Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Fiction.
The Key to Hope
“It is the key”. I never understood why he said that. I remember him wearing that locket ever since we were young, soon after our mother died. Patrik always looked nervous taking it off at security checkpoints. He would remove it last before being scanned, taking it off slowly and carefully, as it hung on the same chain as mother’s dog tags.
By J. Allyn Mosley3 years ago in Fiction
Greyscale
The World was grey. Though it was better to call it monochrome as the grey varied from place to place but was empty and flat all the same. Even the sky never shifts from dark grey even as the clouds scroll by though I’m told it once used to be bright and blue. I could not picture it for I did not know what blue is.
By Anastasia J Cleveringa3 years ago in Fiction
Imprint Pt. I. Third Place in Doomsday Diary Challenge. Top Story - June 2021.
It all started as a way to connect - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest - and then, Imprint. I can’t even remember the year; it just feels like it was always there. That’s how they want you to remember it anyway. The government wasted so much time. Their endless debates, chronic gaslighting and constant bickering never ceased. In the end, it all added up to inaction and fear, when they should have been figuring this out. But now, the aliens had control. No one pays attention to the government, the experts or the actual news anyway. They were all too busy following trash on social media, and making mindless videos.
By Sydney Chapman3 years ago in Fiction
Heart Sentence
After the digital wars most governments faded, but much of the technology remained. Once great countries and empires had been reduced to a dizzying number of city states ruled by counsels, presidents, dictators, and kings. Some were Spartan in nature. Some were model societies filled with happy people. Most were somewhere in between. Such was the case for the New Louis State. When the fall out happened it like most areas descended into madness. However, fighting in this region quickly gave way to reason and people were content with living in a quasi democracy. There was a state assembly that ruled the day to day lives of the citizens. There was an impartial court system that was made up of dozens of competent judges. In the end though New Louis State was ruled by a dictator albeit not an absolute one. Timothy Token came to power in a coup that was orderly, but not completely bloodless. There were some who opposed him, but they were no longer alive. Most people were content with going back to some degree of normalcy. Token provided this and then some. Infrastructure returned to normal, there were super-markets, retail stores, schools, police, and a small amount of petty crime. This all came at a cost though. The main cost was that the word of Timothy was law. One of his laws was that any violent offender would be doomed to wear the heart-shaped locket for the rest of his/her days. It was an innocent looking locket, but inside of it was a small remote explosive device. The victims of the perpetrators crime and their family had the remote to detonate the device. If all the victims and families pressed on the device trigger then it would explode, the locket, and end the earthly life of the convicted criminal.
By Delvin Reynolds 3 years ago in Fiction
The Girl in the Heart-Shaped Locket
Day… I no longer know the date. There is no need to know what date or day of the week it is anymore. I know it’s summer – I can tell that because of the oppressive heat and the hours of daylight. These days, the only sort of time you need to be aware of is the coming of the dark.
By Ross Stewart3 years ago in Fiction
Passing On
The woman shuffles along the road, looking like someone who hasn’t slept in days. She sways gently as she meanders up the road, ignoring scattered rubbish and debris. Kit follows her on dampened feet. She at least is more wary of the trash lest she draw attention to herself. The wandering woman pauses and tilts her head back. Kit darts in, drawing her weapon from the sheath on her chest. Before the woman can turn fully, the six inch ice pick is embedded firmly in her ear. Her cry is aborted and her limbs twitch but Kit wraps her arms around them.
By Raechel Hudson3 years ago in Fiction