Young Adult
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 GoldenSpeech3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | The Women | Part VI of VI
I was working as a receptionist in a Congressional Bureau at the Department of Prominence, I was 26 years of age. Two women in my office were best friends. Their names were Lynette and Carolyn. They were always together. They arrived at work in the morning together, they went to lunch together, they took work breaks together, and they departed from work together. They ruled the office and often made my work life challenging, yet ironically, I ended up being the one to help one of them out of a tricky situation!
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
Sparrow on a Plank Chapter 4: The Voyage Begins
They sailed over the deep blue sea, flecked with brown patches of kelp and black forms just below the surface. Birds soared serenely, looking to strike at any fish that came near the surface, then diving, splashing, returning to the skies above with their squirming prey. The fish below were split between two groups: the fish that swam in well-coordinated schools, their very movement confusing those in the predators that preyed on those too slow to evade them. There are the plankton-eaters, those giants that created the largest, scariest shadows but wouldn’t harm a flea. And then there were the reptiles and killer whales, usually predators but sometimes just more of the plankton-eaters.
By Jamais Jochim3 months ago in Chapters
The Candle That Melted Upward
In an old cathedral, a candle burned in reverse—wax rising instead of falling. Pilgrims traveled from afar, believing it symbolized ascension. A young skeptic stayed overnight to understand the trick. Instead, he discovered something stranger: the candle responded to hope. Whenever he doubted himself, the flame dimmed. When he believed in possibility, the wax rose like a prayer. He left with a single lesson: faith is not believing in miracles—it is allowing yourself to burn upward.
By GoldenSpeech3 months ago in Chapters
Firebug: Chapter 6 - The Party
To say Theo was anxious about going to Chris' party was a laughable understatement. He was utterly bricking it on the ride over, calculating the odds of surviving a leap from a moving car. Part of him was actually considering it; the numbers were in his favor, and his maths were never wrong. All that changed when he heard a deep sigh from his left.
By Natalie Gray3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Machiavelli | Part VI of VI
My mentor’s advice to take on volunteer responsibilities while I was an office secretary for a director and desk officers paid off. When one of the desk officers was promoted, he offered me the position of his office secretary. With the approval of the Human Resources Division, I transitioned to his new office, known as the “Front Office,” where top executives worked. I was suddenly in a more prestigious setting, alongside our bureau’s other executive office secretaries who were often unfriendly and seemed to lack a strong work ethic. Thankfully, an advisor guided me in developing resilience to adapt to this new environment.
By Mia Z. Edwards3 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 GoldenSpeech3 months ago in Chapters
Who's the real Monster?
Ignoring my instincts entirely I went down to the sub-basement. All the while repeating my granddad's saying, "Every enemy has a weakness." Creeping out of the vents it was easy to stay hidden here. The hall was barely lit. Up ahead it split into two corridors. Moving to the right there was a window at waist height that almost reached the ceiling. Carefully taking a peek I saw a ring of lights keeping something big inside of it. Whatever was inside looked to be an animal made of shadows that didn't have a true shape that appeared to be resting. My blood ran cold once the realization hit me. No fucking way. That's It, that's the Thing that attacked me. Unable to look away I watched as It rose from the floor to look right at me. Those red piercing eyes. Just like mine now.
By Lucy Torralba3 months ago in Chapters
Firebug: Chapter 5 - Jack of All Trades
"...and... done. Finally." Roman leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh, pushing back from his editor's desk. He rolled his neck gingerly, rubbing the back of it with a wince to massage the ache from it. He'd ridden that deadline right down to the wire, but the next edition of the school paper was ready for print. Better late than never, right?
By Natalie Gray3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Newspapers | Part VI of VI
I was working with Paul Miller, a desk officer who asked me to be his office secretary in the new bureau where he was promoted to work at once. He moved swiftly to ensure that I was approved to work with him. The Department of Prominence’s Human Resources Office re-assigned me to move forward in my new position with Miller. In this bureau, I met several office secretaries.
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
Tattoos & Rail Guns Chapter 2: Fear The Chipmunk Killers!
The checklist wasn't just to make sure that she was ready. Sure, it helped make sure that she had everything she would need, that everything she packed was cleaned, and gave her peace of mind, but that wasn't all. It put her in the right frame of mind, a ritual of sorts to shift her from barracks mode to field mode. She inspected all of her gear, looking for cracks and holes. Finding none made her happy; she even smiled as she realized all of those trips to the armorer had its dividends.
By Jamais Jochim3 months ago in Chapters
