Romance Short Stories

Strangers to… Strangers?

NB: This story contains the use of strong language. What time is it?That phrase. That sentence. That line. How it changed so much. That was the question I asked him…[...]

The First Stitch

Eugénie never liked quiet. Not the kind that came after a funeral, or the kind that slipped into the room when everyone else went to bed. But this quiet—the kind…[...]

The Day the Chickens Voted

In the town of Gran Ravin, people took two things very seriously: Carnival costumes and politics. So when Election Day arrived and the ballots were printed with the names of…[...]

The Weight of Time

Each birthday is supposed to bring wisdom—another year of challenges and lessons shaping who you become. As I sit in my bedroom on my seventeenth, listening to Mom and Dad…[...]

The first time someone called Amara Louis-Jean resilient, it felt like a curse disguised as a blessing.Lieutenant Grover, after morning drills, stood ramrod straight, cap low over steely eyes, the…[...]

The Last Kite of Baobab Hill

In the village of Kalimba, nestled where the earth curved gently toward the horizon, the baobab trees stood as sentinels of time. Their gnarled branches stretched like arms holding up…[...]

Destination Thasus

Jeanie walked into the room slowly. Deliberately. Taking it all in. She ran her fingers across the door frame as she caught sight of the white chair and helmet directly…[...]

Page One Picture

Duncan Village, South Africa, 1977A woman sits in the shade of a thorn tree overlooking the destruction. Tears stream down her cheeks unheeded as she rocks back and forth, a…[...]

Gate 17

Airports are chaos wrapped in glass and steel, a symphony of hurried footsteps, rolling suitcases, and garbled intercom announcements. For most people, they’re a necessary evil—queues that snake endlessly, overpriced…[...]

A Dozen Duck Eggs, Please

By Jeannette CampbellWord Count 1471 “Moesha,” said Mom, “can you stop at the farmers’ market after school today? Here is the list and some money.” I glanced at the list…[...]

The Romcom Instead

2009Why do all the most traumatizing memories from adolescence start in a high school cafeteria? It’s like they’re designed to start drama. It was in one of these glorified seventh…[...]

The Guaranteed Ones

The day was the fifteenth of September 2025. The location bombed out London. Through the teeth of the American machine the Houthi Rebels made their advance. Gaining military might with…[...]

Late Night Drive

KAMERONThe hunger gnawed at me worse than the headache. I stared down at my phone, watching the words “Preparing your order…” on the UberEats app as the second green bar…[...]

The Good Intention

Musa always meant well. That was what his mother would say whenever he fumbled something up. “Musa has a good heart. He just doesn’t think things through.” And it was…[...]

The Thirteenth Floor

Mikal had always believed that fear was a choice—until the day it became a cage.As a boy growing up in Lusaka, Zambia, Mikal had been fearless in most ways. He…[...]

Adventures in unhealthy Scepticism

I stared around the small box of a cell from a lumpy mattress, which, despite the lack of evidence, my crawling skin refused to believe was not full of bed…[...]

TAR

Jerold came into by cube with some papers in his hand and very large eyes. Jerold has large eyes but now they somehow expanded to the extent that he scared…[...]

The Man On The Platform

It was the final train of the night.Zola Ndlovu stood on the dimly lit platform of the Johannesburg Park Station, her suitcase handle clutched tightly in her hand and her…[...]

Until It Happens Again

UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN “Naw, this ain’t gonna work,” I muttered. “You can’t let him disrespect you like that and get away with it.” Aimlessly, I paced from the bed…[...]

Salt in Her Wake

Amani exhaled, tucking her work badge into the glove compartment. The past three weeks had been a haze of emotion, dread, and sadness. She tried to bury it with work…[...]

Ashes of Mercy

The sky over Limpopo was a strange gray that morning. Not the quiet calm before a storm — no, it was the kind that clung to your clothes and whispered…[...]

The Freak

She spots the first police near the post office and takes off, slippers in hand, fearing for her life. That's what anyone in her shoes would have done. Yetunde is…[...]

Ida

’s gaze shifted back and forth between Lyle and Willy. Her face paled and her eyes widened. “What did you say Willy?” Her voice squeaked out as if she were…[...]

Tempest

It had to be that night with the seas building and my fears beginning to mount. I was sure this was going to be it. I was about to die.…[...]

The last words

"Oh Allah, if you grant me the chance to make it through with writing, because I know nothing else... I swear I’ll work hard. Really hard."Those were the first words…[...]

