Saga
The Sparta Chronicles. AI-Generated.
In the abyss of a future so fractured it defied comprehension, Sparta, the temporal anomaly disguised as a corgi, materialised into a reality that clawed at his very essence. He’d braced himself for the sterile gleam of chrome citadels and the thrum of anti-gravity vessels. Instead, his paws, accustomed to temporal displacement rather than solid ground, found purchase on the rough, worn cobblestones of a forgotten age. Gaslight, a flickering mockery of true illumination, bled amber hues onto the street, painting shadows that writhed like captured spirits. The air, thick and cloying, bore the pungent aroma of horse dung and the sickly sweet perfume of baking bread, a deceptive normalcy that masked a deeper dissonance. Yet, amidst this anachronistic tableau, the ghosts of what-was-to-be whispered their secrets – a gas lamp, its flame a steady, unnatural pulse, hummed with an unseen power, a silent testament to a technology woven into the very fabric of this bewildering era.
By Carolyn Patton3 months ago in Chapters
The Man, The Mountain, and The Climb
". . .He keeps climbing because stopping would mean surrendering everything he has built, every promise he swore to keep. The air thins as he ascends, and though he’s given everything—strength, time, conviction—the mountain gives little back. Once, it felt sacred to climb.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Chapters
The Nightmare And The Children. Content Warning.
When the children went to sleep, the Nightmare began to play his keyboard. Their bodies slept and all seemed well, but their souls left their bodies and rode on the back of the spiral night dog, up and up the hill to where the Nightmare was playing.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 4 months ago in Chapters
Silent Charmers
Down the pathway from the Sycamore Sapling Sensational Castle, a screened enclosed patio resided at 123 Maple Syrup Lane. Occupying the air-conditioned confines, a young growing boy who had never said a word in his life, relying upon visage recognition as dialogue spent his scholastic rest period, mimicking an Ivy League undergraduate dorm. Featuring adoring blue eyes, golden blond hair and smile that would perk up anyone’s bad day, Royal Kaufman stared at the television, memorized by moving images.
By Marc OBrien5 months ago in Chapters
Human Resources Director at work on Monday
My assistant opens the doors at 9:00 a.m. exactly on Monday morning. I've had my cup of coffee and I'm wearing my best pressed suit. There's already five people waiting at the door as she unlocks it and greets them with a smile. They waltz in and take a seat in one of the available chairs set before my office. They look at her and they look at me with a sense of bewildered hope on their eager faces. I look at my appointment book and read the first name outloud.
By Shanon Angermeyer Norman5 months ago in Chapters
Out of the Flames
Oda dashed across the bridge to the mansion steps. The great double doors of the house were thrown wide, one hanging precariously from twisted hinges. She turned to see Ides following her, and Guy being backed into a side-street skirmish on the far side of the bridge.
By M. A. Mehan 6 months ago in Chapters
Podunk
I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. I wanted to lie on my side, knees curled up in the fetal position, and watch made-for-TV movies with the bedroom lit up through the blinds. My body wanted the rest, but my brain fought suffocating thoughts, so I went for a walk.
By Jeremiah Gardner6 months ago in Chapters
After The Sunset The Stars As My Witness. Content Warning.
Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months and months turned into uncertainty. Perseus held his face, elbow pressed against the table. The captain and his crew drowned out his thoughts with their drunken slurred tales most of them made up trying to outshine the other sailors. Everyone shouting at the top of their lungs, all their words meshing up to what a disaster could sound like. Perseus thought he would have gotten used to this by now, but the more he was around them the more annoyed he was by them. He couldn't lash out either because he needed them to get to wherever the gorgon resided.
By Ropafadzo Thokozani Zinyuke (Fadzo) 6 months ago in Chapters
A Freshen Up
***Character name change. Selena is now Mikaela, and is of both English and Swedish decent.*** I decided that maybe Marianne was right, a fresh look might help to switch things up. Boost my confidence and, at the very least, stop anyone or anything from mistaking me for a camel. I booked a haircut for Friday lunchtime, and I’m about to leave the office. Checking myself in the bathroom mirror, I run my hand through my hair. It does look kind of long and scruffy. Usually, I wait for around seven to eight weeks between haircuts to save money. Perhaps that’s having more of a negative impact that’s worth more than the £30 I’m saving annually. It’s not just long and scruffy, though, admittedly, my ‘look’ has become a bit bland. It has no real shape to it. I’ve been googling hairstyles for men and searching for the right words to describe them, because I never know what to say when I’m in the chair. I usually just tell the barber, “Short back and sides and shorter on top,” meaning, just cut it. I may as well just shrug. I searched the barbershop’s website for the most stylish and sought-after barber, Bruno, and booked an appointment with him. Hopefully, he can help me out.
By Simon George6 months ago in Chapters
