Top Stories

Stories in Chapters that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.

The Fair Exchange - Part 1
Her memory pounded in my head like a feeling trying to drag me backward in time, the remembered closeness of her embrace and the wet press of her lips on mine surprising me with its intensity.
By John Coxabout a year ago in Chapters
Smartystan
An incessant clicking of Dr. Frampton’s teeth unnerved her husband. They lay in bed and basked in the darkness. “What’s wrong? They got the guy. Why are you still up?”
By Skyler Saundersabout a year ago in Chapters
Worth the Wait Part5. Content Warning.
“God, please let me live to tell the story." Crystal was just about to take the exit to Spring Oaks and she could already see the streetwalkers scattered about. Good thing it was early morning, so daylight was on her side. She slowly merged to the exit and simultaneously pulled out the picture of the witness. It was a mug shot, so it was clear of any blurs. Chuck Richardson. “OK, Chuck, where are you?”
By Crystal Caneabout a year ago in Chapters
Smartystan
Dr. Keija Frampton met up with a soror from California. As alumni of New Sweden University, the two met on the campus at the pizza shop Little Scissors.
By Skyler Saundersabout a year ago in Chapters
Tainted Name continued
"Wow, I had never really thought about it until just recently… you know until me and my partner wanted to pursue it…” Samuel’s eyes flicked down sheepishly. The woman in front of him, ten years his junior, had already lived and survived the rearing of children. One that wasn't even her own. Her tricks to help them ease at night, keep them warm and calm, had far surpassed what Samuel and Trine had even considered asking their parents for. Unable to look her in the eye, his gaze had fallen on the water glass in front of her. Its contents are clear as her insight into his problems at home; what he and his partner , who were both nearly in their mid forties, had been so blind to. Throughout his childhood he felt betrayed by parents’ separation and his partner had faced a myriad of problems due to the simple color of her skin. Though he underestimated the woman in front of him and the hardship she had faced by being born into a lower class than he and his partner; and she fell into a limbo state between the privilege of her skin tone and the disparaging events of her parents choices that kept her in a constant state of alertness. If he reached out now, underneath her hair and collar, would he squeeze to find solid rock? Her neck having to be petrified in order to hold her head high, looking for a brighter tomorrow where she can finally rest her worried mind?
By Ruth Annabout a year ago in Chapters
Smartystan
Flags flew freely in the summer breeze. They consisted of a gray and white human brain against a black background. Scales of gold sat just overtop the image of the organ. The sun rose at just the zenith and shared its light and warmth with the attendees to one of the country-states’ greatest accomplishments: the graduation of two women who had been in a halfway house and found their passions for art design and communications. Mala and Sheltham looked on with sunglasses and cheered the graduates. With the knowledge they had months to go before being up on that stage, they looked at each other and grinned. After the ceremony, they walked into a pizza restaurant that fit their budgets.
