Plot Twist
Shadows of Yesterday
The rain poured relentlessly over the old apartment complex, its walls stained with time and neglect. In one of the dimly lit rooms, Elena sat on a torn couch, holding her little brother, Miguel, close to her chest. Their mother, Rosa, stood near the window, her hands clenched into fists as she faced the landlord.
By Anthony Scott2 years ago in Chapters
Harper's Hill, Chapter 19: The Cost of Protection
Emily had finally found out the truth. She sat by the window in her small hotel room, looking outside and watching the world go by in a town that was a few hours away from home. It was big enough for her to hide in, but small enough that she didn't feel lost in it.
By Amanda Doyle2 years ago in Chapters
The Immortal King’s Ruin
Prologue The kingdom of Eldoria stood as a monument to human ambition. Vast, golden fields stretched beyond the eye could see, their bounty feeding not only the mouths of the people but also the pride of their ruler. At its heart, the great capital, Vareth, boasted towers that touched the sky, temples that hummed with prayers of devotion, and streets paved with stones that had felt the footsteps of generations. And above it all sat King Eryon, a man who had once been the pride of Eldoria. He had been a king of wisdom, of courage, of vision. His rule had ushered in an age of peace and prosperity, his leadership praised not only by his subjects but by neighboring lands. To the outside world, he was a legend in the making, a name that would be etched into history with reverence. But what is history to the dead? This question had plagued Eryon’s mind for years. It had started as a whisper, a quiet thought that lingered in the back of his consciousness, surfacing only in moments of solitude. Then, as the years passed and the first strands of silver threaded through his once-dark hair, it grew louder, more insistent. At first, he ignored it. He had his kingdom to tend to, laws to enforce, treaties to sign, and armies to command. But time was relentless. His hands, once steady, began to tremble ever so slightly. The strength he had wielded in his youth, both in body and in mind, was fading. The inevitable had made itself known, lurking in the shadows of his days, in the silence of his nights. He could not accept it. Eldoria had been his creation, his masterpiece. He had shaped it with his own hands, bled for it, suffered for it. He could not bear to think that one day, the world would go on without him. That the people who now worshipped his name would move on, that new rulers would come and rewrite the story he had spent a lifetime crafting. He was not afraid of death itself—no, he was afraid of being forgotten. And so, obsession took root in his heart. It started with scholars, men and women who had dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge. They were summoned to the palace, given access to the king’s vast resources, and tasked with finding ways to extend life. At first, they spoke of mundane things—elixirs of health, restorative herbs, diets that promoted longevity. But Eryon was not interested in living long. He wanted to live forever. When scholars failed him, he turned to the mystics. They arrived in secrecy, cloaked figures whispering of ancient arts, of powers beyond the reach of common men. He listened to their words, devoured their knowledge, and soon found himself immersed in a world that defied logic. He was told of lost civilizations that had harnessed the secrets of immortality. Of forgotten gods who had once walked among mortals, untouched by time. Of spells and rituals that could tether a soul to this world, unbreakable, unyielding. And so, the great transformation of King Eryon began. His court, once filled with advisors, warriors, and diplomats, became a place of secrecy and whispers. He spent his days in the depths of the castle, surrounded by books of forbidden knowledge, listening to the counsel of those who walked in the shadows. His people noticed. At first, it was small things. The king, once a man of the people, no longer walked among them. His speeches grew infrequent, his presence scarce. The celebrations and festivals that had once defined Eldoria’s golden age dwindled. The warmth of the palace turned cold. Then came the laws. Strange decrees were passed, restricting certain types of knowledge while encouraging others. Temples dedicated to gods of death and rebirth were torn down, their priests cast out or worse. The kingdom, once ruled by reason, began to tilt into superstition and fear. But the people, though uneasy, remained loyal. For their king was wise. Had he not built Eldoria into what it was? If he now sought something greater, was it not his right? And so they watched, waiting, wondering what would come of their ruler’s pursuit. They did not know that, in his desperate grasp for eternity, he had already doomed them all. The first true sign of the kingdom’s unraveling came in the form of a drought. The rivers that had once flowed endlessly, feeding the lands, began to thin. The wells, once abundant, grew shallow. The sky, once a brilliant blue, turned gray, as if the heavens themselves were mourning. At first, the people dismissed it as nature’s whim. But as weeks turned into months, and the ground cracked beneath their feet, their faith wavered. Whispers spread. "The king has angered the gods." "He meddles with forces beyond his understanding." "He seeks to defy death, but at what cost?" But Eryon did not listen. His vision had narrowed to a single point: the moment of his transformation. He did not see the way his kingdom suffered, nor did he care for the growing unrest among his people. The hunger, the sickness, the fear—it was all secondary. His alchemists, his mystics, his sorcerers—they promised him he was close. That the final step was upon him. That soon, he would transcend. And so, he prepared. The ritual was set to take place under the next full moon, in the grand hall of the palace. It was to be the moment that sealed his name in history, that ensured Eldoria would always remember its greatest king. He had no way of knowing that by dawn, his kingdom would be lost forever.
