Romance Short Stories

Bothered

Celia wasn’t sure why anyone would knock on her door at this hour, so when she first heard the tap–tap-tapping, she ignored it. Maybe it was the wind. Maybe it…[...]

Project Violet

“Violet,” I mutter to myself as I walk through the woods. Violet; a person, dimension, thing, creature? I do not know, but the letter with that word had led me…[...]

The Dark Man

The Dark Man I pray as I step across the threshold – both that I’ll find him, and that I won’t – out here in the middle of nowhere, a…[...]

Hello, Ma’am. Can I Help You?

Wheezing heavily, Cormac O’ Connor stumbles around the corner of Epping Street, clinging to a wall while he desperately tries to fill his lungs with air. Coughing uncontrollably, he takes…[...]

Ships That Don’t Come In

Catherine O’ Brady could sense something was coming, she could smell it, feel it in her very soul. Not wasting time with finding her slippers, she rushed upstairs to the…[...]

DAREDEVIL

DAREDEVIL Christie Crayon lived in a dark grey world where dust had more colour when the moon was full of nothingness. She blinked. Her black tea was cold, yet warmer…[...]

In Rainbows

“Another late night, D?” The sun had set some hours ago, but I found myself still hunched over my desk. Truth be told, I hadn’t noticed the time, but a…[...]

The Curse

The CurseIris Caldwell may have never come across it or even noticed its existence if not for her golden retriever, Ben. It wasn’t so much the chance discovery of the…[...]

The Nereid’s Interval

Agata arrived on a Thursday, which her grandmother had always called the devil’s holiday, the day when the veil between visible and invisible grew thin as birch paper. She had…[...]

The Last Knower

The sea had not moved all night.Lucas Linfield sensed it before he opened his eyes, before he pushed himself upright with a groan, before he shuffled across the warped floorboards…[...]

In the blur of being

+Did you hear that? - What? +It was like screaming- Come on, there is no one here except you and me, it is just raining outside! It was a big…[...]

“is a equal to a and is Calculus the devil?”

This is the story of an "a". There would be at least one big heartbreak for the characters yet to come, even if they do not know it yet.It all…[...]

The River That Remembered Names

The villagers of Kampung Serunai believed the river had moods.In the dry months, it slept low and quiet beneath the hanging roots of old banyan trees. During monsoon season, it…[...]

Stilts – Sofany

In Sofany’s head, each partially rotting wood plank creaked in protest as she stepped. As if to say, “Go away.” Her footsteps felt heavier these days. Sofany knew which planks…[...]

Don’t Follow the Song

The light from the laptop strained her eyes more than the late hour itself. Ioana scrolled absently through articles, forums, and videos sent by people convinced they had captured the…[...]

With so many questions why would you want answers?

It was dark.There was a slight familiar ring in my ears and I didn’t know how to stop it. I then realize I just had to open my eyes, why…[...]

THE VISITOR

THE VISITOR As a child I was haunted by very vivid dreams. Some of these dreams were very pleasant like the night I dreamed that a powerful wind through our…[...]

Bell’s Crossing

The first time Mara heard the voice beneath the soil, she thought she was losing her mind.It happened in late October, when the forests surrounding the tiny town of Bell’s…[...]

The Giver and Keeper of Life

I am Earth; mother of the moon; daughter of the sun; sister of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; and stepsister of Pluto.I am the ground beneath your…[...]

THE RED IN THE RAIN

Deep red puddles collected in the dirt lanes of Masaki, thick as clotting blood. It has rained that day, though it never should have. The leaves hung heavy, each one…[...]

the pink moon that night

I once saw the most beautiful woman on earth. Sadly, I was not on earth that day. I was looking at her, feeling dazzled, but my seat was on the…[...]

Dearly Dear

Form me to you. dearly, I am sending this letter to finally write back to you. I am sorry. I know it took me a while. But you know how…[...]

I killed my dreams

Sleep eluded me as thoughts of many shapes and forms took over my mind. They came and went as they pleased, whispering secrets I tried to bury deep inside. I…[...]

What we Buried

Logically Monica knows that betraying her family is wrong, but what her father has gotten away with for the past couple decades...it's was time for it to come to a…[...]

Empty Insides

On the fifth of march, as the late snow was crying from the sky into the suburbs of Tulip's Hollow, Michael Phillips woke up to discover that his liver had…[...]

Thoughts Held Captive

Content Warning: Mental Health issues.Alone in My HeadThey haven’t always been here. Well, not here. Not sitting beside me or walking with me or leaving messages for me. I don’t…[...]