By Skyler Saunders2 years ago in Chapters
Old Enough
Truth has so many lessons, so many meanings and the lord knows it's a debatable subject when sitting around the supper table. I always make sure I look busy eating; nobody knows what I see in a day. Truth is, I ran straight to the railroad tracks after breakfast this morning, cut through tall, dry, grass where clumps of broken beer bottles and cans swell up on unkempt lots, where people have dumped ole fridge-a-dares, washing machines and just about anything they don't want. I was told never to do such a thing, that is, go to the railroad tracks. By being obedient in other ways, on time for meals, helping carry groceries, running the vacuum cleaner down the long hallway to Paw-Paw's room, well, I earned that big, little, title of "Trust-worthy." Truth is I am trust worthy when it comes down to it; if I hear someone passing hearsay around about Paw-Paw, I correct them or I run home and tell him. So, at the railroad tracks I saw a man drunk at 8.30 in the morning today, a little boy crying with his Mom dragging him behind her with no shoes and some good tires to make swings out of; I have a swing made from wood, but somebody could make a swing if they wanted to. The drunk man looked familiar. I stared at him until he growled; I jumped backwards behind a poison ivy covered oak tree and well, that would draw some attention to me later on, but it shook off that ole smelly hobo for a bit. I am eight and smart but my teacher told Paw-Paw I talk too much; I am fascinated by hobo's. I think about hopping on the back of a real caboose, hanging on like I do at the schoolyard's merry-go-round, screaming my fool head off. I want to see what's out there beyond the sycamore and brow beating summer heat. Paw-Paw loves Jimmy Dean sausage; this afternoon I saw a trailer bed with Jimmy Dean written fancy across it; I almost blew it and told Paw-Paw. That's how much I talk. Learning to be quiet at the supper table is my goal for the summer. Pearl, Paw-Paw's help, sets the table for us and he always tells her to take a plate home for herself. She's pretty with chocolate milk coloured skin that is as smooth as a satin pillow case. When here, she wears her hair pulled back in a small coal bun right at the nape of her neck with a net over it. A little charcoal bun in a net. My hair flies all over the place until the day before school starts up. That's when Pearl takes me into town and has it cut into a pixie with bangs. I don't look forward to that day. For now, summer is endless, miles from here, full of nothing to do day's. Before supper, Pearl always checks me for ticks and hoses me down so I don't track mud in. She is playful with me. I love her; I wonder if Paw-Paw loves her, too. It's lonely sometimes with just me and Paw-Paw; his grand-paw eyes grow heavy after supper and he falls asleep right quick, sprawled out on the gold, plush sofa he snores away and I sneak around the house looking for treasures. I am a tom-cat, meow! I am a spy for "Get Smart" and use radar. Suddenly, I drop down on the floor crawling, I am a hostage escaping through secret tunnels under Paw-Paw's bed; I am a pilot steering my jet over the endless tree tops, beyond the drunken hobo's and rusty, iron train tracks. Whoooa! I can see Pearl shucking corn and singing, I go higher and higher above the midnight street lamps, the moon is full of cheese, smiling by my side; I am soaring until I plop from my parachute into my marshmallow bed where I lay until dawn dreaming.
By ROCK aka Andrea Polla (Simmons)2 years ago in Chapters
Women Who Stay, 36 (Epilogue)
Chapter 1 ... Chapter 35 ______________ Money, I found, made my fear of failure easier to live with. I bought an apartment. I remodeled a bedroom into a writing studio. And slowly, like a spoonful of honey, the money eased my frustration with feeling, once again, like a larger, better story had crossed my path. If life kept feeling like this, I could live with it.
By Suze Kay2 years ago in Chapters
Dog Thirteen
Dog Thirteen June 4, 2023 Today was different. To be fair, all days are different now that I am a new dog. Every day I seem to be able to do something new- open my eyes, stand up, hobble around, wag my tail. Every day I get stronger and more comfortable in this body. It’s not bad, being a dog. Not so far, at least. I never have to go hungry, although we are feeding from our mother less and less and trying new foods that come out of a bag and a can. It’s a mixture. I wish I could tell the humans that I prefer the food from the can. I try to show them by picking out the kibble pieces and spitting them onto the ground, but they just laugh and think I am being cute. That feels frustrating, to not be understood. But I cannot stay mad for too long because the humans pick me up and pet my head and body and it makes me feel happy inside, and now that I know how to wag my tail, I try to do that a lot.
By Morgan Longford2 years ago in Chapters
Where the Sidewalk Ends (the story) - Part 2
Note: This is part two, please click on the link below if you would like to read the first part. Thank you! Bowden leans back on the rickety stool he’s been sitting on for the past hour and stretches his cramped muscles. This part of his daily routine was his least favourite.
By Heather Zieffle 2 years ago in Chapters
The Longest Goodbye
"Are you staying?" I already knew the answer, the small, chilled word, in my chest. "No. I can`t." "You mean you won`t."
By Sabrina2 years ago in Chapters
BARE HUNTER
Greg, my boss, had called to tell me we needed to discuss what the company's owners were up to. He was going to pick up a pizza and come to my place to clear the air once and for all.
By Tina D'Angelo2 years ago in Chapters