The last words

"Oh Allah, if you grant me the chance to make it through with writing, because I know nothing else... I swear I’ll work hard. Really hard."Those were the first words…[...]

The last words

"Oh Allah, if you grant me the chance to make it through with writing, because I know nothing else... I swear I’ll work hard. Really hard."Those were the first words…[...]

Paranoid woman

As a result of the night of the real killer somewhere else outside of the subject of this on the street from the whole neighhood had been taken to ensure…[...]

Played or Fated

"See y'all in a week," I waved goodbye to my boss, Ray, and the cook, Boomer. I exited the back door of Ray's diner and quickly made my way to…[...]

Option Two

It took a few seconds to realize I was utterly and completely lost. I turned left, moss-covered trees stretched into darkness, interrupted by soft moonlight and a few stars. To…[...]

Your Goddess Weeps

“How long do we have to wait here? This place smells like rat shit and mildew,” a small woman said.She was equipped with a mid-sized blade sheathed at her side…[...]

Me and JB Peterson

Me and JB PETERSONI envisioned a man named J.B. Peterson for myself on February 18, 2016. After several attempts at trying to find a man that could or would be…[...]

The Day I Remembered Myself

By Jenniqua Lopez There wasn’t a parade or a flash of light when I awakened. No crowd cheering me on, no sign from the sky. Just a quiet morning. I…[...]

Like Father, Like Daughter

I remember when I first saw you. It was only five years ago.You were just a girl. Just one of the many saints in the Embassy. I was with my…[...]

Theirs, Hers, No one’s fault—

I was still slumped against the slippery floor. Crying that the innocuous water that was starting to thinly coat the porcelain floor tiles is the thing that will kill me.…[...]

Eyes Wide Open

It’s Friday, and the macaroni’s crusted over like a scab. Joanie picks at hers with a plastic fork, chasing a cold bite around the tray, one shoe half-kicked off under…[...]

The Day I Was Born

Community On a November morning in 1998, a restaurant worker named Danisha Farrell stepped out of the alleyway door of Paula’s Café, dragging an overstuffed trash bag. She pushed up…[...]

365 Days Clean

CW: References to substance abuse “Hurry up!” Michelle hissed. “He’ll be here in less than 30 minutes.” The decorations were set. The ribbons were draped. An Oreo cake was gifted…[...]

The First Lady Who Found the Pulpit

David and Monica Whitaker had built the kind of life people pointed to and said, “Now that’s a good marriage.” Not glamorous, not the stuff of reality TV, but steady…[...]

The Circle We Keep

In Crawford, the streets emptied as night fell. Three figures traversed through town, moving between the shadows. Their dark skin blended with the moonlight as each carried the body bag…[...]

Error 404 Connection Lost

Nomi remembered the explosion.She remembered the moments before.The gears grinding.The alarms blaring.The ship counting down.10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1.Silence.Nomi awoke sometime later. Her eyes still burned from the smoke that filled the ship. Thick,…[...]

The Taxi Driver’s Symphony

The annual Douala Cultural Festival was supposed to be Marie Kamga’s moment. After years of studying music in Paris, she had returned to Cameroon to debut her chamber ensemble at…[...]

The Conference Room by Phoenix Lane

Naomi quietly moved into her usual spot in the small conference room, which was already bustling with the laughter and chatter of her coworkers. She put her notepad and pen…[...]

Who you Foah?

One thing that he could not stand is a homeless man who asks you for money. It really got on his nerves to see a grown man getting as low…[...]

The Void

The world is a blur of black, like someone smeared ink over my eyes. All I hear is the screeching of the train, metal grinding against metal, a sound that…[...]

The Foolishness of Men

The Cut The brightness of the Haitian day brought spray sparkles flying outward splattering the aquas of the waters. Peebo picked the conch shell up from the bilge still eyeing…[...]

Sock Baby

The Lawyer just sent me the bill, three hundred dates of a bad time. She charges 300 an hour because she’s not the greatest lawyer – and I probably should…[...]

Dead end

"Wait."I pause and slowly, carefully turn back to him."Stay a little more"His request is a plea addressed to me, in the garden that was our temple for a few minutes.…[...]

Luv Me For My Ambition

They tried, they tried so hard. I know life throws us melons, but at times we catch it like it’s apples. There’s a person at the moment who is looking…[...]

The 13th Colony

He hadn’t seen this corridor since the last time they let him free, and that had been months. The concrete hall that separated the free world from him and the…[...]

