family

What We Never Named
Blair Because the baby monitor cracked open the dark like something dropped, and the toddler started calling my name with the urgency of someone drowning in three inches of water.
By Tifani Power 7 days ago in Fiction
THE SEA RAIDERS
Until the strange events at Sidmouth, the deep-sea creature known as Haploteuthis ferox was barely understood by science. Only fragments—tentacles found near the Azores and a decaying body discovered off Land’s End—hinted at its existence. Like most deep-sea cephalopods, it lived beyond the reach of nets and observation, known only through rare accidents. Zoologists could not explain how or why such creatures ever reached shallow waters.
By Faisal Khan7 days ago in Fiction
Off Into The Fog
A small pile of discarded soil shifted beneath his feet, one of the many that lay scattered like anthills around the mound of red soil upon which nothing would ever grow.
By Matthew J. Fromm8 days ago in Fiction
Holy Night at the Trailer Park. Content Warning.
I’ll never forget the night I tried coffee for the first time. It was the same night Sally from next door overdosed on Morphine and Mushroom salad.
By Kera Hollow8 days ago in Fiction
A Child With A Broken Heart
Lisa used to be a free-spirited child until dark cloud and curses strike her life at an early age. Lisa was the apple of her father's eyes and also his pride and joy at an early age. Her dad was very controlling to her mother, and her mother would not have any of that. Lisa's mother moved to Florida to get away from a controlling man. Different people would babysit Lisa because her mother had to work to support them. There was no stable babysitter in 2-year-old Lisa of life.
By Mariann Carroll9 days ago in Fiction
Hold the Door
The note was taped to the elevator wall on a Monday. Plain paper. Black ink. Careful handwriting. If you are reading this, please press the door open button for a moment. It helps more than you think.
By Aarsh Malik9 days ago in Fiction
ELIAS!
At eighty, Elias discovered that silence weighs heavily sometimes. It weighs on the chest. It fills every room. It lingers long after footsteps should have come back. Silence, he realized too late, isn’t just the absence of sound. It is everything that never returned.
By Lori A. A.9 days ago in Fiction
Where the Ocean Keeps Secrets
The brochure showed smiling couples, crystal-blue water, and dolphins jumping beside the boat. Nothing about fear. Nothing about disappearances. Nothing about how silence feels when the ocean decides to keep someone.
By Salman Writes9 days ago in Fiction
The Year We Waited for the Fireworks
On the last working day before Chinese New Year, Shanghai felt like it was holding its breath. Offices emptied early. Elevators filled with suitcases instead of laptops. Even the air seemed lighter, as if the city itself was preparing to be left behind.
By Zidane9 days ago in Fiction
Blood on the Carpet
“Your blood is getting on the carpet,” she said. “Oh, I’ll clean that up,” I said. I went and got the mop and started to clean it up. I could hardly stand but the handle helped hold me up. I cleaned it up and put a new bandage on the wound.
By Raine Fielder10 days ago in Fiction
When the City Forgot the Stars
The city never truly slept. It only pretended to rest between waves of noise and light. Neon signs pulsed like artificial heartbeats, flooding every street with color. Giant billboards promised happiness in bold fonts and perfect smiles. Cars rushed past like they were late for something important. And above it all, the sky stood silent, empty, stripped of its stars.
By Salman Writes10 days ago in Fiction
Born To Run
He watched the embers waltz skyward with the campfire tendrils, mixing and twisting until they all faded to black. Despite the warmth of the evening, he felt a shiver run through his shoulders that felt so much older than the candles at last weekend's birthday party indicated. While he appreciated everyone’s attendance, he stole every glance at the clock, counting down the moments until they left and he could depart.
By Matthew J. Fromm10 days ago in Fiction