Short Story
The Clockmaker’s Daughter
When the first scream of a newborn echoed through the small town of Verden, every clock stopped. Grandfather clocks stopped in the middle of ticking. Wristwatches halted. Even the tower clock, famous for never stopping, not even during storms, went quiet. Its hands hung in the air, as if they were holding their breath.
By Ajan Lori A. 10 months ago in Fiction
The Return of Covid in the UK
The Return of Covid in the UK I could feel it before anyone said a word. That quiet shift in the country, the same uneasy breath people took years ago when Covid first arrived. And now it is circling again in the UK, rising in numbers, slipping back into headlines, making its way through towns the way cold air moves through open doors.
By ♿ V+ Marie381Uk 10 months ago in Fiction
Symbiotic: Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Sara pressed her back against the tree, heart still pounding from the encounter, but her mind refused to sit idle. Frustration burned through her fear. If the System was treating her fungi as party members, then there had to be a logic to it. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to think, and the sterile memory of her lab rose unbidden to her mind.
By Canyon Cappola (TheNomad)10 months ago in Fiction
Floor Between
I just used the elevator because my groceries were making noise and my knees were hurting. One watermelon, two bags, and the sixth floor gave me the appearance of having stolen a planet. Mailboxes with teeth, a corridor that smells like everyone's meal, and an elevator that acts like it was once a large hotel's favorite toy are just a few examples of how ancient the building is.
By Milan Milic10 months ago in Fiction
Free Your Mind. Top Story - November 2025.
John Hope opened his eyes and found himself lying on a stiff mattress. The mattress was striped and worn out and was covered by a grey comforter that felt like a scratch pad on John’s back. He sat up on the bed and looked ahead and was greeted by the sight of iron doors. John was in a jail cell, but he couldn’t recall why. “What am I doing here?” He thought to himself. “I didn’t commit a crime. I didn’t kill anyone. I don’t even have a criminal record. So why am I in a jail cell?”
By Joe Patterson10 months ago in Fiction
Cold Cuts: Chapter 1. Content Warning.
"Faith!" I called for my friend from the other room in the suite we were in. I needed her to tie up my dress and to see when she would be ready. We were both famous for being fashionably late, but we really needed to get to this venue on time tonight.
By scaldingblktea 10 months ago in Fiction
Symbiotic
Microbiologist Sara Bloom sat happily in her favorite place in the world. Recorder on. Notes Ready. Hands sifting through rich loam. She brushed her bare fingers through the soil, feeling the damp grit cling to her skin. The strands of mycorrhizal fungi tangled like threads of silk, delicate and alive, weaving unseen connections beneath the surface. She leaned closer, fascinated, murmuring notes to herself as she teased apart the networks that bound root to root, life to life.
By Canyon Cappola (TheNomad)10 months ago in Fiction
The Weight of the Orchard
Elara didn’t believe in magic. She believed in deeds, in ledgers, and in the stubborn, overgrown apple orchard she had just inherited from a reclusive great-uncle. The house was a time capsule, the barn a leaning monument to neglect. But it was the land that called to her, a fresh start after her life in the city had turned to dust.
By Habibullah10 months ago in Fiction