By Sandra Amiedor2 years ago in Chapters
Blackbird Fly (Part 14) / Voices (Part 7). Content Warning.
(Links to the previous chapters of Blackbird Fly and Voices can be found at the end of this story) New Developments “Ray, Emily, Jack,” Sheryl yelled from the living room of the safe house. “Come downstairs. I have some news to share with you.”
By Rick Henry Christopher 2 years ago in Chapters
Instructions to Be Solid: An All out Manual for Wellbeing
Wellbeing is significant to an effective and useful life. Great wellbeing is physical, mental, and close to home, and can be accomplished exclusively through a healthy lifestyle. In the feverish existence of today, it is easy to disregard straightforward propensities for wellbeing, yet with some cognizant exertion, anybody can have a solid existence. In this article, various tips on the most proficient method to be sound and accomplish absolute health are talked about.
By MD.NAIM MIAH2 years ago in Chapters
Benjamin in Blunderland - Part 2
As No Name led Benjamin into the bootcamp area, Benjamin couldn’t help but take it all in. The bootcamp area was quite bizarre, there was an obstacle course but the obstacles were quite colorful and odd, yet still somewhat familiar to something Benjamin would see back home. A clearly cut path to follow along. “C’mon kid! This way!” No Name exclaimed as he hurried Benjamin to the front of the course. “This is the start of the game! The rules are simple. Overcome each obstacle and make sure not to lose your spoon!” No Name explained as he pushed Benjamin from behind his legs, “No time to waste!” Benjamin let out a laugh as he looked at the first obstacle before him. The first obstacle didn’t quite look like an obstacle but rather a path lined by trees. The trees covered the path which seemed relatively short in length. Although Benjamin wasn’t quite familiar with the type of the trees that lined the path, he couldn’t help but look upwards overwhelmed with a sense of joy and excitement. As Benjamin began he couldn’t help but to start skipping wildly down the path, laughing with pure joy with each bound. Without a warning, Benjamin was suddenly snatched from above by a firm hand of what must've been something very strong! Before he knew it, he was somersaulting in the air like a basketball and then caught by another firm, strong hand like the one before and then was somersaulting again! Benjamin was laughing uncontrollably as he went from hand to hand, until he felt the slow descent. It was then Benjamin saw the source of the hands that have been causing his laughter, it was a family of baboons! As his laughter settled Benjamin couldn’t help but smile, and then suddenly remembered about the spoon and checked his pocket where he tucked it away. Relieved when he felt the spoon. The baboons all waved as Benjamin completed the first obstacle of the game. “Wahoo!” No Name appeared at my feet peering with his bright, vivid green eyes “Let’s keep playing!” Benjamin giggled as they moved along to the next obstacle. Benjamin and No Name walked to a white line depicting the start of the second obstacle and Benjamin, still laughing from the baboons, was eager to see what surprises awaited him on this obstacle. Before him there was a purple pond, surrounded by lilies of various colors, and croaking bullfrogs. The pond was wide, and it was clear he had to get across it somehow. Before crossing, Benjamin knelt by the edge of the purple waters, intrigued by its color he submerged his hand and swirled it around, wondering what was beneath. As Benjamin swirled the purple water with his hand, his eye caught a glimmer effect in the water as it swirled around in a weak vortex. Benjamin, although wanting to keep investigating the waters, felt pressed for time to complete the obstacle, and began looking for a canoe or boat of some kind. Now, Benjamin was a weak swimmer, he began to remember vividly how his father “taught” him