Part 1
FRIENDLY STAKES. Content Warning.
CHAPTER ONE: THE STRADDLE a voluntary blind bet made before the cards are dealt The shift key is broken. Jamie noticed this three days ago, an hour or two before dawn, while designing a logo for a startup selling meal kits to people who pretend they don’t have time to cook. It took him forty-five minutes to realize it wasn’t the software. Just the shift key. Dead. Unresponsive. He ordered a replacement from a site that sells Chinese knockoffs at American prices. It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow. Or next Tuesday. Could be a month from now—those delivery dates are meaningless. They say it’s guaranteed, but then the package sits in a warehouse on the other side of the world for six days.
By karlolegend2 months ago in Chapters
Storms That Know My Name . Content Warning.
It was a dark, moonless November night. The apartment was empty except for the two of them. Arym was hurting inside, though nothing in the way he carried himself ever revealed it. That notion, however, never applied to Kira. She could see through him. To her, his face was like a glass window in a summer house facing the sea. When the waters were calm, reflecting sunlight, she could stare out endlessly and feel his warmth. But when the waters stormed, the window offered no shield. No lattice of glass could hide the violence beneath.
By glowlikevega2 months ago in Chapters
Guardians of Knowledge. Top Story - December 2025.
1959 The Beginning Every attendee left the meeting sporting a similar look of resolve that no one had imagined possible during the days and months leading up to this secret conclave of the world’s ultra-wealthy and powerful. The only thing these members had in common was that they were excessively rich and powerful, and they wanted more of both. This gathering had been created to devise a way for them and their descendants to codify a system that would ensure their status and power far into the distant future. After extensive debate, the plan that was agreed upon was relatively simple.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Chapters
The Thief and the Prince – Chapter 3: Peacock
Peacock Morning light broke gently across the forest as Kael and Arin followed a narrow path woven between towering ancient trees. Dew sparkled on the leaves like tiny crystals, and the air was cool enough to sting their lungs. It was the first time since their escape that Kael felt the world breathing again.
By Wings of Time 2 months ago in Chapters
The 0.99 Effect: How One Cent Transforms Modern Marketing Strategy. AI-Generated.
In the endless world of marketing tactics, some strategies are loud and dramatic, while others work quietly in the background, influencing customers without drawing attention. One of the subtlest yet most powerful tools in modern marketing is the 0.99 pricing strategy, often called charm pricing. At first glance, it appears insignificant — just a tiny digit at the end of a number. But behind that small shift lies a deep psychological mechanism that shapes buying decisions across industries.
By shakir hamid2 months ago in Chapters
The Universe Written on a Single Leaf
A philosopher discovered a leaf with veins forming patterns identical to star maps. He spent years studying it, realizing the design wasn’t coincidence but a reminder: the universe is not out there—it is in everything, even the smallest sliver of matter. When the leaf eventually decayed, the philosopher smiled instead of mourning. “Infinity,” he said, “doesn’t disappear. It only changes form.”
By GoldenSpeech2 months ago in Chapters
The Cloud That Refused to Rain
A single dark cloud hovered over a drought-stricken village, trembling but refusing to break. People cursed it until they learned the truth: if it rained then, the cracked earth would shatter. So they softened the soil, and only then did the cloud let go. Sometimes restraint is the purest form of care.
By GoldenSpeech2 months ago in Chapters