Mrs. Rosemary Bennet lived life like a ghost. Seeing without being seen. Speaking without being heard. Her fingers left no fingerprints.Tick, tock, said the clock. Your time is up.Smiling strangers…[...]

The Architect

They say we grieve to the depth that we love, but how do I grieve someone who isn't dead?***Xavier and I met in our freshman year of college. He was…[...]

The Not Scary Ghost Story

Last night I saw a ghost. Cutting through the overgrown cemetery is the quickest way to my apartment complex, where I share rent with a roommate. Some people think I'm…[...]

Seven Plates For The Dead

By the time the seventh plate was carried into the dining hall, four people at the table had already lied about why Lord Kwaku Bediako was dead.Only one of them…[...]

Rhyming with Daisy

The clothes had to have been too big.Rango repeated that same sentence in silence, in the form of both an observation, and a plea, dozens of times during the drive…[...]

Letters to a Lost Love

January 1, 1990 Dear Love,I keep thinking that I miss you, but you’re not you anymore. And I can’t miss who you were, because then I wouldn’t be me. Then…[...]

Mr. & Mrs. Bright

It was a lovely restaurant. The same old stereotypical candlelight dinner with two people who love each other as if it was their life's work. As if holding each other,…[...]

What Did We Bury?

INMATE FOUND DEAD IN CELL: Ellis Rucker, 28, found unresponsive in his cell at Kessler Correctional early Thursday. Prison officials say foul play has not been ruled out. Clara read…[...]

The Funeral

This story contains themes of death and murder. Adair Grayson opened the funeral home on Dorothy Street at twenty-two with a business loan and a used embalming table. His father…[...]

Initials

INITIALS Michael Carsagian gave himself the once-over in the mirror. Appropriate for a confrontation? He shrugged.He hadn’t worn the blue blazer since the office Christmas party, but it went well…[...]

The Carver Twins

The Carver twins had been swapping places since before they had language for deception, and now, at their father's funeral, they would perform their most dangerous switch yet, because one…[...]

Number ONe

Number One“Jack was an interesting character, wasn’t he?” Chris spoke quietly and gave a smirk as he turned to Peter. “There’s a lot of people here for his funeral, but…[...]

Nobody Mourned Chuck Beauford

(This story contains sensitive content, containing mentions of substance abuse, mental health issues, and a creepy man) On an ugly, hot morning, in an ugly town, on an ugly stretch…[...]

9

She came back into her house, the screen door squeaking and sticking a little. She brushed the dirt off her face , looked at the screen door and said "I've…[...]

A Monster in the After

In the aftermath of billions of deaths, every individual death that follows means more to the survivors than it ever did before. Many of those deaths went unmourned or uncelebrated.…[...]

The Smile They Remembered

Father Joseph looked around the sea of black in front of him as he stepped towards the lectern. The polished oak at his fingertips was cold to the touch. The…[...]

The Accident

“You’re overreacting; it wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be. Ms Morris has it out for me; she needs to get a fucking grip,” Amanda shouted…[...]

Bad mourning

I was here, this morning, in this moment, wishing I could be anywhere else. I gazed around the room, a sea of black. Black dresses. Black suits. Hundreds of them.…[...]

Please Don’t Cry over the Crisp Bowl

Reverend Brown has always preferred the wake to the funeral. Maybe this isn’t exactly an unusual preference; to be sure, the young Castle brood are galloping about in glee at…[...]

The Light in the dark

The room was magnificent and it contained undeniable history; it held the laughter, tears and whispers of past events within its walls. There were three large windows on each side…[...]

The Fourth Place Setting

Mysteries may unfold or unravel at a moment’s notice or may intensify in depth until they are barely solvable. — The Narrator This was the time and place for all…[...]

An Irish Wake

Neala loomed over Grandma Aileen’s casket and stared at the waxy skin etched with makeup-filled crevices. Each line on the old woman’s face held a story. Frown lines told of…[...]

Root Rot

Washed in the tint of a rosy sunset, the Richardsons’ house sat. Its modesty didn’t detract from its charm, a wood cabin dressed like a sinner dragging out their dusty…[...]

The Writing Club

I couldn’t tell if the words I was typing were from me or borrowed from someone else. That’s how unoriginal I was; a mosaic of authors, pieces extracted from my…[...]

Sleepless in Sallow Falls

Sallow Falls FM Radio Broadcast, October 18th, 2004 "That was Bruised Hearts with their brand new single, Nowhere to Hide. Be sure to tune in next week, we'll be giving…[...]

Tired Eyes

I looked at her. Her eyes were already tired, just like all that came before her. Her body, still. You would think a baby would cry more often, fuss more…[...]

