Short Story

The Silent Climb
In a quiet village nestled between green hills and calm lakes, there lived a boy named Ayan. He was quiet by nature, often seen sitting under the old fig tree with a faraway look in his eyes. While others played, he would sketch mountains, write in his worn notebook, and stare at the peaks beyond the horizon.
By meerjanan16 days ago in Fiction
The Lantern in the Attic
There was a house on the edge of the village that no one spoke of, not unless the wind was still and the night felt too long. It stood at the top of the hill, half-hidden by ivy and time, its windows clouded with dust, its porch sagging under the weight of years. The other children said it was cursed. They claimed they’d seen shadows where there should be none, heard laughter when the house had been empty for decades.
By meerjanan16 days ago in Fiction
The Window That Waited
In a quiet corner of the city, where the traffic never quite quieted and the buildings leaned into each other like old friends, stood a weathered apartment block with peeling paint and a rusted fire escape. It wasn’t grand or new, but it had stood for decades, holding stories in its walls.
By meerjanan16 days ago in Fiction
Incompetence Aforethought
"All right, the fire has been put out, but we'd still like to do an inspection for stability before we let anyone back in."
By Natasja Rose16 days ago in Fiction
Keep On Walking
Introduction I have had this image from The Enchanted Booklet on Facebook saved for a while, and in some ways, it makes me think of my situation on Vocal. Everyone encourages me and is supportive, but a solution to my issue is unlikely to emerge, so I have to keep on using my workaround.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 16 days ago in Fiction
The Brewer's Missing Fortune . AI-Generated.
Father moves beside me. His hands shake slightly, though not enough to spill anything. He hums a tune that changes every time he remembers it. The floorboards respond to his steps, creaking in the right places, adjusting their pitch, carrying him through the room like a conductor guiding an orchestra.
By janel sterbentz16 days ago in Fiction
Indecision
One quiet afternoon, Phoebe sat in her chair, reading one of her many books on quantum superposition. Phoebe was barely 18, and she had already been accepted into MIT to pursue a degree in quantum physics. She became obsessed with the subject after learning about Schrödinger's famous thought experiment on quantum superposition and how particles can exist in two separate states until they are observed. The sunlight illuminating her pages was interrupted when her cat, Erwin, jumped up on the windowsill. When she got up to move him slightly out of her reading light, she saw two soldiers approach the door with a tri-folded American flag.
By ARG16 days ago in Fiction
A Mother’s Benediction
Once a year, mothers gather before dawn to fast, pray, and wait. Sakat Chauth is a Hindu festival not marked by celebration, but by endurance — a quiet vow made on behalf of a child who cannot yet speak for themselves.
By Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin16 days ago in Fiction
My Last Letter to Him 💌
Dear , How are you? 🍀 I’m not sure if I will ever send you this letter. In many ways, life has already answered that for me. Distance has done what words could not. You are far away now, and I never truly had the chance to say goodbye the way I wanted to.
By Harsh Chaudhari 🌸16 days ago in Fiction
Hiding Places
He woke up in the dark, still hanging in his dream. Sweaty hands swept across his pale face, moved his messy hair away from his still half-closed eyes. No muscle was ready to move yet, his eyes struggling to adjust to the dim room. Outside, vehicles droned and roared, engines spluttered, smoke rose into the air searching for freedom, becoming one with the clouds. His curtains shifted in the soft breeze, whispering through the marginally opened window. Footsteps sounded in the hallway, approaching. And water repeatedly dripped from the bathroom sink’s tap, a rhythmic tapping he’d almost adjusted to. It still caught him out first thing in the mornings, but otherwise blended in to the city’s gnawing symphony.
By Reece Beckett16 days ago in Fiction
The Silent War the World Is Already Fighting
The Silent War the World Is Already Fighting When people think about war, they imagine soldiers, tanks, and explosions. But today, some of the most dangerous battles are happening quietly—without gunfire, without borders, and often without the public even noticing. This is the age of cyber warfare, and it has already changed how nations compete for power.
By Wings of Time 16 days ago in Fiction
The Journey
"Where are we going?" "You'll see." "Why won't you just tell me?" "Well, that would defeat the purpose of a surprise, now, wouldn't it?"
By Kay Husnick16 days ago in Fiction