Top Stories
New stories you’ll love, handpicked for you by our team and updated daily.
The Five-Minute Butler
As he looked in the rearview mirror, Daryl saw that his bow-tie was crooked. He quickly fixed it, and when he saw that the rest of his appearance was satisfactory, Daryl nodded before he left his car. This was his first shift after all. He had to make a great impression.
By Rebecca Patton6 months ago in Fiction
SWS: The Second First Time Challenge Winners
Welcome back to the Summer Writing Series, and to our second fiction challenge winners announcement of the season. For The Second First Time, we asked you to write about what it means to return. To revisit a moment, a place, or a feeling, and find that it’s changed. Or maybe it hasn’t, but you have. From second chances to strange reunions to quiet realizations, you delivered stories full of heart, humor, and surprise.
By Vocal Curation Team6 months ago in Resources
The Haint of Blue Heron Creek. Winner in Leave the Light On Challenge.
Nate stirred the soup even though it didn’t need stirring. The can said “hearty beef,” but it was thin as brown ditchwater. The floating bits of gristle reminded Nate of drowning insects, bobbing in the creek. Behind him, Ty sat on the kitchen floor, coloring. The waxy scrape of crayon on paper grated on Nate’s nerves.
By Sandor Szabo6 months ago in Fiction
How Will The MCU Prevent Franklin Richards From Becoming Overpowered?
Fantastic Four: First Steps has finally hit theatres. The film has been receiving mostly positive reviews, with fans and critics praising the visuals, and the chemistry between the four leads. Aside from bypassing the team's origin story, one of the biggest diversions First Steps makes from previous Fantastic Four adaptations is the introduction of Franklin Richards, the firstborn child of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, aka Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman.
By Kristy Anderson6 months ago in Geeks
📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 07/31/2025
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted most alternating Thursdays at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal6 months ago in Resources
Xanax Detox: More Than Just Irritability
I was prescribed Xanax for severe Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It helped me function at first. But early on—and I mean right away—my doctor prescribed me 8 mg of extended release Xanax per day. That’s not a dosage I slowly worked up to. That was the starting point.
By Annie Edwards 6 months ago in Psyche
Summer of 94. Content Warning.
It was 1994. I had just finished my fourth year of school. I had left on a bit of a high note too. I had won the math contest and was looking forward to the holidays. Most summers we would go on a trip, however this year we were getting our house renovated. We were pretty much confined to the basement and most of the time watching TV or playing Nintendo.
By Sid Aaron Hirji6 months ago in Fiction
A Look at Life
Jesse's mom always knew he was odd. He was in fact, "different" from the other small children that gathered in the courtyard play area. That's why they shunned him. But it was strange to her that it never seemed to bother her little blond-headed boy. He was in a world of his own most of the time and probably hadn't noticed their mocking of him. They called him four eyes because of the thick glasses he wore with the head strap to keep them secure. But maybe he hadn't heard their nips because he wore hearing aids in both ears. Even Jesse's mother, Brittany thought he appeared more like a ninety-year old man than a a five year old.
By Shirley Belk6 months ago in Fiction
Pauline Kael
Sometimes I pretend to be a 1940s screenwriter. My imaginary ego goes on a trip to tell people about the magic of cinema and the hard work that produces a movie. How you need a writer’s room, money, star power and a way to hoodwink studio executives, because all they care about is money and I’m trying to make art. In 1940s Hollywood, I’m trying to establish cinema as an American artform, with carefully crafted plots, new characters, and risk-taking directors.
By Rachel Robbins6 months ago in Geeks
