Flash Stories

The Sound of the Land

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 8:41 p.m.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the red earth of the outback. A group of teenagers sat in a loose circle, their faces a mix of curiosity and skepticism. They had been brought here by their school, a last-ditch effort to connect them with their Aboriginal heritage. For most, it felt like a forced field trip, something to endure rather than embrace.

At the center of the circle sat Aunty Marli, an elder with silver hair tied back in a braid and eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of the land itself. She smiled warmly, her hands resting on her knees. “Today,” she began, her voice steady and calm, “I want to teach you about dadirri—deep listening.”

One of the boys, Jayden, rolled his eyes. “Listening to what? There’s nothing out here but dirt and trees.”

Aunty Marli’s smile didn’t waver. “Dadirri isn’t …

Author Book Signing Catastrophe

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:23 p.m.

The line stretched out the door and around the corner, a solid stream of excited readers eagerly clutching their copies of The Enchanted Forest—the highly anticipated fantasy novel by debut author Clara Winters. The bookstore was packed to the brim, the air buzzing with anticipation. Clara sat behind a table stacked with signed copies, her nervous fingers tapping the pen in front of her.

Her first book signing. Her first real book signing.

“I can do this,” she whispered to herself, forcing a smile. “It’s just a few hours. Just... a few hours.”

Her publicist, Doug, stood beside her, wearing an outfit that screamed “I’m professional, but not too professional.” His constant pacing around the table didn’t help Clara’s nerves. She needed the comfort of routine—sitting in her quiet office with a cup of tea, writing in peace. But here she was. A packed room. Hundreds of people. Her book. …

Keanu Reeves Insult Incident

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:26 p.m.

It all started at the Downtown Coffeehouse, a hip, overpriced place that served overpriced drinks in even more overpriced mugs. It was a typical Wednesday morning, and the place was bustling with people—laptops open, air thick with the smell of artisan beans, and the faint hum of indie music. No one expected the world to be changed that day, least of all Frank.

Frank was the guy in the corner booth, the one who always ordered the same thing: a triple-shot iced espresso, extra foam, no whip. He was also the guy who didn't quite get the vibe of the place. He wore a suit, which was fine except he didn’t work in finance, and his hair was always a little too neat for the “I’m a creative professional” look. He didn’t care, though. He just needed his coffee and his quiet time.

That morning, something unusual happened. Frank was …

City Office Reopening Mayhem

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:20 p.m.

The city office had been closed for months, and on the first day back, Marcy, the office manager, could already feel the tension building. The smell of stale coffee and forgotten paperwork lingered in the air as she walked in, greeting the lone janitor who was still attempting to mop around the rows of cubicles, clearly unsure if this was part of his duties.

"It's happening," Marcy muttered under her breath as she adjusted her glasses and glanced at the calendar on the wall, the one that still read March 2020. No one had bothered to update it during the lockdown. “The reopening. The revolution of bureaucracy.”

The first sign of impending chaos came when Roger, the IT guy, walked in with a box labeled "New Computers" and a look of terror in his eyes.

“I have no idea how these work. The cables are all tangled, and someone left …

Undocumented Student Superhero

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:18 p.m.

Miguel had always been good at blending in. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to. Living in Spokane as an undocumented student, he had perfected the art of invisibility. But everything changed the day Spokane Public Schools made an announcement: “In light of recent developments, we will be enforcing stricter documentation checks. Students must provide proof of residency and citizenship status.”

The news hit Miguel like a ton of textbooks. He imagined the halls of his school transforming into a labyrinth of paperwork and security checks, like some dystopian version of high school. There was no way he was going to let that happen.

That’s when Miguel’s alter ego emerged: El Protector.

“Wait, you’re not really going to—” his best friend Sam started, but Miguel had already donned his first layer of disguise: a neon-green hoodie that he found in the lost and found. He threw a …

The Last Note

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 8:30 p.m.

