Romance

Firebug: Ch. 22 - Where There's Smoke...
It was like Theo had wandered into a horribly surreal dream, watching the smoke curl off his textbook. His hands weren't even tingling that much, or so he thought. When the first tiny flame leapt off the pages, reality hit him harder than Jasper's knuckles.
By Natalie Gray13 days ago in Chapters
War in Iran: A Dangerous Turning Point
War in Iran: A Dangerous Turning Point The conflict in Iran has entered one of its most dangerous phases today. What began as targeted military strikes has now transformed into a broader regional crisis, raising fears of prolonged war, economic instability, and global security threats. Governments around the world are watching closely as tensions escalate, missiles continue to fly, and diplomatic efforts struggle to keep pace with fast-moving events.
By Wings of Time 14 days ago in Chapters
Karoline Leavitt
Karoline Leavitt: The White House Voice Behind Power, Passion, and Pressure Washington D.C. was never a place for the faint-hearted. Power moved quietly through its marble halls, and every word spoken behind the podium could shift global politics. But when Karoline Leavitt stepped into the role of U.S. Press Secretary, she brought something unexpected — youth, confidence, and a quiet fire that nobody saw coming.
By Wings of Time 14 days ago in Chapters
Return of the Teaser, Chapter Three
When Flashsatsumas woke he was back at the chalet, undressed and hanging groggily in his harness. The light from the window suggested several hours had passed since lunch.
By Doc Sherwood15 days ago in Chapters
Return of the Teaser, Chapter Two
No sooner had Mini-Flash Juniper departed than her doppelganger struck up a series of self-pitying complaints that she was hungry. Since an acre of oilseed in Flashsatsumas’s underwear wouldn’t have made him any less cautious about the company he was required to keep, his first thought was to veto any kind of excursion to the food-court. On the other hand however, he and the real Mini-Flash Juniper might just as easily have taken such a trip, and maintaining the illusion of normality was the task she’d charged him with. In addition, for all Flashsatsumas knew the counter-Juniper might have been the kind of entity which needed material sustenance, and that would mean her pleas for the same were actuated by necessity rather than sneakiness.
By Doc Sherwood15 days ago in Chapters
Return of the Teaser, Chapter One
“You’ll never believe it, Flashsatsumas,” was Mini-Flash Juniper’s morning salutation as she strode into the former’s room.
By Doc Sherwood15 days ago in Chapters
3:10 to Ingoldmells, Chapter Three
Flashsatsumas had at least had the foresight to bring an emergency medical kit. Having groped his way deliriously to it along the forecourt he’d now thrown open the small satchel and was treating himself, in both senses of the word. So Maureen sat and watched bemused, as far above her head a plastic automaton contorted hugely in some sort of bid to acclimatise itself to existence, while her friend in his tangerine rubber sundress shovelled down slices of death-by-chocolate one after another.
By Doc Sherwood17 days ago in Chapters
3:10 to Ingoldmells, Chapter Two
On leaving the joke shop Pat led Juniper a short way to a district which he said was perfect for what they had in mind, though she was out of her depth as to why. There was a building whose double-door was made of elaborately carved wood and covered just the middle part of the doorway, through which only adult spectres seemed permitted to pass. This they were doing in extremely jolly fashion, whilst outside was a contrivance more outlandish still to Mini-Flash Juniper. Roofed by an awning it was wide rather than high, and populated by lurching mannequins which bawled a steady incoherent spiel. Child-phantoms were popping ineffectually away at these with guns far larger and cruder still than the one Juniper had purchased, and to all appearances enjoying the experience heartily.
By Doc Sherwood17 days ago in Chapters
3:10 to Ingoldmells, Chapter One
When Mini-Flash Juniper announced that morning she’d decided to spend the day with Pat, it was the first of what turned out to be quite a long line of glitches in Flashsatsumas’s plan.
