thriller
Nightmare
I wander into the massive, eighteen-floor mall, and look up. I can see all the way up to the ceiling of the building, through the empty core around which the walkways of each level turn. The skylight is pale grey with dust, and casts a white glow down through the tiers to the ground floor, where there are hundreds of people milling around. I stand alone, my hands buried in my pockets, a ring of space around me. I am the eye of an empty storm. I walk slowly down the length of the mall, the dark sea of people parting around me. I look up again. As the floors go higher, fewer and fewer people are leaning over the walkway railings to look down at this seething tide of humanity. I look around, my face blank and empty as I search for an elevator. The clean walls and slick tile floor look like any other mall, with bright gold storefronts, clothes in the windows, little arrangements of flowers and chocolates, and the occasional vending stand looming dimly above the heads of the crowd.
By ThatOne_Girl2 years ago in Fiction
The Spirit Box (2). Content Warning.
Chapter 2: Twin Robbers I got to work and took a deep breath. I discreetly took out the spirit box and inhaled John so I could convince the chief I felt great. I walked to chief’s office and asked the chief what the assignment was for today.
By Alex H Mittelman 2 years ago in Fiction
Bloodthirst
I dreaded opening the package that had just been delivered to my door by a special courier. It was the third this week and the tenth this month alone. It was only the fourteenth of the month, too, so I just knew there was more to come or something terrible would happen soon, one way or another.
By Mother Combs2 years ago in Fiction
The Spirit Box. Content Warning.
Chapter One: Spirit Boxing I’m Detective Fred Byrne, Jr., and this is my story. I’m a detective by trade, but boxing is my true passion. I was one of the better amateur boxers at the bar down the street from the station. I boxed during fight night at The Blue Mercury bar and grill. They hosted a ‘fight night,’ every night during the week, but ‘fight week’ doesn’t sound right for marketing.
By Alex H Mittelman 2 years ago in Fiction
Home
In the dimly lit city streets, Owen’s heart pounded in his chest as he navigated the maze of alleys and side streets. The oppressive heat of the night was intensified by the residual warmth from the ever-present sun, now grown into a menacing gas giant in the sky. Without his protective UV suit, Owen's skin would have been instantly seared by the deadly radiation.
By Arshad Mecci2 years ago in Fiction
Whispers of the Forbidden Forest
In the ancient city of Ujjain, ruled by the wise and just King Vikramaditya. One day, a mystic sorcerer approached the king with a request that seemed simple yet bizarre: to fetch a corpse hanging from a tree in a desolate forest—the body that Betal, a wily spirit, inhabited.Motivated by the promise that fulfilling this request would bring prosperity to his kingdom, Vikramaditya agreed. As night fell, he ventured into the eerie forest, guided only by the flickering light of his torch. Upon reaching the tree, he found the corpse, seemingly ordinary yet imbued with an unsettling aura.As soon as Vikramaditya slung the corpse over his shoulder, the body came to life—it was Betal, ready to test the king's resolve and wisdom. Betal struck a deal: he would tell Vikramaditya a story during their journey back to the city, ending with a riddle. If the king knew the answer but chose to remain silent, his head would shatter into a thousand pieces. However, every time Vikramaditya answered correctly, Betal would return to the tree, forcing the king to begin his quest anew.The first story Betal narrated was about a noble king who had three queens. Unfortunately, none were able to bear him a child. In his quest for an heir, the king met a sage who gave him a magical fruit, promising that it would bless him with progeny. The king, however, faced a dilemma over which queen deserved the fruit, leading to a cascade of events fueled by jealousy and deceit.As the tale ended, Betal posed his question: "Which queen deserves the magical fruit, and why?" The moral and ethical layers of the question were profound. King Vikramaditya, with his sharp intellect and keen sense of justice, decoded the motives of the queens and solved the riddle, explaining his reasoning in meticulous detail.True to his word, as soon as Vikramaditya spoke, Betal vanished back to the tree, leaving the king in the middle of the dark, whispering forest. Undeterred, Vikramaditya returned to fetch Betal, his resolve unbroken.This cyclical challenge of storytelling and riddle-solving continued, with each story more intriguing and complex than the last, testing the king's wisdom, ethics, and perseverance.
By Dalwant Bahadur Singh2 years ago in Fiction
Harsh Reality
It was a Tuesday, and Regina Paxton-Price suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. This wasn't new for Regina, as this had been happening for 18 months, and every day, she spent a minute reflecting on her torment. Only Regina knew the exact cause of her anguish. It was a recurring theme that centered on something very close and personal to her: the murder of her wife.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Fiction
