Excerpt
The Last Message From Earth: A Time Capsule in the Stars
The Last Message From Earth The stars no longer blinked. From the observation dome of the Hera II, Captain Nara Myles stared into the dark ocean of space, where Earth once shimmered like a blue jewel. That jewel was now dust—swallowed by its own ignorance and fury.
By Waqar Khanabout a year ago in Fiction
The Man Who Collected Goodbyes
The Man Who Collected Goodbyes He sat in the farthest corner of the café, where the sunlight met the shadows, sipping lukewarm coffee like it was sacred. Every day, at exactly 4 p.m., he arrived—never early, never late. Always alone.
By Wings of Time about a year ago in Fiction
The Diamond Treasure in the Depth of the Sea
Long ago, beneath the surface of the Southern Sea, there existed a hidden underwater kingdom known as Sirena. Protected by glowing coral walls and ancient sea magic, Sirena thrived in silence, unknown to the surface world. At the heart of its power was a legendary jewel called The Heart of the Abyss—a massive diamond that pulsed with light, magic, and life.
By Engr. Mansoor Ahmadabout a year ago in Fiction
Sugar and Tears
Ron delicately paced around the outskirts of his daughter’s bedroom, gently running his calloused fingers through the colorful doodles of cute blue dogs scattered across the top of her white dresser. He was keeping his distance, yet ears glued to the sound of his sobbing child, while his wife consoled Emily on her bed which was overflowing with Disney princess pillows and an impressive collection of stuffed animals. He loved his daughter more than life itself, but when it came to situations like these, he knew that his wife was better suited to help navigate the churning and changing waters of adolescence.
By Kale Sinclairabout a year ago in Fiction
A Child’s Dream of Mars. AI-Generated.
1. The Boy Who Watched the Sky In a small, crowded city, nestled between concrete towers and tangled wires, lived a boy named Aasim. At just twelve years old, he had one peculiar habit—every evening after school, he would climb the stairs to the roof and just stare at the sky. While other kids played video games or chased after cricket balls, Aasim watched the stars appear one by one. He didn’t just see light. He saw possibilities. Routes. A calling. He didn’t come from wealth. His parents worked hard to provide food, schooling, and shoes that barely lasted a year. But Aasim had something rare: clarity of purpose. He didn’t want to be rich. He wanted to walk on Mars. 2. The Quiet Genius in the Classroom At school, Aasim was an average kid in most subjects. But in science—especially physics and astronomy—he came alive. He built paper models of rockets. He memorized every planetary orbit. He taught himself to calculate gravity on other planets, just for fun. When the school held a science fair, most students brought simple models. Aasim presented something different: “Mars Habitat for Child Survivors” — a protective space capsule designed to shelter children on Mars. The judges, visiting scientists from a global research alliance, were stunned. 3. A Future That Was Already Here The year was 2038. Humanity had already placed colonies on the Moon. Mars was the next frontier. Space travel had become faster. AI-managed spacecraft could now reach Mars in three months instead of seven. The world had changed, and space was no longer science fiction—it was a career. Aasim applied for a global space cadet program—a competitive internship designed for youth researchers to assist in Mars exploration. He didn’t expect much. He was just a kid from a crowded neighborhood. But a few months later, he received a message that changed his life. > “You’ve been selected for the Youth Mission to Mars.” 4. Leaving Home, Entering the Unknown At fourteen, Aasim left everything he knew. He boarded a sky elevator that took him into orbit. From there, he boarded a transfer shuttle bound for Mars. The three-month journey was both beautiful and brutal. Microgravity was fun—for a while. Loneliness was harder. Food was bland. Silence was constant. But Aasim carried a secret. A prayer from his mother. A handwritten note from his little sister. And a dream bigger than fear. He wasn’t just a boy. He was a seed, sent to grow on another planet. 5. First Steps on Red Dust When the lander touched the Martian surface, Aasim was among the first to step out. He didn’t jump in excitement. He simply fell to his knees and placed his forehead on the red soil. He whispered, > “Let my steps here benefit the world. Not just me.” He began working with senior scientists on a critical problem: Creating sustainable life systems—oxygen, food, and water on Mars. 6. The Discovery That Changed Everything While analyzing Martian soil, Aasim discovered microbial activity in a deep cave zone. The microbes produced trace amounts of oxygen—naturally. No one had seen this before. It was the missing piece for long-term survival on Mars. Suddenly, Aasim wasn’t just a cadet. He was a symbol. Not of genius. But of possibility. The media called him “The Quiet Star Walker.” 7. Homecoming and Humility After 18 months, Aasim returned to Earth. He had grown taller, quieter, stronger. Reporters wanted drama. He gave them depth. > “I didn’t go to Mars for fame,” he said. “I went so that kids with dreams, not resources, could believe again.” He didn’t care for interviews. He cared for education. He started a foundation to support space science in underprivileged schools. He wrote books for children, in simple language, explaining black holes, planets, and hope. Final Thoughts Aasim’s journey wasn’t just from childhood to space. It was from imagination to action. He didn’t carry flags. He carried prayers. And he proved one truth: > You don’t need to be born into greatness. You can rise to it. We may never all reach Mars. But through Aasim’s story, we’re reminded: Sometimes, all it takes is a rooftop, a restless mind, and a refusal to stop dreaming.
By Kaleem Ullahabout a year ago in Fiction
Domino Effect
The old coffee machine in the corner of the break room at Sterling & Co. always wheezed before it dripped, a familiar, comforting sound that had punctuated countless hurried mornings. Today, it was the backdrop to Sarah’s internal battle. The quarterly reports were due in an hour, and she’d spotted a discrepancy, a small, almost negligible error in the sales figures from the North division. It was a single digit, off by a mere few thousand dollars, easily missed amidst millions.
By FlammyWritesabout a year ago in Fiction
The Memory I Borrowed from a Stranger
The Memory I Borrowed from a Stranger Genre: Fiction / Poets / Surreal It started on a Wednesday. I remember that much. I was on the 7:42 bus, the one that smells like lukewarm coffee and regret, where passengers avoid eye contact like it’s currency. The kind of morning where silence hums louder than conversation.
By waseem khanabout a year ago in Fiction
The Heartbreak - then the Repeat
It wasn't my first heartbreak, but it was the first one that shattered my heart like it was made of glass. I had wanted it to work - so badly that I stayed silent and tried my best to push through everything and be someone that I couldn't look at in the mirror. I remember being so thankful that I never bruised. I remember being so grateful that when people asked questions, that I could use that I was shy or that it was our faith and I was being a good submissive wife.
By Adora Hooperabout a year ago in Fiction
In the Shadow of the City . AI-Generated.
In the Shadow of the City In a bustling city filled with shimmering skyscrapers and endless noise, there existed pockets of silence, places where time seemed to slow or even pause. One such place was a narrow, forgotten alleyway, tucked behind the grandeur of the main streets, where the dust of neglect clung to every surface and the shadows played hide-and-seek with the scant sunlight. It was here that Rafi found his sanctuary.
By shah afridiabout a year ago in Fiction
