Psychological
The Memory Broker
The Memory Broker By Hasnain Shah The first thing I remember selling was my mother’s laugh. It was soft, golden, like sunlight on rippling water. A collector offered me 800 credits for it — a fortune at the time. I told myself I didn’t need it anymore; I still had the memory of her hands, the way she stirred coffee, the way she hummed “Fly Me to the Moon.” I figured one memory wouldn’t hurt.
By Hasnain Shah4 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 4 months ago in Fiction
The Elimination Service
The visitor should never have been allowed past the reception desk. Mr. Ferguson only received guests by prior appointment, except for those with matters of extreme importance. Ferguson was a man who valued time as gold. But his secretary, Miss Dale, was young and impressionable. The visitor — an elderly, dignified man dressed in an expensive suit and leaning on a cane — looked every bit the part of someone important. Assuming he must be, Miss Dale ushered him straight into Ferguson’s office.
By Izabella Johnson4 months ago in Fiction
I had a Dream....
I had a dream, and in this dream, I was much older. Me and a few friends were sitting around sharing our various memories of the past and comparing it with present of our older selves. We realized how things really did stay the same from how one dressed to the vocabulary that one spoke. We gathered at various venues along with others to share current events and even to answer questions for the younger generations. I guess in the future I will be a teacher of sorts. We realized that we as elders were still of some value too.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Fiction
The Night the Sky Caught Fire
The Night the Sky Caught Fire It began with whispers carried through small towns and quiet cities. People spoke of a light that would tear across the heavens, brighter than any star we had ever known. The scientists called it Comet C 2025 41, but to most it became the Fire Tail, a name that felt older, something our ancestors might have whispered when the world was still young. On October twenty first, they said, it would come close enough to see the ice melt from its skin, close enough to make the night burn.
By Marie381Uk 4 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 Patton4 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 Stewart4 months ago in Fiction
The Light Switch
The door slammed shut behind me, and the darkness swallowed everything whole. I hadn't meant to come inside. The old Caldwell house had been abandoned for thirty years, its windows like hollow eyes watching the neighborhood. But my phone had died mid-walk, and when the October rain started sheeting down, the partially open front door seemed like an invitation rather than a warning.
By Parsley Rose 4 months ago in Fiction
