Psychological
The Cog-Boy of Aethel. AI-Generated.
Master Elara Vance found him three hours later. The workshop that had once been Baron Von Greed's private laboratory was now a scene of controlled chaos. Academy artificers worked alongside city engineers to catalog the Baron's equipment (the man himself had vanished in the confusion following the resonance cascade). Awakened automatons wandered the space, some weeping electronically as they rediscovered their suppressed memories, others simply marveling at the return of choice to their existence.
By Shane D. Spearabout a year ago in Fiction
The Envelopes. Winner in A Knock at the Door Challenge.
They gave me a watch before they gave me the keys. "No digital," the day attendant said, digging through the cluttered office drawer. "Here." She dropped a weight into my palm; a worn, old-fashioned wristwatch with a domed glass and a second hand that ticked like a heartbeat.
By Autumn Stewabout a year ago in Fiction
Akashic Coffee
Victoria Mendoza pushed the door open to Akashic Coffee, the chime overhead a soft whisper against the hush of coastal morning. The air inside was steeped in espresso and wood smoke, the soundscape a mixture of lo-fi beats and soft laughter from other early risers. It was one of those San Luis Obispo mornings when the fog still hugged the mountains, reluctant to leave.
By Tony Martelloabout a year ago in Fiction
The Paper Face
“Wake, little one.” The voice seeped through the silence like water moving under stone. She flinched, lifting a hand to the back of her head. Pain throbbed where she had struck the iron rack of the bed, a pulse that made the air around her sway.
By Vito V. Valeabout a year ago in Fiction
Heavely Seas Chapter 15
It took at least two hours for Apollo to adjust to his birth name. He responded to both Heath and Apollo, but the latter seemed to have fit. He never wanted to be here in the first place. Nearly every day he resisted the urge to steal a lifeboat and sail away. The only thing that stopped him was where would he go? He could never bring himself to leave his family behind.
By Chloe Gilholyabout a year ago in Fiction
Free Me, Please!
To the now-adult children who were read Kolobok in childhood: Greetings from the Fox's underbelly. Literally. I've been ghosting here for as long as parents continue reading my story to their children. Quite frankly, I am fed up. Sorry for the pun but I want out. So hear me out.
By Lana V Lynxabout a year ago in Fiction
Behind Bars, Beyond Borders: The Struggle of the Global Sumud Flotilla
Behind Bars, Beyond Borders: The Struggle of the Global Sumud Flotilla The roar of the sea had been replaced by the clang of iron doors. For the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla, who had set sail with nothing but hope and humanitarian aid, the sudden transition from open waves to concrete cells felt surreal. Yet, even in captivity, their mission refused to die.
By Wings of Time about a year ago in Fiction
Electrocuted At Dawn ⚡
Dear Administrator of Hell, You are the one I would have preferred to murder, but your daughter worked in a pinch. I don't know if I should have brought Audra into this tragedy or not. I admit that. But she had your DNA, so she couldn't have been totally innocent.
By Lightning Bolt ⚡about a year ago in Fiction
The Hourglass of Pismo
The hourglass floated in the middle of the tide. Its upper chamber held the profile of a boy no older than ten, face tilted to the sky, light in his eyes, seafoam in his hair. The lower chamber cradled an older man, worn by years, face softened by the erosion of time, yet still holding a trace of the boy's wonder.
By Tony Martelloabout a year ago in Fiction
