Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Humans.
My Worst Date
Growing up I wanted three things in life: get married, have lots of kids, and fight against injustice. But there I was, barely thirty, divorced, and a single parent working from paycheck to paycheck. I am not going to lie, it was a real struggle trying to raise two kids on my own, so love was the farthest thing from my mind. I didn't want it, I didn't need it, and I certainly didn't anticipate it. Above all, after barely making it out of a toxic relationship, I didn't feel I was in the mental space and emotionally capable of entering into a new relationship. Despite that, I still felt very lonely at times and on occasions gave my telephone number out to potential suitors.
By She Writes8 years ago in Humans
Kittens & Computers?
(Tuesday evening) The rain continues to pour immensely from the grey heavens... almost as if the angels were reminding me that going to this so-called 'date', was a bad idea. I ignored them despite the continuation of the rumbling thunder, which made my heart jump and that did not help at all. I finally arrived at the Fire Bird Restaurant...
By K. Alexandra8 years ago in Humans
We'll Always Have Tea
Since his wife had died, Derek never stopped talking to her, and wondered what he would like to do after he died. The spilt sugar on his kitchen table had scattered and, he thought, arranged itself, perhaps not accidentally, into a form that resembled the face of Deirdre. His late wife was always sending him signs, but Derek wanted to make sure; make sure he wasn’t just seeing things. By considering each granule he would decide if it were chance, or design, which was facilitating a message. Only then would he write down the date, the incident and the particulars of her commentary on their life.
By Rajendra Shepherd8 years ago in Humans
Thought of the Day
Friendships. They’re weird as fuck, one minute a person is just another person in a room, then maybe a colleague or classmate or simply a stranger in a bar. Then boom. You pick one and just go with it, you have many so you can choose which one you want to invest time and effort in. Some are funny, others are kind whilst some are smart and some, well some are all of the above. Fundamentally you find a person who makes you happy when you’re with them, who brings something extra to your life that makes the effort to spend time with them, message them and go places with them all worth it. Some last months others years, an unspoken hierarchy in your head, the ones you’d drop anything for and the ones you tolerate because they only a dick 70% of the time.
By Chloe Hicks8 years ago in Humans
In the Lives of Others
Some may have figured out by now that I have existed mainly in two careers in my life, though both very different; there are similarities in which seem to fade into the other effortlessly. As a bouncer I did, on the most part, get to know people; depending on where and how long I worked in a venue I could get to know intimate details of their lives which often helped me deal with them better. In my Hotel career, it's actually far more intimate and detailed, and this is about those I have had the pleasure and displeasure of knowing while manning the front desk into the darkest hours of our daily rotation.
By Shamus Roan8 years ago in Humans
From Family to Far from It
It's one of those days where again I sit alone on that special day that everyone loves so much, accept for me! You guessed it, It's Valentine's Day! Blah! I used to really look forward to Valentine's Day a long time ago when I believed in "love." But now that I'm much older it's even worse. I get so angry then so sad, and then angry again, and sad.
By Paige Kostyniuk8 years ago in Humans
Emotional Education
I. A Familiar Scene A newly successful couple walks into the grand ballroom, admiring the white tablecloths covered with silver platters of roasted birds. The majestic golden-wrought staircases are swarming with high society, affluent adults dressed to the nines. The multitudes mill around the meal, absentmindedly discussing the weather or the wine, carefully sidestepping controversy. The couple, after a few missteps, learns to dance with pleasant politeness, no matter how inauthentic it seems. They return home early, exhausted, wondering why they had fought so hard to get to the top. A fifteen-year-old girl is scared to talk to the boy she likes at her first ever high school party. She covers her insecurities with makeup and a new blue skirt, pleated on the sides. Standing on her own against a brick wall, lips pursed to look pretty, she pretends to be too cool to be approachable, and turns away all the boys who ask her to dance. The one she likes doesn’t even try - why should he get rejected, too? She remains on the sidelines, staring at her phone, silent tears falling behind her red solo cup. A five-year-old boy pulls a girl’s brown ponytail as she runs toward the yellow monkey bars. She cries because he is hurting her. He hurts her because he was hurt when she said she wanted to play with her friends and not him. But he doesn’t know how to tell her this; he just keeps pulling.