When the news broke, Reza felt the air shift in the small Italian café where he worked as a dishwasher. Trump had won again. The chatter of locals turned uneasy, blending with the clatter of espresso cups and muttered curses in a language Reza still struggled to understand.

He didn’t care about politics—not really. His life had been simple once, back in Iran. But sanctions and whispers of war had turned simple into impossible, and Reza, like so many, left to chase a dream that felt like smoke in his hands.

That night, walking home in the drizzle, he felt the stares burn hotter than usual. “Foreigner,” a man hissed, shoving past him on the cobblestone street.

Reza’s heart sank. He knew what came next. He’d seen it the first time Trump rose to power—a surge of hate that bled across borders like spilled ink. Back then, he had hope. …

Morning Announcement Gone Wild

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:21 p.m.

Scene: A typical morning news set. The bright, cheery music fades as the camera zooms in on two co-hosts, Alice and Tim, sitting behind a sleek desk. The studio is decorated with standard morning news decor: plants, mugs, and a large, flat-screen monitor showing the words “Good Morning, America!”

Alice (smiling, holding a coffee cup):
Good morning, everyone! It’s a beautiful Wednesday, and we have a very special segment lined up for you today. But first, let’s get to the headlines. Tim, what’s happening?

Tim (glancing at the teleprompter, looking puzzled):
Well, Alice, in a shocking twist, it seems that former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance have decided to take their morning political show... to the dance floor.

The screen behind them flickers and transitions to a clip of Trump and JD Vance on a stage, music blaring. The two are inexplicably dressed in matching neon tracksuits and doing a …

The Wolf’s Song

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 8:38 p.m.

The forest was alive with the whispers of winter. Snow clung to the branches of the pines, and the air was sharp with the scent of frost. Sixteen-year-old Koda moved silently through the trees, his boots crunching softly against the snow. In his hands, he held a tracking device, its screen flickering with faint signals. He was searching for wolves—specifically, the small pack that had recently been spotted near his tribe’s lands.

Koda had joined the conservation project reluctantly. His uncle, a wildlife biologist, had convinced him it would be a good way to connect with their heritage. But Koda had always felt out of place in his community. He didn’t speak the language as fluently as the elders, and his knowledge of traditions felt shallow compared to his peers. Tracking wolves seemed like just another thing he wasn’t cut out for.

As he followed the signal deeper into the …

Dangerously Cold Wind Chill Challenge

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 9:16 p.m.

Lenny had never been one to shy away from a challenge. So when he saw the weather forecast that morning—“Wind chill advisory: Dangerous conditions. Stay indoors if possible.”—he saw nothing but opportunity. He pulled out his phone and posted a quick video to his friends:

"Alright, folks, it’s -30°F outside, and I’m going to survive it with nothing but my wits and a little bit of creativity. This is the Dangerously Cold Wind Chill Challenge!"

The first step was obvious: bundle up. But Lenny, being Lenny, decided that regular winter gear was for amateurs. He donned four pairs of socks—three on one foot, because why not? He wrapped his body in every single blanket in his apartment, looking like a very frazzled, very overstuffed burrito. But that wasn’t nearly enough.

He grabbed a space heater and placed it next to him, cranking it up to its highest setting. The room …

From Shadows to Shine

hamed Jan. 22, 2025, 8:34 p.m.

In the cramped, dimly lit apartment she shared with her younger brother, Mia scrolled through her phone, the glow illuminating her tired face. The walls were thin, and the sound of rain tapping against the window mixed with the hum of the neighbor’s TV. Her brother, Sam, slept on the couch, his schoolbag slumped on the floor beside him. At 22, Mia had become his guardian after their parents passed away, and life had been a relentless cycle of odd jobs and unpaid bills.

One night, while scrolling through Instagram, Mia stumbled upon a post from a girl in another city. She was raving about a cute, affordable handbag she’d bought from a seller who sourced products directly from China. The comments were flooded with questions: “Where did you get this?” “How much was it?” “Do they ship fast?” Mia’s eyes widened as she realized the potential. She had always …