Love
Rain That Never Ends
It had been raining for five years. Not a day, not an hour of silence from the sky. The people of Maravelle had long stopped waiting for the sun. The old roads were rivers now, and the hills were islands. Children learned to swim before they learned to walk. Markets floated on barrels and bamboo rafts, schools drifted in circles tethered to the remains of clock towers, and crops grew in hanging gardens on rooftops.
By Farooq Hashmi3 months ago in Fiction
The Girl in the Red Umbrella
The Girl in the Red Umbrella The rain had been falling for seven straight mornings, soft and unrelenting, like the world was trying to wash itself clean. The city streets shimmered with reflections — puddles catching headlights and broken clouds. Daniel stood under the crooked metal awning of the bus stop, coffee in one hand, his tie damp at the edges.
By Abdul Muhammad 3 months ago in Fiction
Those Who Survived the Flames
On the narrow street beside the old store in the center of the village stood a grand house — the home of Sotimkhon, the respected elder of Khurmoli village. Sotimkhon was a tall, broad-shouldered man, always wearing a waistcoat, a doppi on his head, and leather slippers on his feet. At every wedding or community gathering, he was the one to lead the people — firm, wise, and commanding.
By Izabella Johnson3 months ago in Fiction
December
It was December, and the cold was strong. Wahid often complained to me that I didn’t come to visit my friends. But today was Sunday, and I had decided to spend the whole day with Wahid. I had been in touch with him since the evening before. I planned to leave the house at ten in the morning and meet him at his shop.
By Syed Shahkar jalal 3 months ago in Fiction
Everything Will Be Alright. Top Story - October 2025.
It was difficult to go back into that room. My son had passed three Halloweens ago and I kept his room shut since then. But I had to. To put his things away for now at least. Thank goodness he has no pets in his room. No goldfish or other such animals that would require my rescue. That would have been…that wouldn’t have been easy.
By Raphael Fontenelle3 months ago in Fiction
Just a Peek. Top Story - October 2025. Content Warning.
Madame Sylvie Revealer of your Past Teller of your Future Madeline, or Mad as she preferred to be called, studied the sign before her, wondering if it was really worth it to follow her unexpected urge. She had never once wanted to know her future, and even now, Mad still didn’t want to know. Mad had read enough Greek myths to know that it never ended well. Granted, she believed in herself enough to think that she wouldn’t go try to kill a baby or something like that, but still. Mad was content enough to live in the present and not stress about a future she may not be able to change, thank you very much.
By Rebecca Patton3 months ago in Fiction
Fostering Doubts
Author's Preamble: As noted above, this is my 22nd rejection, in my ongoing attempt to win something or have something published outside of Vocal. The following story was written for the 2025 Ligonier Valley Writers' Flash Fiction Contest. The prompt was simply, AI/robots, the light or dark side. 1000 words or less.
By Paul Stewart3 months ago in Fiction
She’s Ready for You
The old man sat in his chair, staring out the window. The olive trees were blooming, the delicate flowers having burst forth from their buds. He could smell the little white petals in the breeze off the Mediterranean. His small cabin was close to the water, but his neighbor had a sprawling grove that stretched between his home and the cerulean waves.
By Benjamin Whitaker3 months ago in Fiction
The Immortality Subscription
The ad was everywhere. “Aeterna Corp: Why Have an Expiration Date?” For a manageable monthly fee, the “Rejuvenation Stream” would flood your cells with nano-machines, repairing telomeres, purging toxins, and holding aging at bay. It wasn’t a one-time cure; it was a service. A subscription to immortality.
By Habibullah3 months ago in Fiction
The Shadows of Greenhall
_Part One: The Dance of Light and Shadows in Greenhall_ The autumn air of the outskirts carried the scent of damp earth and fallen yellow leaves, caressing the tall windows of Greenhall Manor. Its stone walls, once adorned with the grandeur of carved stones and vibrant paintings, now bore cracks and faded colors, whispering a silent tale of years steeped in solitude. Amid this heavy stillness sat Liovna, her golden hair shimmering like silk threads in the candlelight. Her white dress, with its delicate lace trim and voluminous sleeves, seemed to have stepped out of a distant dream into this cold room. The simple gold necklace at her throat—her only memento from her mother—trembled faintly with each breath.
By Vafa Abbasi3 months ago in Fiction
Megara: The Mechanism of Madness
On the Mechanism Cebes and Atlas are enjoying themselves at their favorite coffee shop after a prodigious session of alcohol consumption. They are coming down from their drunken state but Altas is in a cheerful mood for more, while Cebes is in a melancholy mood questioning his thoughts and emotional state.
By G.A. Sebastián3 months ago in Fiction