to swim by throwing him into the pool’s deep end. With no safety, Benjamin remembered how he flailed around thrashing the water and had to fight the urge to go under and give in to the violent, unforgiving nature of the pool. He remembered gasping for air, clenching onto the grass when he finally managed to climb out of the pool. “What’s wrong kid?” No Name asked with concern in his eyes, “It’s nothing…I’m fine.” Benjamin reassured No Name, or so he hoped as he shook the memory free, and found himself frantically looking around. Benjamin closed his eyes, wishing that the canoe would suddenly appear for him to cross the pond. With his eyes shut tight, he heard the water rippling and bubbles bursting at its surface. Benjamin snapped his eyes open, afraid of something emerging from the water, and then suddenly there were giant lily pads scattered around the pond. “How do I get across?” Benjamin asked No Name, who peered confused at Benjamin. “Well you use the lily pads of course!” He said with a laugh, “Follow me!” And with a leap, No Name jumped onto a lily pad and continued jumping as if on trampolines from pad to pad until he was across the vast pond. “Benjamin smiled, relieved he didn’t have to swim across,” “Try not to fall in!” No Name yelled across, as Benjamin took a steady breath, he walked into the purple waters and climbed upon the closest lily pad. He knew he needed momentum, so Benjamin began to jump on the lily pad, where he began jumping higher and higher, until he had enough momentum to reach the next pad, and then the next, until he reached the opposite edge of the pond. “See! You just needed to take a leap of faith!” No Name proclaimed, as he began running towards obstacle three with Benjamin running closely behind feeling a little more confident and accomplished. “Welcome to the third obstacle” “Woah!” Benjamin was taken by awe and amazement of the new obstacle. There were two long, massive hedge walls creating a path that was covered by heavy fog. “Well, what are you waiting for?” Before Benjamin could answer, No Name ran ahead into the hedge lined path. Benjamin was in awe, but felt a sense of dread as he began slowly walking into the foggy hedges. It was hard to see, and the air grew wet and cold. Benjamin began to hear the cracks of twigs and ruffling of leaves as he walked further and further into the fog. He began feeling afraid of what he couldn’t see, “Ohh Benjamin! Where are you?” Benjamin heard the echoes of No Name, but something seemed a little off…his voice was a little too familiar. “C’mon Ben! There’s no point in hiding.” No Names voice began to taper off and Benjamin noticed the infliction of No Names voice, and before he knew it Benjamin found himself running frantically in the fog, suddenly feeling lost. BAM! Benjamin had gone straight into a hedge wall he hadn’t seen from the thickness of the fog. Upon impact, he fell backwards landing awkwardly. “There you are Ben!” Benjamin finally recognized the voice, as it got louder and closer, it was his father! Afraid of being in trouble, or another lashing, Benjamin forced himself to his feet, still a little woozy from the fall and began running, unaware that he was in a hedge lined maze! Benjamin couldn’t help but question if No Name had transformed into something else, or if his father was seeking him from the other world and found this hidden world. But he couldn’t focus on that now, he had to make sure to escape the grasp of his father. How did this world go from silliness to fearfulness?!
By Sibley Shamra2 years ago in Chapters
The Relationship Vortex
Closing the door, Aileen cringed, knowing she'd never get the images out of her head for as long as she lived. Covering her eyes with the palms of her hands, she tried to block the black-and-white images haunting her mind. From behind the door, the headboard banged into the wall as cries of ecstasy escaped the room.
By KA Stefana 2 years ago in Chapters
