Series
The Letter I Was Never Meant to Read
It was a quiet evening when I stumbled upon the letter. The house was unusually still, the kind of silence that presses on your chest and makes you feel like something is about to change. I hadn’t been looking for secrets; I was simply searching for an old notebook in the wooden chest my mother kept locked in her room. But fate has a strange way of revealing truths when we least expect them.
By Nadeem Shah about a year ago in Fiction
Under the Crimson Sky
The crimson sky stretched endlessly above, its fiery glow spilling across the horizon like blood on sand. For most villagers, it was just another sunset, another day slowly slipping into the night. But for Ayaan, the sight of that sky was both a curse and a reminder—a curse of the past he could never completely bury, and a reminder of the fight he could no longer run away from.
By Nadeem Shah about a year ago in Fiction
TUS NUA - ch 27
TUS NUA – ch 27 New Beginnings – Mia and Midnight (*)(*)(*) “Forgive my cousin,” Finola began. “She was only eight when her mother, Annis passed on. Alistar, Dara’s brother was fifteen, Tauri was thriteen, but, well as I said, Dara was only eight. She held her mother in her arms when she took her last breath. Dara and Annis were always extremely close.”
By Margaret Brennanabout a year ago in Fiction
Shadows of Potential
Shadows of Potential Elias Voss adjusted his tie in the reflection of the polished glass doors of Vortex Dynamics, the nonprofit's sleek facade gleaming under the Toronto midday sun. It was 2019, and the building— a modern edifice of chrome and tinted windows— masqueraded as a mental health outreach center, promising "healing through innovation." Elias knew better. This was the Clinic's front door, a veneer of legitimacy over the shadows where real work happened. At 32, he was still hungry, still convinced that places like Black Site 53 could rewrite the broken scripts of human minds. Delilah Kyros had recruited him personally, her words electric: "We don't patch souls, Dr. Voss. We forge new ones." He'd signed on without hesitation, blind to the costs that would come later.
By Theodore Homuthabout a year ago in Fiction
Dragon Corps. Content Warning.
Chapter Three School passed by in a blur for Cory. He drifted from class to class, not really paying attention to what was going on, and thankfully none of the teachers bothered him. He was relieved when his final period came, because not only did it signal that school was almost over, but it was his favorite class. Cory walked in and headed towards the broken-down ’67 Chevy in the middle of the garage that served as their classroom until he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and forcibly spin him around.
By Christine St. Martinabout a year ago in Fiction
Unwritten on Their Graves. Content Warning.
In a cramped California apartment, eighteen-year-old Leo lived with his mother and two younger siblings, twelve year old Jasmine and eight year old Marcus. Their mother, a woman of quiet grit, had been left to raise them alone, scraping by on the meager wages of a diner job.Life had dealt her a harsh hand, and the family’s fragile balance was further shattered by Marcus’s battle with anemia. The medical bills drained what little they had, while the constant worry gnawed at them all. Leo watched his mother fight each day with unyielding determination, and though his heart burned to ease her burden, he was just a high school senior, too young, too powerless, yet aching to do more. To ease his mother’s burden, Leo had taken a part-time job at a local diner, slipping into an apron right after school while his classmates rushed off to sports or friends. Whether it was scrubbing greasy grills, bussing tables, or running orders, he did it all without complaint.The pay was barely enough to make a dent in their mounting expenses, yet Leo clung to it with quiet determination. Every shift was not only a reminder of his struggle, but also of his dream, a dream to rise above these barriers, and build a better life not just for himself, but for the people he loved most. One evening, as his mother returned from another long shift, Leo pulled her aside. His SAT results had arrived, good enough for college. Her tired face lit up with pride as she embraced him, certain her sacrifices were paying off. But Leo’s voice wavered as he confessed the catch: his scores weren’t high enough for a full scholarship, and he refused to drag the family deeper into debt. She pressed his shoulders, assuring him they would find a way and that he should focus on his future. Still, even as she smiled, Leo couldn’t ignore the worry lingering in her weary eyes. As graduation crept closer, Leo’s excitement was overshadowed by a growing weight of anxiety. The future loomed uncertain, with college slipping further from reach. Then one afternoon, a notice on the school bulletin board caught his eye, a career fair was coming to the gymnasium. It felt like a chance, to carve out a path forward, a way to bridge the gap until college could become more than just a dream. On the day of the job fair, Leo wandered aimlessly from stall to stall, scanning pamphlets and half-listening to pitches about door-to-door sales jobs, trade certifications, and odd apprenticeships. None of it felt like a future worth chasing. His steps slowed before the U.S. Army booth. Two recruiters in crisp uniforms greeted him with practiced smiles and a confidence that set them apart from the rest. They spoke of opportunities, college scholarships, steady pay, health care for families, benefits that struck directly at the heart of Leo’s worries. But it wasn’t only the promises that drew him in. The idea of wearing the uniform, of serving something greater than himself, stirred a sense of purpose he hadn’t known he was searching for. By the time he walked away, Leo no longer felt uncertain. He had found his path: the Army would be his way forward, and he was ready to take it the moment high school ended. When Leo told his mother about his decision, her reaction was far from proud. Fear and anger flashed across her face as she called the Army a path toward a coffin. She reminded him of all she had sacrificed to protect her children, of Marcus’s illness that already kept her awake at night, and insisted she could not bear to see another son chasing death. But Leo’s resolve did not waver. The arguments grew louder and more frequent in the days that followed, yet no amount of pleading or warning could pull him away from the choice he had already made. At last, the day of Leo’s high school graduation arrived, and for a brief moment the family allowed themselves to breathe. Laughter filled the small apartment, and even his mother set her worries aside to celebrate her son’s milestone. But the reprieve was short-lived. Soon after, Leo sat for the Army’s recruitment test; and passed. The letter that followed was swift and decisive: he was to report to Fort Benning for basic training. The weight of reality returned, heavier than ever, as the course of Leo’s future was sealed. The day Leo left, his mother wept as she begged him to remember he could always turn back, that home would always be waiting. Jasmine hugged him tightly, whispering for him to take care, while Marcus received the firmest embrace of all, as if Leo could somehow protect him from afar. At last, his mother stood before him, her tear-filled eyes heavy with fear of what lay ahead. With a final goodbye, Leo stepped away, his heart burdened yet fueled by the dream of building a better life for himself and the family he loved. And so began Leo’s journey, one that would carry him to the other side of the world, into the unforgiving landscapes of Afghanistan. It was a path that would shape him and shatter him, forcing him to witness and endure things he had never imagined. In the heart of war, Leo would be tested not only as a soldier but as a son, a brother, and a man torn between duty and conscience. Follow his story in the novel "Unwritten On Their Graves", a haunting tale of sacrifice, morality, and the human cost of war, now available on Amazon. Get your copy today.
By Munawar Sheikhabout a year ago in Fiction
Fractallus Basics
Scientific facts The Eidru Empire exists on a huge Gas giant, Fractallus. It’s the most magically endowed planet in its solar system, and thousands of massive continental plates float on the buoyant surface of the swirling magical gases composing the middle planetary layers. The Eidru Empire is located on the landmass Harctelion, the center of continental plate Xeocun.
By K.B. Silver about a year ago in Fiction
