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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…

The couch was leather and comfortable, The smell in the room was a pleasing combination of the couch and some other olfactory essence designed to put a mind at ease allowing the smoothest stream of uninhibited thoughts.

"So, I get to this place where I'm no longer myself, merely a sea of atoms made into the form of me, Just the other day I saw on the news scientists detected the part of the brain which creates the illusion of free will.That really hit me hard"

The one seated across from Fred took a slug from a vitamin laced bottle of overpriced colored water.His professional half-glance at the clock on the wall behind told him this session was drawing to a close.

The semi head tilt into a sideways expression of detached curiousity."Hit you in what way?.."

"Well it made me double down on all of my beliefs, But when I go to this place now I can feel the existence of God.. as at the end of the road of truth is where he is, smiling while offering a window seat."

He tried to resume Professional reality, "Well, great, You have been thinking deep again, How is work Fred?" The word stank of alarm clocks, highway congestion and the stifling of souls. "Couldn't be better' It was the honest truth in his mind. It's work, It can never be "better."

A bell chimed in some inconspicuous corner of the room, The session ended, Fred handed over my co-pay. He thought of suggesting exercise as a better and cheaper health tonic, thought better of it as that would be free advice, said good night and left. Even overweight therapists can dream of a quick fix.Live and let live.

He stepped from central air to the warm seaside breeze of a hot August evening. The town was alive, Fearless kids on darting bicycles weaved thru traffic and barely clipped pedestrians, Lovers sat by the waters' edge, intertwined in a moment, glowing along with the sunset. Parents bought their kids ice cream, smiled while staring at nothing. Making memories for future days, When their homes became just houses again.

He had what seemed to be all of it here in this place once, Then he was reminded that we can only count on change, Thoughts escaped his mind like styrofoam peanuts exploding out of a shipping container.

At the end of Main St the car ferry stood poised at the dock, ready to engulf or disgorge another load of vehicles and their occupants.Fred walked past the busy terminal entrance, skipped the crowds, shortcutting his way to a grassy public knoll at the edge of the business district.

Bill Tanner sat next to the park bench, useless legs dangling as he sat hunched over in his motorized wheelchair, absorbed in watching his Black Lab chase a frisbee thrown by a couple of local kids.

The dog too, totally living in the moment, running, diving, smashing the disc into the ground as it was a creature in his jaws, instinctual traits on 10, Doing what dogs do, staying totally in the moment."It's a great day to be alive Fred, care for a game?" Bill dropped a handful of pistachio shells on the ground and gestured toward the chessboard stowed in the chairs' side pocket."Thanks Bill" Fred responded as he walked over, "Today however I'm having issues staying barely in THIS moment.. a strategy game?, Thinking ahead? I'm afraid it would be over before it started Bill.." The wheelchair bound man smiled, shrugged and setup his board, He removed a worn softcover copy of "100 Classic Openings of the Russian Masters" out of his pocket while simultaneously admiring the multi hued sky.

The dog dropped the frisbee at Bill's feet, sat up next to him and slobbered kisses while he rubbed her neck. Fred wondered if the dog was recalling Bill before the accident, when he could run and wrestle and hurl the plastic disc like no one else during days that seemed to last forever.Bill put down the book and grabbed a fistful of nuts, "It's the limits they gave us Fred, we only can comprehend so much, The most of it we can never imagine.We were not designed to know it all, otherwise all this would not be possible.."

He pointed to the car ferry, the orderly line of cars waiting their turn, the people on the sidewalks, absorbed in their hopes and dreams as they gazed at shop windows and also those who tried to keep all of them on the right track for a co-pay.

'So we get beautiful days to contemplate it with, more questions than answers, But if this is all that here is well then, Who exactly put it there?, and who made it make would we call "sense?"

The dog grabbed the saliva covered frisbee and ran toward the boys who were now creating a nuisance with skateboards across the park. Fred grabbed a handful of pistachos, thought of the wise moment when some enlightened soul decided that all of these didn't have to be dyed red like in the old days. The nuts always dyed your hands and clothes red as well.

Bill was intently setting up defensive postures to the Ruy Lopez opening, Fred felt thirsty but somehow renewed. "Life is as good as I allow it to be Bill," He walked away toward the sunset craving a diet coke.

An approaching rumble startled Fred, he felt something fall on his foot, looked down at the frisbee out of his periphery four legged positive motion jumped in front of him calling him into action. He picked up the disc and hurled it beyond the sky,

 

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