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Latest Stories

March 19, 2024
Fantasy Stories Wondering Monk

Just My Imagination

The alarm clock went off and started playing an awful tune. Tom opened his eyes and closed them back, squinting. He reopened one eye and stood up to stop the torture. The phone was on the desk, in the furthest spot from the bed. Although he changed his way of…
March 19, 2024
Science Fiction Stories Ocelotlzin

Earth Is Dead

Recording… It doesn't matter who I was; I probably lived a long time ago, and I am now just a voice someone added to the audio-visual records. What is essential is the recollection of events that lead to the current state. So, a little history needs to be…
March 08, 2024
Flash Fiction Benoit

Some Enchanted Evening

It was a rugby tackle with tears: Chrissy burst in, sobbing and babbling, hugging James. Her face was all wet, eyes wild. What…? My parents split up, Dad has moved in with his boyfriend and I cannot join them. I am shut out. I have lost my dad. Torrent of…
March 08, 2024
Horror Stories Marvel Chukwudi Pephel

In The Hands Of My Legs

The car pulled up in front of the large salon. The neon sign, that sexy broad thing, on the salon'sroof read "Mr. Gil's All-night Salon". The exhaust pipe of the car was pumping solid smoke, theswirls moving from the car and towards the salon.…
March 07, 2024
Mystery Stories Vanessa Leigh Giles

Casualty of Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Chapter 1 Until Death do us Part ‘Ring, ring!’. I answered the telephone and asked, “Hello, good evening. Who’s this? “Hello.” This is Dr. Smith from Red Cross hospital. “Is this Mr. Locke, John?”, he asked, hesitantly scratching his bald head. “Yes, doctor.…
March 07, 2024
Crime Stories Robert Pook

Bar Room Trigger

Another return journey on footpaths so familiar. He strides across each crack in each paving stone. Regular loose drain covers sidestepped. Mapping long ago mapped in Richard’s desolate mind. His pace hastened by the sight of the oncoming storm. Quickening…
March 04, 2024
Horror Stories Ano Chinemerem

Sanctity

Where should I begin? I could begin by telling you about this comely boy, whom every notable person around the streets agrees his smile could charm the bills off one. Between one smile, there was his goodness, his dreams and humanity—a little far ahead?— but…
March 04, 2024
Flash Fiction Emanuel Diaz

Et Mortui Partium

As Rafael stepped out into the rain, it wasn't the ordinary drops that fell from the sky. Instead, it was a storm of souls, each one taking the form of shimmering jewelry as it cascaded toward the ground. Rubies, diamonds, and sapphires twinkled amidst the…
February 29, 2024
Poetry Jing Li Ava

London

‘Am I in London?’ "I am." Where is Elizabeth? Happy living story All of your chapter Bounlance joy Please my heart Power hand Wise mind Our baby Vow vow Love all love Miss I miss Endless wonder Bring us together Love all love Miss I miss For everything My…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Rob Pook

Life Sentence of The Smith

Born nine months after his country won the World Cup.A child prodigy.Cast off at age twenty-four.Husband, father, emigree, away on the other side of the world.The blue-collar life.The dreams of success.The search for fulfillment.The long years of empty…
February 29, 2024
Mystery Stories Joshua Lowther

The Operator

Jason looked over to his right, his eyes barely able to focus themselves on the subject of his attention. His neck ached terribly from the strenuous movement. He was tired. The captain’s gaze came to rest on the rookie sonar operator sitting tense at his…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Salvatore Difalco

The Chute

At dusk, we left our unit with a soft pink bundle. I carried it through the wet streets and into the black woods. I said I’d take it all the way, the bundle, but that we had to drop it in together. My wife’s green eyes flashed. “Don’t make me do that.” I…

Chris did not like underground trains. He would plan his day meticulously to avoid using them. His whole life was taken up planning his journeys using buses, trains, taxis, foot, or even a combination of all four.

He would be stood on an overcrowded bus, the sweat running down his back; the steamed windows making it impossible to see out. He would hear someone talking about travelling on the tube. He hated the word tube; his mind conjured up a giant Smartie tube underground that was sealed both ends that no one could get out of. He could feel the heavy beat from his heart in his chest. He would try and swallow his saliva as though it were a gobstopper.

The conversation continued between the two people about their journey home last night and being stuck on the tube for an hour with little air and no space. He could take it no longer; he got off the bus next stop and walked the remaining mile to his office. He sucked in the air like he was just about to submerge in water.