By Doc Sherwood17 days ago in Chapters
The Strength I Didn’t Know I Had
The Strength I Didn’t Know I Had ‎BY: Ubaid I used to think strength was loud. It was the kind of thing you saw in movies—people standing tall, never breaking, never crying. Strength meant having all the answers, never doubting yourself, never feeling afraid. At least, that’s what I believed… until life proved me wrong. Because the strongest version of me? I didn’t even know it existed. It started on an ordinary morning that didn’t feel ordinary at all. My alarm rang like it always did, but I didn’t move. My body felt heavy, like something invisible was holding me down. The room was quiet, but inside my mind, everything was loud—doubts, fears, regrets. “You’re not good enough.” “You’re going to fail.” “You can’t handle this.” Those thoughts had been living inside me for a long time. I had just gotten used to ignoring them. But that day… I couldn’t. I sat up slowly, staring at the floor. My reflection in the mirror didn’t look like me anymore. It looked like someone tired. Someone lost. And for the first time, I admitted something to myself. “I’m not okay.” That sentence felt heavier than anything I had ever said before. Because saying it meant I couldn’t pretend anymore. For weeks, I had been trying to hold everything together—smiling in front of others, acting like everything was fine, convincing myself that I could handle it all alone. But the truth was, I was breaking… quietly, invisibly. That day, something inside me shifted. Not dramatically. Not like a sudden burst of confidence or courage. It was smaller than that. Softer. But it was real. Instead of forcing myself to “be strong” the way I thought I should, I did something different. I allowed myself to feel. I cried. Not the kind of tears you quickly wipe away so no one notices—but the kind that come from deep inside, the kind that carry everything you’ve been holding in for too long. And strangely… it didn’t make me weaker. It made me feel lighter. That was the first time I realized something important: Strength isn’t about pretending you’re okay. It’s about being honest when you’re not. The days that followed weren’t easy. Nothing magically got better overnight. I still had bad days—days when getting out of bed felt like a victory, days when my mind tried to pull me back into that dark place. But now, something was different. I stopped fighting myself. Instead of ignoring my fears, I faced them. Instead of running from my problems, I took small steps toward solving them. And instead of expecting myself to be perfect, I gave myself permission to be human. One day at a time. That became my rule. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Just today. Some days, “strength” meant finishing all my work. Other days, it simply meant getting out of bed. And I started to understand… both counted. There was a moment—I remember it clearly—when everything truly changed. I was walking alone, the sun setting in the distance, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and pink. For the first time in a long time, my mind was quiet. Not completely free of thoughts, but peaceful enough. And I realized something. I had survived. Everything I thought would break me… didn’t. The sleepless nights, the overwhelming pressure, the constant self-doubt—I had carried all of it. And somehow, I was still standing. Maybe not perfectly. Maybe not confidently. But I was standing. And that’s when it hit me. The strength I had been searching for… was never something I needed to find. It was something I had been building all along. In every tear I allowed myself to cry. In every moment I chose to keep going. In every day I didn’t give up—even when I wanted to. That was strength. Not loud. Not obvious. But unbreakable. I used to think strength meant never falling. Now I know… it means getting back up, even when you’re not sure you can. And the most surprising part? You don’t always feel strong while you’re being strong. Sometimes, you feel scared. Sometimes, you feel lost. Sometimes, you feel like you’re barely holding on. But even then… you are stronger than you think. I am stronger than I thought. And maybe, just maybe… you are too.
By Ubaid 21 days ago in Chapters
From Rock Bottom to Rising Again
From Rock Bottom to Rising Again BY: Khan There was a time when I believed I had everything under control. From the outside, my life looked steady—almost perfect. I had a job that paid just enough, a small circle of friends, and dreams that felt within reach. But beneath that carefully maintained surface, cracks had already begun to form. I ignored them, thinking they were temporary, something I could fix later.
By Khan 21 days ago in Chapters
The fifth year
About this story and my inspiration This story unfolds in a stark, dystopian future reminiscent of George Orwell's chilling narratives. It centres around a poignant romance, a genre that isn’t my usual forte, yet I’m determined to dive into it headfirst. The plot revolves around two lovers who find themselves amidst a battle for their fundamental human rights in a world stripped of freedoms and individuality.
By Aoife’s stories 21 days ago in Chapters