Seven Hundred and Thirty Days

My eyes felt like galaxies—holding the swirling glow of countless memories—as I took in our childhood home. Its siding looked like remnants of driftwood after a bonfire. I swore I…[...]

inspirAItion

08:50:05.000:RequestGeneratedHey Phaedra, can you give me a recipe for vegan lasagne with a rich, creamy bechamel sauce?08:50:05.005: ResponseDispatched++Certainly! For a delicious vegan lasagne, you'll need lasagne noodles, marinara sauce, vegan ricotta,…[...]

Threads Left Unread

To: old.inbox.julian@gmail.comSubject: trying againDate: 12/03/2025, 21:14Julian,I know you won’t read this. Maybe it’ll bounce back like the last time.But I saw someone today — someone who walked exactly like you.Same…[...]

Chan Chan

It crept up her spine like a malevolent spirit, leaving a clear path of prickled skin up her back. She had not heard that song in over 30 years and…[...]

Butcher Knife

Trigger warning: This story suggests child sexual abuse. I only vaguely recall Grandpa coming to the door of our bedroom that evening and asking us to come to his bedroom. I…[...]

A Cup Without Tea

She was late coming home one October night. Fireworks from outside rattled the teacups on the shelf. The sound of fingertips tapped the glass windows. Was she home? The tapping…[...]

Spill the tea

Shaimah rolled the dice idly between her fingers. If she closed her eyes the indents of the white dots could be felt. Number three, she was sure of it. Opened…[...]

A Row of Lights

"Don't step on the marigolds!" Sondra's warning was to Fina. The little girl was straddling the bright path of petals that led from the altar to the screen door. The…[...]

Ankh

A cool breeze brushes against Hadr’s brown skin before his feet begin to pound against the dark concrete sidewalk. The young boy is confident that the mechanical beast currently hunting…[...]

MET

She imagined winding her fingers in the pouf of his hair, twisting it into braids. Charlotte turned away, pretending to look at the towering gilded sculpture of Diana. Way to…[...]

A Cup Without Tea

She was late coming home one October night. Fireworks from outside rattled the teacups on the shelf. The sound of fingertips tapped the glass windows. Was she home? The tapping…[...]

Monkey Suit

As a third-generation Japanese Canadian, Jayne was one of the younger members of the Nikkei Cultural Association in southern Alberta. Since she had some facility with technology, she had volunteered to…[...]

We the People

Nicole picked up a cherimoya and pretended to examine it while sneaking glances at the wizen shopkeeper. His stares were bold, so she turned a cold shoulder to him—a weak…[...]

The Day Ununit Blinded Her Sister

“Appa, not again” Atar groaned.He rolled over to face the wall and buried his head under his pillow.The triplets shushed him loudly. All three wore very serious expressions on their…[...]

Syrup Stains

**Trigger Warning: Mental Health, Physical Violence**_ As per usual, Dr.Marigold was eager to start our session, “Okay, whenever you’re ready. The last time we met, you mentioned you wanted to…[...]

Clowning Around

(The vice versa option)I cover my ears as I rush out the school doors at the end of the day. There’s kids talking on the phone. Other kids yelling. Playing…[...]

A Forbidden Fellow’s Abyss

Making sure the bed frame doesn’t squeak as I lift myself from the two-inch foam roll that they call a mattress is the most daunting task at 3:47 am, especially…[...]

Arabian Nights

Rising deliberately from her cross-legged seat, spine uncoiling lazily, the dancer held everyone’s attention. Fully erect, she paused. Then her body began a slow ripple from belly to toe, like…[...]

The crux of a matter

Natasha was running down Shaftesbury Avenue in Theatreland to her job interview at a civil service secret location. She would have loved to have her sister’s artistic talent but the…[...]

The Underground Library of The South New Order

The mission was simple: destroy. The savage men who stood, arm-in-arm, were locked, stone-faced and stoic, blocking the perimeter of the only standing hospital of the South New Order. Sweat…[...]

Ain’t No Fun When The Rabbit Got The Gun

CW: Contains themes of drug trafficking, violence and profanity.Ain’t No Fun When The Rabbit Got The Gun“Ay yo, Mo-Mo, maybe you should be careful what you wish for. Things is…[...]

It’s Called Karma, Baby!

Please enjoy a tale from the Hotel Baku, formally dubbed ‘The Ass and the Shrew’.You see, the co-managers here don't see eye-to-eye. Mr. Tall is 6’ 7” and Ms. Small…[...]

The Fantasy of Oblivion

At the bottom of the bottle she found no genie, no answers to her burning questions, and no cure to the gnawing ache that threatened to consume her…….no peace at…[...]

