Candy Caper
It was the perfect time to collect.
Mia, seven, expert barefoot stealth artist, picked her way over the kitchen tiles.
It was the perfect time to collect.
The summer heat of afternoon had sunken in – anyone with a full belly was liable to succumb to fatigue. Still air hung heavy with perfume of flowers and fruit, and a yellow bird perched and sang atop the gable.
Heavy snores echoed down the hall.
Oscar, forty-three, was asleep on the couch. His wallet lay open, a fat cat by his feet on the ottoman.
She slipped into the living room, scratched her neck to ward away bugs and pressed sweaty fingers into the leather. One leaf. Two leaves. A total of five paper dollars clenched damp between her shaking fingers.
Mia pictured the jar at the corner store in its shining, candy-filled glory. She envisioned cinnamon sticks red as a sun-smoky sky, pictured sharing gooey taffy with the street kids. They’d be indebted to her for life.
Mia glanced over her shoulder toward the drooling Oscar. He heard nothing of her raid, apart from the squeak as the screen door shivered shut. The sleeper smacked large lips and snored, and Mia raced triumphantly into the yard.
About the Creator
Lark Hanshan
A quiet West Coast observer. Writing a sentence onto a blank page and letting what comes next do what it must.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Keep reading
More stories from Lark Hanshan and writers in Fiction and other communities.
Walking (Part 7)
When I got home, I changed out of my work clothes into jeans and a t-shirt, fed the cat, and set off for a walk by the river. The leaves were beginning to turn, and the dogwoods and Bradford pear trees looked like upside down ladies wearing red dresses in the sky. When I turned off of the road onto the path, the shade made it feel cooler, and the little patches of light coming down between the leaves of the trees were right pretty.
By Harper Lewis8 days ago in Fiction
📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 01/08/2026
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted most alternating Thursdays at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal7 days ago in Resources
Comments (24)
Lol, this was a cute story! Congratulations on your Top Story! I've subscribed to you!
I love this. Such vivid imagery, so gorgeously written... a genuine pleasure to read. Hearted and subscribed.
Absolutely a small delight to read! Very lighthearted and great read to relieve some of the pressures of the day, thanks for sharing!
The little rascal! I hope she enjoys the sweets :D xx
Memories
So cute! Congrats on the top story, it reminds me of innocent days.
Aww this was nostalgic… our first theft is always taking from parents, then learning consequences. I loved the descriptions, especially “cinnamon sticks red as a sun-smoky sky.” You fit a lot into this micro. Congrats on Top Story! 🥂
This is awesome. I loved her motives, the writing style and the picture!
so sweet story! Check my story :) https://shopping-feedback.today/families/celebrating-father-s-day-2023%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class="css-w4qknv-Replies">
you have an sweet story keep going don't stop
Cute.. a great read and congrats to making it to top story :)
I throughly enjoy your heist. The words were engaging. Congrats!
Cute story please stop by and read mine!
Loved it completely!!! So well-written and totally worth a read!
This was so wonderfully done! Your descriptions are vivid. Adorable, cheeky, and beautifully told. I loved this piece. 😊 Congratulations on Top Story! ❤️
Fantastic heist!!! Love this!!!❤️❤️💕
Cute story stop by my article please
Oh, I loved that she got away with it!! And totally worth it for sweets. Great storytelling as I could feel the tension, and I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath and trying to be quiet, lol. Congratulations on Top Story!!
This is so beautifully written!! I love the story too (obviously) but your writing and word choice is just gorgeous in this!
Greatest Heist 🍬Candy Sweetness 😊💖Congratulations on your Top Story❗🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
What a fun little heist! Loved the imagery you painted in this! Congratulations on Top Story!
So well written that every moment felt real. Loved it, congrats on the top story.
I'm happy for her win! Yay 👏 🥰❤️🎉and what an excellent piece of writing 😁❤️
Oooh, sneaky. this is great. Congrats on the TS