Awaited Rescue

CW: Physical violence, kidnapping 1.The boat moved out slowly despite the strong winds and high tides. It sailed away from the land, dwindling away with his only hope of being…[...]

Half a Heart

We were born two, but we only ever lived one life.We learned young how to pass the body back and forth — like trading a coat in a doorway. One…[...]

A Gift in the Blackwater

Dev had never felt such cold. The air seemed more frozen than the wintry landscape he looked out on. He had never experienced snow before, and yesterday’s knife-sharp winds and…[...]

The Faster I Go, The Farther Behind I Become

He chased success as if speed alone would bring him closer to it. He filled his days with tasks, his nights with deadlines, and his heart with pressure. Yet, with…[...]

Chosen

DELIA The Collective. This is where those who have nowhere else to go end up. Those who can no longer fit into society. Those whose minds have been destroyed by…[...]

Black and White

CW: Physical violence, racism, apartheid BLACK AND WHITE South Africa 1975It's dark. Not inky-black, you understand. Just city-dark; the darkness of stone-shattered streetlights.I can still see the road, stretching wet…[...]

Wherever You’re Going

“Next stop is Union Station.” Lauren loved taking the train. It was her preferred means of transportation, even in college. She enjoyed waking up early and boarding the train before…[...]

Those Who Refuse to Lay

The exception is the babies. Babies are snacks for lots of things – even birds of prey. Silty was an old bird waiting for a pension check from the San…[...]

Kweli

Contains references to a past assault involving a weapon (not graphic). The gun rises and his chest knows what comes. Hands on the track. Fingers spread, searching for something solid…[...]

Prism Walk

It was getting dark between the houses as we rushed through the borough for the last time this week. The shadows hiding in the concrete pavement came to life beneath…[...]

Tyrone the evader

Leonard squinted at the clouds and sniffed as a few light drops spattered his ruddy nose. Brooding — but he reckoned he still had a few good hours yet. Behind…[...]

Maybelle’s Cook Room

CW: Mature themes and mild sexual contentIt was hot in the cab with the plastic covering over the back seat here in the tropics. I guess I can’t really call…[...]

IS IT LOVE

He did not know he was hungry until the hunger had a name.For years, love had been a word Jonah used loosely, the way he used fine when people asked…[...]

Egusi soup and the hunger to begin again

The plate had sat empty for a while before Anna finally noticed it.It was on the small kitchen table, white ceramic with a thin crack near the rim, clean except…[...]

Alyse’s Special Recipe

The first thing Alyse did was turn on the lamp over the sink instead of the overhead light. It was early enough that the kitchen could still pretend it wasn’t…[...]

The Ronin Team Challenge

“What y’all, good?”Click.“What-at’s, go-od, chy-all?”Click.“Yo…” Mike could only utter one syllable before breaking into uncontrollable snorting.“Mike, you are never doing the intros again,” Ben sighed. “Take four,” Cameraman Dajuan yelled.…[...]

Love Potion Number 242

They call me Pepper, short for Pepperpot, because I's a black cat with a lil white patch on my chest, like the spoon mark you does see when someone take…[...]

🌙 A Witch’s Funeral

Six days after her mother’s murder, the elder women of the family argued over who would get the liver. White-haired and silver-eyed, they surrounded the rosewood dais where Shai and…[...]

A Day’s Outing

A Day’s Outing Golly, I can’t believe she’s still lying in bed. Not great judging by the open bottle of tranquillisers on her side table. How on earth is she…[...]

Little Stranger Danger

My syndrome may be down, but my alert is always up! That's what I told Big Mama to let me walk to work. I am always, and I mean always,…[...]

Perhaps in a Life Elsewhere

#Describes a character with oligodactyly/ polydactyly. Less or more than 5 digits (fingers in this case) While not a disability, might be sensitive for some. Kamsi stared at the book,…[...]

Apartment 328

I always joke around and say that my life is a movie, but at this point I need Spike Lee. It's 4:45 pm, I know that I need to ring…[...]

90s Fine

Word Count: 2718 “Your neighbors are here,” the host said.She leaned in so close to Lola’s shoulder that Lola caught the sharp, citrus bite of her cleaning spray.Lola glanced up…[...]

The Gig

LaLa DeVille2,518 words Imani didn’t miss the stage.What she missed was the half-second before it—the moment when your name hasn’t been said yet, and your body hasn’t decided whether it’s…[...]

Mother Wound

The Contract This is not what I signed up for - to spend my life translating someone’s suffering into love. They say before we are born, we choose our own…[...]

