Read stories written by talented authors from around the globe.

Maryam was working at an office. Her boss assigned her a simple task. She was supposed to contact the main customers of her company and ask them to open LCs (letters of credit) for financial transactions. Such a thing was important for the company and mutually beneficial for all the business partners. But after three months, no progress had been made. Time was running out. The LCs needed to be opened before the new year's...

“Step right up! Step right up! Toss a copper in my cup! Clap with adoring affection, For the maiden of recollection!” Pushing aside the velvet curtain Greeted by gazes, bewildered and uncertain Scattered applause simmers down As I take center stage in my crimson gown A purposely prolonged pause to build up tension Gartering this amiable audience’s attention My arms weave and flourish in the air Suddenly, they swiftly stif...

We built a life upon this earth Filled with love and ceaseless mirth Each day brought never-ending laughter Sweet thoughts of happily ever after. We worked so hard and made our plan To travel far across this land But as the time did gather near Those dreams began to disappear Oh, so subtle at the start Were little things that hurt my heart My words unheard, perhaps ignored No matter how much I implored. We had forever, or...

That night you breathed; by day you’d gone; And afterwards, a veil was drawn That hid the things you said I’d see: your solemn promise made to me that guaranteed you’d still be there. And in your place a lifeless void: clawed corners of a Polaroid The pen you used. Your chair. Yet later, from those deadened days a soul arose, in shapeless ways I can’t describe, just a knowing more than life recalled. A growing solace from...

When I see her, my pulse begins to race, Her allure so potent, I'm lost in her grace. Curves so inviting, a tantalizing sight, In her presence, my senses ignite. Her lips, a temptation, ripe as wine, Her gaze, a promise of pleasures divine. A rush of desire courses through my veins, Near her, I struggle to maintain my reins. Her scent, an intoxicating perfume in the air, Awakening longings beyond compare. A goddess in for...

Wandering through meadows in brightest sunlight, Wading through flowers with colours so bright, While butterflies flutter with shimmering wings. This beauty around me is but a skin, Over reality lying within, That eyes cannot see, but are beautiful too. The way that atoms arrange to allow, Light to give colours to what we see now, And life to the beings that dance all around. The blue of the sky above me does hide, Wonder...

An iron fist grips my chest I release an anguished cry And terror engulfs my core. Broken, I gasp my final breath The shackles fall away And darkness embraces me. Adrift in the eternal abyss I am lost between shadow and flame Until I see a shimmer A shimmer in the void Translucent, radiant, the Veil opens Enticing me with iridescent fingers I am struck by wonder Wonder in my being As I see you, my love Waiting on the othe...

Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Look, dervishes magnetically swirl in bridal pale, Rise, my friend; dance, dance till the embers expire. No future-fretting; it's shrouded, that ending you admire. Let fingers trace life’s pattern, morsels even lurk in braille, Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Take it from me; its new found tastes that inspire. Imbibe the draughts and dregs in existence’...

True story: an entire double rainbow has graced our sky for the last two nights in a row. What a potent feeling, to walk out into the street, light rain peppering my hair (or what hair remains, anyway), tickling my scalp I have my phone in hand, ready to take a picture, maybe post it somewhere, Facetok, Instabook, Tikgram. And then I see what I am doing, and pause I don’t need a phone to look at the sky All I need are eye...

I Beyond the veil: the Good, the Evil, Visions of mysteries seen by the chosen few. At our given time, one by one, Souls will be carried by Angels to Love or Snatched by demons, cast into the pit. II Beyond the veil, time ceases to exist; Eternally rest in love and glory, or Forever suffer agonizing flames of fire? The choice is ours; free will, a most precious gift, To accept and love or betray and loathe, Memento mori:...

We built a life upon this earth Filled with love and ceaseless mirth Each day brought never-ending laughter Sweet thoughts of happily ever after. We worked so hard and made our plan To travel far across this land But as the time did gather near Those dreams began to disappear Oh, so subtle at the start Were little things that hurt my heart My words unheard, perhaps ignored No matter how much I implored. We had forever, or...

That night you breathed; by day you’d gone; And afterwards, a veil was drawn That hid the things you said I’d see: your solemn promise made to me that guaranteed you’d still be there. And in your place a lifeless void: clawed corners of a Polaroid The pen you used. Your chair. Yet later, from those deadened days a soul arose, in shapeless ways I can’t describe, just a knowing more than life recalled. A growing solace from...

Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Look, dervishes magnetically swirl in bridal pale, Rise, my friend; dance, dance till the embers expire. No future-fretting; it's shrouded, that ending you admire. Let fingers trace life’s pattern, morsels even lurk in braille, Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Take it from me; its new found tastes that inspire. Imbibe the draughts and dregs in existence’...

Wandering through meadows in brightest sunlight, Wading through flowers with colours so bright, While butterflies flutter with shimmering wings. This beauty around me is but a skin, Over reality lying within, That eyes cannot see, but are beautiful too. The way that atoms arrange to allow, Light to give colours to what we see now, And life to the beings that dance all around. The blue of the sky above me does hide, Wonder...

Eight hearts began their journey Eight hearts started to beat Eight hearts that you have carried Eight hearts made us complete Eight hearts that we keep sheltered Eight hearts to shield from strife Eight hearts that we're preparing Eight hearts to take on life Eight hearts we show what love is Eight hearts we 'll always see Eight hearts that we will follow wherever they may be Each heart will find its own path Each heart...

"You got what for my mother?"Nick nodded. He turned to his window.I pulled softly at a clump of his brown hair. "Why?"He turned back and sighed with a small grin. "It's completely unexpected, so I thought, 'Hey, why not?'""You are strange," I said with the utmost seriousness.He made a weird face and turned back to the window.I poked his back. When he did not flinch, I poked him harder."D'you want to know what I got for yo...

It has been another long and miserable day ferrying scrap metal and hazardous materials across the state and I am tired. I don't complain much, as it still it beats driving over the road because I am home every night. I activate the remote for the garage and slow the Harley down so I don't have to come to a dead stop to wait for the door to open. The absence of my wife's car reminds me that she is attending an out of stat...

The sun’s heat was particularly humid in the open plan office, as though the windows were large magnifying glasses, the workers under inspection, the heat rebounding from their computer monitors to bombard them as though they were in an oven. Benjamin Lowell looked up as a shadow fell over him. Trevor Ingram was standing there, holding out a bacon and egg sandwich and a Styrofoam cup of coffee. "You’re a workaholic, you k...