Top Stories
New stories you’ll love, handpicked for you by our team and updated daily.
A Time For Everything
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, exhaled and smiled as I opened my eyes. Seeing stalks sprouting gracefully and vines colliding into each other in unity as they tangle their way through the mosses with force made me to realize that bare land can even surprise you over time when graced with dew and time.
By Emos Sibu Poriei (Kaya)4 months ago in Chapters
Who's Knocking?
My grandmother once told me that she didn't much like cats because they were too demanding. But I don't think she knew the character of all cats. It's true that some are a bit needy, though. But not Whiskers. He was purely just a yellow mass of fuzzy politeness and sincerity. And this story is about him; how he changed my life since meeting him early one unassuming and very ordinary Sunday morning in October.
By Shirley Belk4 months ago in Fiction
Thermometer
Three sharp pings alerted Emily that the oven had completed its preheating cycle. Donning two protective potholders, she inserted a large tray of muenster cheese-topped chicken breasts and an equally large tray of thoroughly seasoned Brussels sprouts. Two blood orange Le Creuset pots began to bubble on the stovetop, prompting the sous chef to slightly turn down the heat. With her left hand, Emily thoroughly folded the truffle-buttered mashed potatoes with a heart-shaped wooden spoon while her right hand unraveled the frozen slab of spinach with a three-pronged silver fork.
By Kale Sinclair3 months ago in Fiction
Etha and May
Etha and May are as different as night is to day. If we are to be particular, we would say one wore red and the other, shades of mild yellow. Both are strong willed, set in their ways, motherly Black women. Etha lives upstairs in the quaint three story house in the Brookdale neighborhood of East 55th street of Brooklyn, NY. May occupied the apartment somewhere between the ground floor and the middle of the house.
By Antoni De'Leon4 months ago in Fiction
Daria's Mum
It started weeks ago. Daria was smiling more. Little, private smiles, like she was in on a joke nobody else knew about. She spent more time in her room. More time on her phone. I’d knock to ask about dinner and she’d shout "I’m busy!" like I’d interrupted something sacred. I figured it was a boy.
By L.C. Schäfer4 months ago in Fiction
The Ride Home
YouTube Audio Version I put the top down for the ride home. I wanted to hear the engine rev up, shift gears, and rev up again. I wanted to see the tree’s branches swaying with the wind as I rode under them. I wanted to feel the cool air swirl around the car and chill the back of my neck. I wanted to smell the leaves burning. But, most of all, I wanted to clear my mind and think about what Frank had told me at work.
By Steve Lance4 months ago in Fiction
SWS: The Road Drops Here Challenge Winners
Spooky season may be in full swing, but we still have one more Summer Writing Series Challenge to wrap up. A huge thank you to everyone who participated, we loved reading your poems and stories. We had a blast, and we hope you did too!
By Vocal Curation Team3 months ago in Resources
A Shot in the Heart
Chantilly took her slice of cake, along with a glass of milk, into the living room to eat while she watched the latest episode of her favorite daytime talk show. Settling onto the chintz-covered couch, she turned the TV on with the remote, switching the channels until she found the one she was searching for. Today was her first day of vacation, and even though Franklin had to work all week, she had every intention of enjoying it to the hilt.
By Mother Combs4 months ago in Fiction
What I Learned Writing 24k Words in 5 Days
If you’re struggling with your book, you need to surrender yourself to your story. You don’t have to give up — you really shouldn’t do that. But you might just need to surrender yourself to let the story go where it wants to.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA4 months ago in Writers
