Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Humans.
Out of the Woods
I pulled the covers over my bare shoulders and pulled a pillow to my naked breasts. I glanced over at the clock. It read 5:55. "He should be back soon," I thought. We lived on a farm somewhere in the middle of Texas. He was always getting up early to feed the cows and do some other farm chores. I rolled over and laid on my back as I started to think. "I hate it here," I would say to myself. But he loves it and I can’t take that away from him. I slowly sat up in bed as soon as he walked back into the room.
By Meredith Connell8 years ago in Humans
When Love Isn't Forever
It was the worst year of my life, other than the year I lost my father. I had acquired a case of trigger thumb in both hands, a condition that causes your thumbs to bend at the joint and they won't unbend. Repeating shingles had plagued me for the past year as well, and finally the shingles virus went up into the nerves in my face, causing facial paralysis on the left side. I couldn't blink and had to cover my eye with cellophane each night so it wouldn't dry out. If that wasn't bad enough, my husband chose this time to have an online affair with a married woman.
By Denise Willis8 years ago in Humans
A Movie to Remember
It was the Monday of December 16, 2013 when we agreed to set a second official date. After a week of texting and phone calls, which were weird and awkward, but beautiful, satisfying and filled with joy to talk to one another. There was a tornado of emotions we felt at that moment.
By Luis Guerra8 years ago in Humans
The One that Consumed Me
I don’t know if it was the city or the guy, but I was changed in as little as eight months. Who would have thought I of all people would drop out of college, giving up a once in a lifetime opportunity that some people only dreamed of having? Well, excuse me. It wasn’t what I wanted to do. I’m all for getting an education, but not like that. Not when I could barely make it out of my bed or lift my tired arms to brush the knots from my hair because the other voice in me was too overwhelming. Please tell me one more time that I should have stayed when I called my mother at least three times a week crying my eyes out over shit I couldn’t understand. I knew I’d never make it, so I packed my shit and I ran. I’m good at running. Would have done it a long time ago if it weren’t for the sake of my mom.
By Savanna Lingle8 years ago in Humans
Why Communication Is Everything
There aren't very many people who understand the power of words. In the short amount of time that I've been gifted with the opportunity to live and breathe on this planet, I've worked in various industries and lived in many shoes: From the food/service industry to transportation, the military, sales, even door-knocking. I've done enough to confidently say I got quite a bit under my belt of hands-on experience. However, all these years, I failed to notice the one thing that all of these professions had in common: Communication. I've never truly realized the effect that one simple word can have on someone's life. You can alter moods, completely change situations, you can earn that business contract, you can get that person's phone number, etc. When dealing with other human beings, you can do almost anything you wish to do if you are an effective communicator. To get to the point, many people don't see this. People are quick to assign the blame on other things that are outside their control for the negative results they encounter. However, we can't ignore the impact our words can have at the beginning of any sort of connection we attempt to make. Take a 911 operator for example. Aside from location services and actual units on the move, they rely primarily on their words to walk someone through a difficult scenario. I know this for a fact because I have been a 911 operator and still am from time to time. I work as a professional interpreter and I deal with many walks of life. There are some instances where anything and everything I say can make a life or death differences. Not only do I have to be very careful with the things I say, I have to be very careful how I say them. Your words have this same effect. I can now recognize that life is all about building relationships, and relationships are built on trust and communication. Even if someone is having a hard time trusting you, the way you carry yourself with the use of your words can determine whether you destroy that bridge or make it all the way across. I realized this when 99% of the doors that I knocked on were shut in my face because of something I said; not something I did. Can you imagine a 6ft, bearded, tattooed man knocking on your door trying to sell you windows at 11 am in the morning? Don't you think he would have to work extra hard to earn that respect from 100ft away? That was me at one point. That's what led me to be work on my words, despite my appearance. So what makes an effective communicator? Is it the tone of voice? The amount of words they know? Does it have anything to do with body language? Facial expressions? Is it even the things he or she doesn't notice, like the amount of times he or she blinks? The 'uhs' and 'umms' in between sentences? The answer is yes. Everything from the way you sound to the way your eyes are angled has a big effect on the way your message is interpreted. This should be common sense, right? It isn't. Different people have different standards when it comes to the way they communicate. While some opt for a direct and blunt approach, someone else may take that as a lack of tact. Some people prefer being reserved and minimal with their statements. Personally, I am one of those. In my short time here, I've met people from all over the world and mannerisms along with tones of voice change drastically from one continent to another. There are many things that fall just outside our reach when it comes to how people take the words we say. Nonetheless, if there is one thing we can control is how we say what we want to say.
By The Rogue Scribe8 years ago in Humans
Better This Way
A few days ago I lost someone important to me. We had been friends since we were freshman in high school but, when it came down to it, my anxiety was too much for her. She told that it was too stressful for her so she needed to end our friendship. Words cannot explain how heartbroken I was. We had been through so much together. I honestly expected us to remain friends for our entire lives. The day things ended was very dark for me. I felt like I was being punished for having this emotional and anxiety ridden part of myself. I felt like the mistake I made was opening up and reaching out during crisis. If only I had managed better on my own, then I wouldn’t have stressed her so and we would still be friends. I cried for most of the day.
By Amanda Washburn8 years ago in Humans
Relationships with Bits Mixed In?
Relationships have many different aspects within different opportunities. They can have times where they can be very pleasing and very happy but they can also have times where they can be hard and difficult. However, relationships can be a lot harder when you add into the mix Depression and major Anxiety.
By Tanisha Dagger8 years ago in Humans
Nothin' Like You
Chapter 1: Dust She's got the pedal to the floor in a hand-me-down Ford,Yeah, the only thing that's left to doIs catch a couple green lights and those baby blue eyesAre leaving nothing in that rearviewBut dust, nothing but dust'Dust' – Eli Young Band
By Kelly Roberson8 years ago in Humans
Dating Sites
When looking for love many people turn to a dating site, either as an option or as an easier answer to actually looking for someone in a conventional way. Meeting people at a bar or a party can be difficult for some or simply too time consuming in today’s high-speed world. There are many sites you can choose, prices range from free to quite high. In theory, the more you pay, the more information you can access and more you can give for yourself.
By ASHLEY SMITH8 years ago in Humans
