Mystery
The House at the End of Hawthorn Lane
Gail Sullivan’s house sat like a sealed envelope at the end of Hawthorn Lane, addressed to no one and opened by none. The curtains never moved. The gate never creaked. After her husband died—suddenly, mysteriously—Gail withdrew behind the tall fence that ringed her property and never crossed it again. The neighborhood filled the silence with its own explanations. They said she had learned of his betrayal and answered it with precision, increasing the dosage of his daily medications until his heart complied. They noted her grief had sharpened into something dark.
By Anthony Chan9 months ago in Fiction
Beach Vibes . Top Story - January 2026. Content Warning.
I was already in a great mood, but as I step out of the car, the warmth from the sun hits my face and I feel even better. I close my eyes, inhale deeply and take it all in: a perfectly hot summer’s day, a gentle breeze, just enough to take the edge of the heat off, and the ideal place for our third date.
By Sandy Gillman9 months ago in Fiction
Gunshots at Meadow Brook Acres. Top Story - January 2026. Content Warning.
"Is that the guy Ron, you are talking to?" "Yes, he is ordering, he must have fallen off the wagon. I haven't seen him for a long time. Cindy told me, he had moved back home and he had gotten clean."
By Gregory Payton10 months ago in Fiction
✈️ “The Island That Wasn’t on the Map”. AI-Generated.
The storm struck without warning. Flight 907 had been cruising smoothly over the Pacific when the lights flickered, the engines groaned, and a violent jolt threw passengers into panic. Before anyone could make sense of the chaos, the plane plunged downward, swallowed by black clouds and lightning that cracked like shattered glass.
By Sherin ABUMUSTAFA10 months ago in Fiction
What are we doing here?. Winner in Mismatch Challenge. Content Warning.
"Will you just talk to me?" Mark begged, as his ceiling fan completed lazy, insistent revolutions. He watched as a fly— he couldn’t say when it had arrived— performed small frantic circles in the air before settling on the nightstand beside him. It groomed its front legs. Such fastidiousness in something so fundamentally unclean.
By Sandor Szabo10 months ago in Fiction
Beat 'Em Then Join 'Em, Friday, September 21st, 2012
“Boy! Front and center,” Anton shouted like a drill sergeant. Toby sat in the warm living room watching The Backyardigans for what must have been the 100th time when he heard his father calling him. With no cable and only three VHS tapes, what other options did he really have? His play station was broken by his mom’s new neighbor friend when they were arguing.
By Anton Mathias Heft 10 months ago in Fiction
Nightmare On Pennywise St, (Present Day) September, 2021 (Fiction)
The next morning, Toby awoke to the obnoxious buzz of an alarm blaring for what seemed like an eternity. The air reeked of stale cat urine and dirty laundry. Sesame Street played on the television in the next room, with the volume so high it seemed as though Elmo was sitting right next to Toby, yelling.
By Anton Mathias Heft 10 months ago in Fiction
