Short Story
Immaculate: Chapter 2
Mr. Conrad offered me something to drink as we sat on the rickety patio deck. I politely declined, eager to get the full scoop before he changed his mind. Alice, meanwhile, he sent off to work on homework in the kitchen while the grown-ups talked in the scant piece of land that was their backyard.
By Taylor Rigsby2 years ago in Fiction
A Decade Spent in Silence . Content Warning.
Another mile passes, and with every word not said, the distance between us grows farther and farther. The steady hum of the motor drowns out the silence as we travel down familiar roads - same twists and turns, same potholes, same signs. The peace I used to find in repeating the same trip over and over again and in knowing all the warning signs and hazards ahead now seems like the world is closing in on me. This is an endless journey to nowhere. There will be no marvelous sights to see, no unexpected grand adventure, no momentous landmarks along the way. Instead, worn out wheels roll comfortably forward in the same direction as before. My eyes numbly follow the mile markers, and I catch a glimpse of my discarded heart, littered on the side of the road.
By Sylvia Lorraine 2 years ago in Fiction
Love on a Chain. Content Warning.
Do you know what it’s like to be ignored? I’m not talking like trying to flag down a busy bartender when you clearly have had too much to drink and should probably be shut off. I mean intentionally, maliciously ignored. When your existence is only valid when it’s fulfilling a need for someone else. I’ve spent most of my marriage waiting for affection, for attention, for acceptance. I am the forgotten dog that is chained to a weathered dog box in the backyard. I spend my days tethered to my own thoughts - quiet, small, and invisible. I have been reduced to waiting for scraps to be thrown my way or my bowl to be filled. Occasionally I get the luxury of being freed from my prison, but it’s only when I can be of use - like a dog putting up gamebirds for his shotgun toting master or providing some company when he is feeling lonely. Those small glimmers break up the monotony and silence that fill most of my days, but when my purpose has been served, it’s back to my forgotten enclosure I go.
By Sylvia Lorraine 2 years ago in Fiction
The Great Eminence Front
“What are you doing here?” Kazuki asked. Raiden was surprised by this response. “Why… I’m here to check on you. I heard about my homeless shelter burning down so I wanted to check on you.” Raiden said trying to hide the shaking in his voice. “Your building?” Kazuki mu4ered to himself. “What did you say young man?” Raiden aked. “Get the camera out of here.” Kazuki states sternly. “Why son? Are you camera shy?” Raiden joked with a fake chuckle. Kazuki stared at Raiden with a sharp look before sta0ng, “Fine then… Let the world know you burned down that shelter.” Raiden’s face grew angry and turned to his cameraman “Turn o@ the camera.” Raiden then turned around and looked at Kazuki. “What the hell are you talking about?” Raiden tried to keep his voice down, but the anger was very present in his voice. “You had that shelter built right?” Kazuki asked in a solemn tone. “Yes, but that has nothing to do with it burning down!” Raiden retorted. Kazuki con0nued to talk in his solemn tone, “You didn’t strip the resin from the wood that made the building.” Shock swept over Raiden’s face. “I had no control over how it was built… the architecture 9rm that built it is to blame.” Kazuki then sat straight up and started to raise his voice, “That’s ridiculous! You know damn well that YOU hired that company and YOU had control of how they built it!” Raiden lost his temper and shouted “Fine, you’re right! I wanted to build that shelter so I could burn it down and take you worthless pieces of garbage down with it!” Kazuki stared at Raiden as he con0nued to confess. “Homeless people are a burden on society so I wanted to send them to hell where they belong!” Kazuki then switched back to his solemn tone and asked, “Why?” Kazuki paused for a minute before con0nuing “Why would you want to kill hundreds of people?” A-er that sentence, Kazuki thought about Akia the day of the 9re. “What made you
By Clay Robbins2 years ago in Fiction
The Heart of the Machine
The Heart of the Machine In the heart of Silicon Valley, Amelia Cross was a rising star. A robotics engineer celebrated for her groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence, she was known as a pioneer who merged the boundaries between machine learning and human emotion. Her latest project, codenamed Eros, was meant to be a revolution—a humanoid AI designed to understand and emulate human emotions in ways no robot ever had before.
By Lacey Morgan2 years ago in Fiction
The Enchanted Compass
In the bustling town of Brooksville, where the streets were lined with colorful houses and friendly faces, lived a girl named Mia. At twelve years old, Mia was known for her adventurous spirit and her knack for finding excitement in the most ordinary places. She loved exploring the nearby woods, often imagining herself as a brave explorer on a quest for hidden treasures.
By Yash Tiwari2 years ago in Fiction
