Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Chapters.
Beneath the Willow Tree
It was raining when Maya first saw Elias. She was seventeen and was sitting in the middle of the park under a willow tree, clutching a wet paperback and cursing the weather. She couldn't get home without getting completely soaked because her umbrella had broken in the wind. That's when tall, quiet Elias showed up, holding a red umbrella like a sword of salvation. His voice was as soft as the rain and he said, "You look like you could use a rescue." She was startled and looked up. He smiled with genuine warmth, not in a mocking manner. He moved closer without waiting for her response and extended the umbrella to cover them both. "This is Elias." “Maya.”
By Nafis Ahmed10 months ago in Chapters
Echoes of Her Name
“Echoes of Her Name” It serves as a memento. The story of Daniel is not just about sadness; rather, it is about the resilience of the human heart and the way that love continues to shape our lives even when it is absent. This story is for anyone who has ever lost someone they couldn't imagine living without. You won't be alone. Grief stays quiet with you. When it arrives, it does not knock, and it never quite leaves. It transforms the world around us, transforming vibrant colors into gray. The story of Daniel and Maya is about two souls who fell in love too soon and lost it far too soon. It tells the story of a bond that could not be broken by death, but one that hurts every time you say goodbye. Poetry and romantic gestures never appealed to Daniel. In a city where steel and glass dominated the skyline and few people stopped to look up, he worked long hours as an architect. He was a fan of routine, logic, and plans. Maya was everything he was not—a dreamer, an artist, and a woman who saw the world in colors he had no idea existed. They met at a coffee shop on a rainy afternoon. When she spilled her drink on his sketches, he laughed—a genuine, deep laugh that caught him off guard. In her nervousness, she gave him a napkin with a flower sketch on it after offering her sincere apologies. He still has that sketch framed on his desk. They first fell in love slowly, then suddenly. Breakfasts were served early in the morning after late-night discussions. Weekend walks turned into whispered promises and shared keys. Daniel learned from Maya how to find beauty in everyday things. She would pause to marvel at the shape of the clouds or the shadows on the sidewalk. He taught her stability and the significance of establishing a foundation for dreams. There were flaws in their relationship. As every couple does, they fought over time, money, and the future. However, their love was sincere. They never got mad at night. Every day began with "I love you," and every fight ended with a kiss. Daniel proposed after two years. with a quiet sincerity, not a grand gesture. Similar to the day they first met, it had rained once more. As they stood under their shared umbrella, he simply asked, "Will you stay with me, forever?" and took her hand. She didn't weep. She grinned and said, "Always." However, they were always shorter than anticipated. Maya started to feel tired three months before their wedding. She'd lose her balance, forget things, and sometimes find it hard to breathe. They initially considered stress or anemia to be the cause. However, the hospital visits, scans, and worried looks from doctors followed. She was given the diagnosis of aggressive leukemia. After that, everything moved too quickly. The treatments started right away. Chemotherapy. Medications. Transfusions. Daniel barely moved away from her. He even set up an easel in her hospital room so that she could paint when she was strong enough to do so. He also brought books to read to her and playlists of her favorite songs. But there were fewer and fewer of those times. For his benefit, Maya attempted to maintain positivity. She made fun of her hair loss in a joke. She continued to create art, including delicate, fragile paintings of birds soaring through storms and desert flowers. Nevertheless, her spirit was fighting but her body was giving up. Maya asked Daniel to sit next to her one night as the city lights outside her window flickered like candles in the wind. Despite her paler and thinner appearance, her eyes retained their fire. She stated, "I don't want you to stop living when I go." "You must promise me that you will continue." that happiness will return to you. that you will love once more." Daniel was speechless. The pain of not having cried made his throat burn. He whispered, "I don't know how to be without you." She said softly, "You were already before me." And you will be once more. However, a part of me will always be there. In your thoughts, in the places you love, and in the way you look at rain with a smile. She passed away in her sleep two weeks later. The days that followed were mostly forgotten by Daniel. Faces and hands on his shoulders were all that stood out at the funeral. He went through the motions of his grief like a ghost. He did not return to work. He ate very little. He was unable to rest in their bed. At the same time, everything felt like her and not like her. He was not healed by time. The sharp edges were simply dulled. He was still stuck in the moment when she took her last breath, though the world moved on. He made an effort to locate traces of her in everything. He went to the lake where they used to have a picnic, the gallery where she had her first show, and the small bookstore that she loved. He scattered her paintings throughout the apartment. When it got cold, he wore the favorite scarf she had. However, nothing could fill the void she created. Daniel went back to the coffee shop where they first met a year after she died, on their wedding anniversary. The same table was where he sat. opted for the same beverage. A letter that he had written but never given to her was with him. It stated: “Maya,
By Naymur Islam10 months ago in Chapters
Free Free Palestine . Content Warning. AI-Generated.
Free Free Palestine Freedom is Our Life The sun rose over Gaza with a defiance that mirrored the people beneath it. It pushed through smoke and shattered windows, poured over fractured homes and blood-stained alleyways, insisting—despite everything—that morning still had meaning.
By Hassan Habib 10 months ago in Chapters
"The Lion and the Markhor. AI-Generated.
The Lion and the Markhor A Tale of Strength, Wisdom, and Respect Long ago, in a time when the earth was young and the sky painted with the colors of untouched nature, there lived two mighty creatures in lands as different as night and day.
By suliman umar10 months ago in Chapters
Best 12 IBM BI & data solutions Services companies in the world
Introduction In today’s digital world, data is everything. But raw data alone doesn't do much. Businesses need intelligent insights, and that’s where IBM BI & data solutions Services companies come in. These companies use IBM BI and Data solutions to turn numbers into strategies, reports into actions, and confusion into clarity.
By Abeer mukhtiar10 months ago in Chapters
🔍 “The Gospel of the Raven”
Paris, midnight. A muffled scream echoed through the dark hallways of the National Library of France. In the section of forbidden manuscripts, the lifeless body of historian Jacques Bellamy lay among dusty shelves. Beside him, a raven made of obsidian, with a strange symbol etched on its chest, seemed to watch over him. With his own blood, he had left a haunting message: “Corvus Veritas.”
By Joel Nicolas Niño Jimenez10 months ago in Chapters
Businesswoman Chapter 111
Drops of sunlight played hide and seek amongst the trees. Loreen looked at her portfolio of businesses and slashed through scheduled appointments and penciled in new meetups. On her property, she could take the entire time to plan and enjoy the space.
By Skyler Saunders10 months ago in Chapters