By Morgan Sweeney8 years ago in Humans
The Key to a Successful Polyamorous Relationship
Being in a non-monogamous relationship can be more challenging than one with just two people, especially at first as the dynamics are totally different. Although super exciting and a great experience, here are some tips for people who are new (or old!) to the world of non-monogamy.
By Ayshen Irfan8 years ago in Humans
It’s Not Me, It’s You
I don’t know you. I’m not sure that I ever did. I know a fictional character you made up for me, but he’s gone now, the memories I have of him tarnished by the person you really are. In these moments I try to reflect on happiness, but he’s draped in narcissism with shimmering hints of insecurity against the cold black of your ego, his soothing voice replaced with your shrieks of my inadequacy. He reeks of your emotional abuse and codependency. His eyes, those eyes; once a forest I could easily wander in for hours reduced to nothing more than dismal pools, swirling all the time and passion I wish I could take back for myself. It’s almost as though I can see the pieces of myself I’ve given up trapped in the depths never to return.
By J.T. Raptor8 years ago in Humans
Bible Boy
Some years back a church friend set me up with her cousin, Baden. She told me he was a nice, Christian guy, single, cute, just hadn’t met the right girl yet. I agreed to go out with him, didn’t seem like a bad idea. I told him up front that I would go out with him but I was just getting over being in love with someone and not expect anything to move too fast. He acknowledged that and we scheduled a time and place. A few days later, we met one evening at our local mall. First impressions: Baden did seem like a nice guy and was attractive. We walked a ways throughout the mall to grab some food at Chick-Fil-A. Conversation started out alright until he started making jokes and telling me sexual stories, talking loudly about it at the dinner table. It was even worse that a mother and her young son were in the booth behind us, she (the mother) noticed his loud talking but it didn’t seem to bother Baden that there was a KID nearby. I cringed, I tried to hurry up and get him to finish to we could get out of the restaurant. But things continued to go downhill from there. He complimented me, told me that personality didn’t matter to him, only that a girl had to have a beautiful face. He was very obsessed with that notion and told me more than once. Walking around the mall, he put his arm around me, which at first I let him, but after awhile it got to be too much. He told me about being a Christian, waiting until marriage for sex, wanting to get out of his parents house, wanting to find a girl soon to get married to. Everything about his plans were rush rush rush!! As our evening was ending we walked outside to our cars to part ways. But he wasn’t ready to leave. We talked at his car for a bit then he pulled me down to where I was half sitting on his legs as he continued conversation. An SUV full of kids went by and I hear “Ooohh” coming out the window. I was uncomfortable anyway with him persuading me to rest on him in that position, but hearing that and how it must’ve “looked” I knew I had allowed him too much. I was naïve, inexperienced, not ready for anything serious and he played on that, took advantage of my being nice. He had certainly “forgot” about me asking him to take things slow! I told him I had to leave and he kept asking to kiss me, I told him no, I wasn’t ready for that. Then he hugged me, pulled me towards him and laid his head on my chest. Made a joke about my breasts being pillows…what a creep! He ended up kissing my forehead because I kept telling him no to a “real” kiss. A text message from my sister gave me the out to break away from him but Baden told me he wanted to know how I felt about him and needed me to give him an answer soon if I wanted to get more serious with him. At that moment, I was just glad to get away, what a terrible evening! He called the next day wanting to talk and got frustrated that I couldn’t give him an answer as to if I had made up my mind about being a couple. We had plans to hang out again (yes, I was still the naïve, too nice person then) but he cancelled on me when I couldn’t give him an answer. Inside I was relieved because I didn’t have to deal with him anymore. Or so I thought…three weeks later he randomly called me and I ignored him. Instead, I wrote a letter and gave it to his cousin to give to him. I was DONE with Baden!!!
By Sharlie Stuart8 years ago in Humans
My Worst Date
Telling this story is never fun unless you’re drunk—and I mean REALLY drunk, because then, at least, either you forget you’ve told the story or everybody else does. But I suppose everyone has a least one awful date story in their lives, and what fun would it be if no one shared them? So, here goes nothing.
By Lowri Jones8 years ago in Humans
