Psychological

I’ll Explain This Later
I’ll explain this later—why I kept my coat on inside the house, why the room felt colder after you left than it ever did in winter. There was a reason, I tell myself, something orderly and sensible, but all I can remember now is the sound of the door closing and how the air seemed to rearrange itself afterward.
By Jhon smith24 days ago in Fiction
Syncope
The clinic looked like nothing. It had no windows, no signage, and no presence except the faint antiseptic tang that clung to your skin even after leaving. The walls inside glowed with a colorless intensity that didn’t register as light so much as pressure.
By Fatal Serendipity24 days ago in Fiction
The Birthday Party That Broke the Pattern
Introduction Some children collect toys or stickers. Sarah Peterson collects patterns. Numbers, letters, names, dates — if it fits, she notices it. If it matches, she loves it. And when her tenth birthday lands on the tenth day of the tenth month, she decides her celebration should be as perfectly arranged as the world she treasures. But even the most carefully planned day has room for surprise, and sometimes the unexpected guest is the one who changes everything.
By Margaret Minnicks24 days ago in Fiction
The Last Light in Window Seven
Every night at exactly 9:17 p.m., a single window lit up on the seventh floor of the Alderstone Apartments. No one knew why.
By Yasir khan24 days ago in Fiction
Vessel Control Part III
Vapor trails issued from the stick. Gunnar Mayser walked the passageways. His gummy footwear never made a sound. He puffed on his vape stick. More of the smoke-like stuff puffed out and swirled about him like a morning mist.
By Skyler Saunders24 days ago in Fiction
The Director. Content Warning.
“Don’t tighten it.” “It’s slipping.” “It’s cutting.” “Good.” “Don’t say good.” “Breathe.” “Don’t tell me to breathe like you’re helping.”
By Richard Patrick Gage24 days ago in Fiction
The Lights Delay
The office uses motion-sensor lights. They’re supposed to save money. They’re supposed to make late shifts feel less lonely—rows of cubicles blooming with white light as you walk past, proof that the building sees you.
By V-Ink Stories24 days ago in Fiction
Day 12: Something Is Writing Back
Day 1 I woke up on a carpet that smelled like old paper and damp electricity. Yellow walls. Buzzing lights. No windows. No doors that led anywhere meaningful.
By V-Ink Stories24 days ago in Fiction
Light Starvation
FIELD NOTES — UNDATED I don’t know when I got here. Time doesn’t behave normally. My watch stopped on entry. My phone battery died before I thought to conserve it. The lights, though—those I can measure.
By V-Ink Stories24 days ago in Fiction
Someone Else’s Footsteps
RECOVERY LOG — AUTHOR UNKNOWN I don’t know who will read this. I don’t know if anyone will. I’m writing because writing fixes things in place. It gives the room's edges.
By V-Ink Stories24 days ago in Fiction
The Christmas Leopard
"Shall I attempt to bargain with you, elegant Snow Leopard, perched high upon a hill - for surely you have me at a rather strategic advantage. I stand face to face with you, seeing my life flashing before my eyes - I see a noir crime film unveiling - maybe fiction, characterized by an error in judgement on my part. I see cynicism, fatalism, and moral ambiguity".
By Novel Allen24 days ago in Fiction
Single Bed
ASSEMBLY MANUAL ITEM: BEDFRAME, SINGLE MODEL: ENSAM-LEFTOVER INTENDED USE: One adult occupant OPTIONAL CAPACITY: Two children, weekends
By Jesse Lee25 days ago in Fiction