ALMOST LOVE IS NEVER ENOUGH

Almost Love The first warning sign was how quiet everything felt.Not peaceful, quiet in the way a house feels after someone has moved out but left their furniture behind. Abena…[...]

If Romeo Read The Bible

(Note: This story contains sensitive language and mentions self harm.) When you're locked up, the ways you can pass time become limited. Restricting access to positive entertainment and outlets to…[...]

A Taste of Home

I rarely ever called her. Not because I hated my mother, but because I couldn’t bear the pain that came with it. Seeing her face on Face-time, or hearing her…[...]

When The Avocado Tree Dies

Her hand trembled as she poured the boiling water into her mug. As she dropped a teabag into the mug, the rooibos teabag turned the water into a deep red-brown…[...]

Allergic to Coffee

I’ve worked in coffee shops and in several restaurants where everyone was enjoying a cup of Swiss Mountain blend, or Mocha Java, or any of the fifty million other named…[...]

Culpabilité

“”By Valerie Fowler Set in the 1990s when home phones hummed, goodbyes took their time, and calls lingered in dead air before letting go. Pastel dawn nudges night from the…[...]

Exploration

“You know, every time I come back into the room, you’re hitting that delete button. Are you getting any work done?” I ask, setting my mug of coffee on the…[...]

What We Never Said

The soft glow of morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Ayana’s childhood bedroom, casting long, golden streaks across the familiar floor. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open as…[...]

Love Without Losing Myself

Sometimes Love Isn’t Enough “Sometimes the hardest lesson is learning that love alone cannot save us.” The scent of jerk chicken mingled with laughter and the clamor of taxi-horns. For…[...]

Go To Her

Since I didn’t know what to expect at the Hotel Oloffson I dressed respectful of island custom in long pants at night and a better quality cotton shirt. By the…[...]

Tasha’s Story

Tasha’s Story As Tasha placed her phone down on the bed, she felt nothing but happiness. She had just spoken with her boyfriend, and he had some things to do…[...]

Benjamin Franklin and his runaway slave named King

I was told this story about Ben Franklin, you know the American guy with the string and kite. This was years ago when I travelled over East to the town…[...]

Moon Landing 2026: Sequins in Space

The Crew2026, and humanity has decided to revisit the moon. But this time, the mission is not just about science — it is about style, inclusivity, and proving that history…[...]

The Woman in the Mirror

As Ashley stood in front of the bedroom mirror, she began examining the woman who had quietly turned fifty-seven. The warm glow of the bedside lamp softened the faint lines…[...]

Here.

Text Message- 6:42 pmHereDelivered Text Message- 6:47 pmI parked on the streetDelivered Text Message- 6:47 pmI didn’t want to take your spotDelivered No response Missed Call- 6:49 Voicemail (0:27)“Hey… I,…[...]

Move

The air inside was warmer than it should’ve been, like the house had been holding its breath and finally let it out when I stepped in. My footsteps echoed louder…[...]

The Heart Posture for True Love

Vikie and Tonya have been best friends since they were 5 years old. Their parents always told them that when they got older, they would become wives and have a…[...]

Wishes

Krystal, 25 I treated myself to some M&M ice cream with caramel sauce for paying my credit card bill and my student loan bill on time. It was also my…[...]

Humanity: Is It Me or You?

CW: Emotional distress UmmHumanityIs It Me or You? Is it me or you?Remind me. Is there something wrong with me?I’m going to admit it now.I’m not gonna hide behind the…[...]

Pawnshop & Prejudice

“Was I born only to be unloved? As soon as they see my skin—” The boy’s thoughts were interrupted by the rope tightening around him, cutting into his arm. “Still…[...]

“The Girl Nobody Came Back For”

Envy Leeown learned how to measure time by abandonment. Not in minutes. Not in hours. But in how long it took for hope to start hurting. She was ten the…[...]

Words Made Things Stay

Today is April 31.I write it the same way every morning. Even though the days don’t move like they used to and no one is checking. Even though the numbers…[...]

DO YOU REMEMBER HIM? A POLICE NOTIFICATION AND MEMORIES COME BACK

On March 6, 2026, a notification from the state police arrived at the apartment in Centocelle, in a small and quiet street close to the main street of Via Castani.…[...]

Misunderstood

The bell rang, and Room 12 settled into its usual hum—pencils scratching, chairs shifting, quiet whispers floating like dust in sunlight. In the back corner sat Eli, small for his…[...]

Stress Test

God slid his glasses down the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh. The celestial conference room was white, almost sterile, with a large glass table in…[...]