Fantasy
Summoned
Caves have an odd smell: mineral, fungal, traces of the feces of bats and the slow rot of silent, blind fish in dark, subterranean pools. I have heard the young men of the village mock each other by sniffing an exhalation and declaring: "Cave breath!" as though it were a mortal insult, some potent hex. I know what they mean, now. Imagine that the petrichor, the rich and pungent cologne that rain dapples soil with, became concentrated, corrupted, and was breathed into the mouth of someone who will never, fully exhale.
By D. J. Reddall10 months ago in Fiction
Jump-start Your Writing Journey
My dear friend Nancy had dreams of being a writer after commanding a classroom forever. She figured it would finally give her a creative outlet instead of taking up knitting afghans or cultivating orchids. She hated grading papers and wanted to expand her opportunities. As we met at Panera, she shared that she wanted people to read her thoughts and allow her personal legacy to live on. “Grand idea,” I said. “I want the same.”
By Barb Dukeman10 months ago in Fiction
The House With Two Halves
CHAPTER ONE Torsten sat in the window seat in his bedroom. Half of the stained glass window was flung open, and sitting so near the window, he gave the whole court something to see. His beauty was rare and rich, as he was the youngest son of the King and Queen. He was a prince. However, he had a very different fate from the other princes of the kingdom.
By Stephanie Van Orman10 months ago in Fiction
The Day Everyone Stopped Looking at the Sky
On the morning the sky changed, no one noticed. Cars moved through traffic like obedient insects. Coffee cups steamed in bored hands. Notifications buzzed, chimed, and blinked like impatient fireflies demanding attention. Heads were bowed—not in prayer, not in reflection, but in devotion to glowing screens.
By Yasir khan10 months ago in Fiction
The Price of Perfection: A Glimpse into a Utopian Future
In the not-so-distant future, humanity has reached what was once thought impossible: a perfect world. No more wars, no more disease, no more hunger. Technology has solved everything, and for the first time in history, humans live in a society where every need is met with a simple thought. Welcome to the utopia of the future—where life is easy, and everyone is happy. Or are they?
By HazelnutLattea10 months ago in Fiction
The Baker's Paradox
Rutaa wiped the sweat draining off his bald head like a stream before drinking an entire goblet of water. The water wasn’t cool, nothing in his bakery was cool at the best of times, but the festival wasn't the best of times for a baker. He appreciated the humble reprieve none the less.
By Matthew J. Fromm10 months ago in Fiction