He had had a fear of the Underground ever since he had a panic attack on the tube one day twenty odd years ago and had since made it his mission to avoid the tube at all costs. However, he was now trying to conquer his fear since getting a job in London which meant he had to travel around the city to attend important meetings. His attempts at travelling on the tube only ever resulted in one or two stops then his panic would take over. An average attempt at the tube would present him with the usual challenges. Everything seemed bright; the carriage appeared to be getting smaller. He wanted to lie down on the floor. He tried to regain his composure. He got out his newspaper and began to read. His thoughts were racing: what about if the tube got stuck in the tunnel, what about if the tunnel collapsed and the carriage became a tomb that he would never be able to get out of. He would be left to die a miserable death choking for air. He could take it no longer he jumped out at the next stop and quickly made for the solace of street level.

One day He was on the same bus that he took every day to his office. He had managed to get a seat and he was flipping through the free newspaper. All of a sudden, a shrill of someone’s voice made his heart thump in his chest.

“We need to get the tube!”

He looked around; it was the same couple who were talking the other day. They both just stared at him. The bus suddenly went eerily quiet. The palms of his hands were clammy with sweat. His head felt like it was going to burst. He dropped his head and pretended he was reading the newspaper and closed his eyes. He had momentary peace. His breathing slowed down. He opened his eyes and turned the page of his newspaper. The headline read, LONDON BUSES TRANSFORM INTO TUBE TRAINS

He read the headline again and tried to absorb what he was reading. He tried to put rational meaning to what he had just read. He looked around, everyone was looking at him. He decided he had to get off the bus. He pressed the bell and waited for the next stop. The bus kept going; He pressed the bell again and made for the doors. He shouted to the driver to open the doors but there was no answer just an eerie silence. He tried to regain his composure and pressed the bell again, maybe the driver just didn’t hear him. He would get off at the next stop; it was only a matter of minutes. He couldn’t understand why everyone was looking at him. He started to feel paranoid, had he done something bad on a previous journey that he couldn’t remember, maybe he was drunk one night and made a fool of himself, it wouldn’t be the first time, yeh, that’s what it will be, he thought to himself. He smiled and started to relax. He could see the next bus stop approaching and he prepared himself to exit the bus.

The bus did not stop but carried on. He pressed the bell again and shouted to the driver. Something was happening to the bus, the floor was moving, the roof was reducing. This is stupid, I’m imagining it, he said to himself and instead immersed himself in his paper again. He turned the next page, BUSES TRANSFORM INTO TUBE TRAINS. He turned the next page, BUSES TRANSFORM INTO TUBE TRAINS. He threw up his head, the whole bus had now transformed into a tube train. Blind panic rushed over him like a giant wave leaving him gasping for air and rigid with fear. He could see a giant tunnel suddenly appear in the road only 100 yards in front of him. He rushed for the door to try to get out, but he couldn’t, he was trapped. He suddenly became aware of soothing music drifting down the carriage. People were smiling and laughing. They were all eating from tubes of Smarties. Someone turned to him.

“Here are mate, have one,” the voice said.

He obliged, popping the smartie into his mouth. He started to feel ethereal as though he was floating. This must be a dream, he thought to himself.

He closed his eyes and re-opened them again expecting to find himself at home in bed with Lou his long term partner. He was now inside the tunnel. The train was travelling very slowly. He looked outside the window, what was normally dense blackness was now light. There were beautiful mosaic tiles on the wall of the tunnel. He could read the old adverts, OXO MAKES BETTER GRAVY, MOTHERPRIDE THE LIGHTER BREAD.

He really felt in the moment like he had never felt before, gone was all the negative and destructive thoughts, his palms were dry and his breathing deep. He had a feeling of elation inside him. His thoughts went to Lou. There relationship had not been great of late. He was going to go to the first travel agent when he got out of there and buy a weekend break away somewhere. He was going to start living life to the full. He would get a bike again and tour the beautiful Surrey Hills near his home which he loved to do, but since the birth of their first child, he had neglected his real passion in life.

He looked around; everyone had their heads in newspapers or on their Smart Phones. How could they be oblivious to this moment, he thought to himself.

The tube train came to a halt. The doors opened and he stepped out onto the brightly lit platform.

He awoke. Lou was still asleep. It had been a dream, he muttered to himself. He lay there, his body and mind completely relaxed.

He reached Waterloo station at the same time he always did, 8.26am which would allow him enough time for the 20 min bus ride to his office. For some reason, this morning, he instinctively headed for the Underground. With no thought he disappeared down the escalator. He managed to squeeze himself onto the first train that came along. It was sweltering and very stuffy, the mass of people moving to the motion of the train like some giant creature stirring from its bed.

He felt relaxed, his thoughts towards the weekend away with Lou he had booked yesterday and the bike he saw on the internet he was going to buy. Without reason, he put his hand into his jacket pocket. He felt something small like a tablet. He pulled his hand out, in it was a Smartie, a red one. He popped it into his mouth and went back to his thoughts.

 

 

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