd have to leave soon, and then who'd be in charge?

Ah, the joys of being the boss. It was nice having a team who had to listen to you, do as you said, but it came with a price at times. If he didn't step in and make sure the order was dealt with promptly, it’d be his head that HQ would want. They were always prompt and efficient, and they expected branch offices to be the same.

He started up his car and eased out into the road. The motorway was running smoothly at this time of the day, the traffic always light on a weekend.

It was going to be a lovely day for a birthday party. The sun was out, the early afternoon warm but not too hot. It was already getting on past lunch time, and Sally's guests, mostly her friends from school and her pony club, would be arriving soon. What a waste, to be stuck inside.

Andreas jammed on the horn as a car cut sharply in front, let it sound out long and loud. It didn't make the other driver look around, but at least it gave him the chance to vent his frustration.

He sighed and turned off at the side ramp leading to his office. Andreas drove on and it gradually came into sight: an ugly building with thick walls, few windows and no particular distinguishing features, sitting in the middle of a big empty lot, just part of one more industrial estate. He'd seen plenty of these in the course of his career.

He thought once more about his daughter. Sally was a lovely kid, just about to turn twelve. A little too talkative at times, usually polite and quietly spoken, but just starting to grow up - to realise what the world was really like, and, occasionally, to question what was going on around her and ask why it was so.

She idolized him, and he her. She'd be disappointed if her father wasn't there for such a big day.

Still, work was work. A government job was a good one in these times: stable, safe, well paid, and generally regular hours. Without it, he'd never been able to afford to give his wife her long lunches, or his daughter her riding lessons and expensive private school education.

And besides, he noted wryly, he'd had the chance to meet a lot of people from many different walks of life, talk to them and hear their stories.

Andreas stepped into the office. As was to be expected, the building was largely quiet, which always made his job easier. He spoke briefly to his deputy and gave him some lozenges for his throat; they jointly signed the necessary paperwork, and then Andreas told him to go home and rest up. He stepped into the reception area and introduced himself to the newly arrived delivery parcel.

It was a vicar, his wife and their daughter. The good pastor had been just a little too outspoken in his last few sermons, and one of the parishioners had taken it upon herself to ring up and advise the police. So here they stood now, facing Andreas, confusion and the first elements of some panic creeping into their faces.

He tried to calm them down. "If you co-operate with us, follow instructions, answer all our questions, then I'm sure we can get this finished for you soon enough."

The reverend was in his mid-thirties, earnest but confused. So was his wife. Both of them firmly denied any problem, which in itself was a problem: it would probably take time to extract an admission and public retraction.

Andreas sighed again. “I guess I’ll have to talk to your daughter first.”

He called over two of the junior clerks, young enthusiastic recruits just starting out. "If you could be so kind as to escort our guests to their new accommodation." The wife to one cell, the pastor in another far away. He'd found over the years that a quiet, calm tone was often more effective than any threats or bluster.

He watched them walk off down the hall, then turned to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Rebecca, sir," she said quietly, looking down at the ground, a little shy and certainly scared.

"And how old are you?"

"I’ve just turned twelve, sir." She looked up hopefully. "It was my birthday this week."

He smiled warmly at her. “That must have been nice for you.” She nodded back, warily.

Twelve. Just starting to grow up - to realise what the world was really like, and, occasionally, to question what was going on around her and ask why it was so.

He'd have to make sure she learnt not to ask too many questions.

Andrea felt a surge of pity for her as he picked up the electrodes and ordered her handcuffed.

"Well, I'll make this quick for you, then."

He looked on benignly as his staff marched her to a nearby cell, and hoped she’d not try to outlast the pain that was coming. She certainly didn’t look like the resistant type.

Early Saturday afternoon, and he was back in the office, once more at work. At least he was getting some overtime – and maybe, just maybe, he thought, I might still get back in time for the party.

Michael is based in Australia’s so-called “bush capital,” Canberra; his works have previously appeared in a number of flash fiction forums and publications.

 

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