Unspoken Rules

Unspoken RulesBy: Justin MarloweJanuary 1, 1900; 2:22 a.m. Annabelle Louise Douglas was born at the Mt. Ararat Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega, Alabama, which was the newly formed hospital…[...]

My Unseen Miracle

As I neared the remaining five minutes, I sought shelter in the shadow of the central column. While her head swivelled above it, she looked around and down at the…[...]

A Ring for the Fugitive Princess

It was a night of velvet and desire. Faris sat with his palms twisting frantically in his lap. He had escaped the palace and wandered listlessly through the garden. The…[...]

“I’ll know it when I find it.”

My father never had a problem with patience, he made it look easy. The anticipation of finding something worth having seemed to keep him calm. He was so cool. I…[...]

Why Haven’t You Gotten Married?

I like my own company, you know, being indoors. It’s quiet, calm, and quaint. Did I mention that it was quiet? Everything I need, I have at home. For some…[...]

Unpredicatable, irresistable, you

“I quit.” Teresa strode through the open door of the luxurious corner office, attempting to rein in her anger. “And you can’t force me to take a business trip I've…[...]

Thank you Henry!

Any other night, Dad was at the table waiting for us, his four sons, when Mom called us in for supper. Tonight, Dad was on the phone so as we walked…[...]

JOYce.

I was doing the same thing I did every day; absentmindedly, driving home for lunch after my morning work routine was finished. I was fortunate to work just a few miles from my…[...]

TRUE ADVENTURES OF A TEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN JAMAICA, W.I.

TRUE ADVENTURES OF A TEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN JAMAICA, W.I. I was a skinny, but highly energetic and athletic child. At ten, I had just begun to wear glasses. I was proud…[...]

A Rainy Day in Istanbul

It was my first time finding myself in the proud and storied capital of the Ottoman Empire. The vibe differed from what I had imagined — maybe because of the…[...]

Tortle Mon

My column in the local magazine, Islands Chronicle, stirred controversy and by some was thought to be demeaning to those who had lost their lives in deep blue seas to…[...]

Words that Hurt, Words that Mend

Prompt: Your character overhears something that changes their path. Words that Hurt, Words that Mend You all know the adage ‘kids can be cruel.’ It became a silent mantra I would…[...]

LUST FOR DURIANS, THE KING OF FRUITS

LUST FOR DURIANS, THE KING OF FRUITS.-------------------------------------Keegan Kannan stood with folded arms at the entrance of the Trattoria Italian Restaurant, scrutinizing the flurry of activities on a Friday evening. There…[...]

A Cup Without Tea

A shooting star soared across the galaxy. A wish was made. Then I awoke. *** She was late coming home one October night. Fireworks from outside rattled the teacups on…[...]

Love Sure is Strange, Ain’t it?

Kickapoo, Kansas1882 Kickapoo was a booming town with a bright future, thanks to a silver strike. That future was dimmed four months ago when three outlaws rode into town. What…[...]

Josephine’s Bangles

To the hundreds of people who attended her irreverently festive funeral, “Aunt Josephine” was not just the life of every party she attended; she WAS the party! I knew this…[...]

Familiar Stranger

It was a cold October morning when I stumbled into Bill's Diner, just like every other day. I ordered my usual: black coffee with a side of eggs and bacon.…[...]

Parrots Pluck Their Feathers

This story deals with themes of self-harm, trauma, minor allusions to violence, and child abuse. Reader discretion is advised. Veronica for the past few weeks felt a newfound sense of…[...]

Figs

April 15, 1926 Dear Diary, I told a lie and someone died. There, I wrote it. Took me long enough. This secret has been living in my bowels for twenty- four days…[...]

Rhea and Charmout

They traveled up the steep embankment and as they did she thought to herself, half mumbling and half entranced from the exhaustion of the long journey.‘A road would be nice.…[...]

When the Iceman Calls

The knock on the apartment door was so loud that it sounded like rapid-fire gunshots. Simon woke up instantly, and then lay frozen still in his bed though his heart was…[...]

Bekhor, the first Son

Bruriah ran along the empty streets as she heard singing coming from most of the houses. She had fallen asleep behind a stack of hay because she was tired from…[...]

Thank you Henry!

Any other night, Dad was at the table waiting for us, his four sons, when Mom called us in for supper. Tonight, Dad was on the phone so as we walked…[...]

Soulsaving virginity

As if the night had come too early, the spring darkness of Kyiv was heavy and damp. Wet from the constant rain, the streets were still deserted, but alive with…[...]

Sub/Urban Bebop

“And our next guest is one I’m sure you’ve all heard of, though if anyone hasn’t heard of him, come talk to me after the show so you can give…[...]