Flash Stories

The Last Twenty

hamed Jan. 7, 2024, 12:43 p.m.

He had it all planned out. Work hard until 60, save enough for retirement, enjoy his golden years with his wife and grandchildren, and die peacefully at 75. That was the average life expectancy, after all.

But fate had other plans. His wife died of cancer at 62, leaving him alone and heartbroken. His children moved away to pursue their careers, rarely visiting or calling. His savings dwindled as inflation and medical bills ate away at his pension. He had no friends, no hobbies, no purpose.

He wished he could die, but his body refused to give up. He survived a stroke, a heart attack, and a car accident. He endured chronic pain, depression, and loneliness. He watched the world change around him, becoming more alien and hostile with each passing year.

He lived to 95, but he stopped living long ago. He spent his last twenty years in a …

Financial Independance Equals Being Wealthy?

dehongi Jan. 11, 2024, 5:24 p.m.

Sarah and David were two friends who grew up in the same neighborhood. Sarah was always ambitious and hardworking, and she eventually became a successful lawyer. David, on the other hand, was more laid-back and preferred to pursue his passions, which included playing music and writing.

Sarah was very proud of her career and her financial success. She had a big house, a fancy car, and all the latest gadgets. However, Sarah was often stressed and unhappy. She worked long hours and was constantly worried about money.

David, on the other hand, was much happier. He didn't have a lot of money, but he didn't need it. He was able to live comfortably on his music and writing income, and he had a lot of free time to pursue his passions.

Sarah and David often talked about their different lives. Sarah often envied David's freedom and happiness, while David often …

They Are Comming For Your Job?

hamed Jan. 12, 2024, 3:03 p.m.

Jack was a software developer who loved his job. He enjoyed solving problems, creating applications, and learning new technologies. He was proud of his skills and his portfolio.

But lately, he had been feeling anxious and insecure. He had heard about the new trends of generative AI, which could produce code, design, and content with just a few inputs. He had seen some of the examples online, and they looked impressive and realistic. He wondered if his job was in danger, if he would soon be replaced by a machine that could code faster and better than him.

He decided to try out one of the generative AI tools, just to see what it could do. He signed up for a free trial and entered a simple prompt: "Create a web app that allows users to upload and edit photos". He clicked the generate button and waited.

To his surprise, …

Life is Short

khayam Jan. 27, 2024, 8:42 a.m.

افسوس که نامه جوانی طی شد
و آن تازه بهار زندگانی دی شد

آن مرغ طرب که نام او بود شباب
افسوس ندانم که کی آمد کی شد

Alas, the letter of youth passed
And that fresh spring life became winter

That singing bird whose name was youth
Alas, I don't know when it came, when left

The Reunion

Mina looked at the mirror and sighed. She saw wrinkles, gray hair, and sagging skin. She felt old and tired. She wondered where the time had gone.

She remembered her high school days, when she was young and beautiful. When she had dreams and hopes. When she had friends and lovers. When she was happy and free.

She remembered the letter she had received a few days ago. It was an invitation to her high school reunion. She had not seen her classmates for 30 years. She wondered how they had changed. She wondered if …

Carved in Stone

hamed Oct. 18, 2024, 7:15 a.m.

Under the ancient walnut tree in their courtyard, Pari sat cross-legged on the woven rug, her fingers busy shelling pistachios. The autumn breeze tugged at her silk scarf, now faded like the memories she shared with her husband, Abbas. He sat across from her, silent as always, staring into the distance as if the mountains of their village held answers he couldn’t quite reach.

Fifty years of marriage lay between them like a jagged path—rocky, weathered, yet unbreakable. They had fought wars, not just with the world but with each other, sometimes over trivial things—a misplaced slipper, a forgotten errand. But there were darker days, too, ones that neither spoke of anymore. The loss of their son in the revolution. The hunger during years of drought. The betrayal of whispered promises when tempers flared. In those moments, hatred had crept in, sharp and cold.

But so had love, fierce and …

For these days are fleeting and will not return

khayam Jan. 20, 2024, 7:03 p.m.

با دوستان می‌نوش و گل بر سر بنه
کاین روزها رفتنی‌اند و بر نمی‌گردند
با خود بگو که چه کار داری با دی و فردا
کاین دم که داری بیا و بر لب ما بنه

Drink wine with friends and put a flower on your head
For these days are fleeting and will not return
Tell yourself what business do you have with yesterday and tomorrow
This moment that you have, come and put it on our lips

Story:

They met at a tavern, two strangers in a foreign land. They shared a table, a bottle of wine, and a conversation. They laughed at the absurdity of life, the futility of chasing the past or the future, and the beauty of the present moment.

They decided to leave the tavern together, and walk along the moonlit streets. They stopped at a garden, where they plucked some flowers and put them on their heads. They kissed under …

azriel is lost. again..

ziamaiko Jan. 12, 2024, 4:30 p.m.

i feel lost. everyone feels lost at times.
and now i do.
it's feels like.. i don't belong to nothing and nobody.
aky is not like me. he is the bearer of the word of freedom. he belongs to everything and everywhere.
sometimes i get too angry with him. he is very reckless. he always makes the stupidest decisions.
«i don't know if you have ever heard the word "future" or not.»
boundless happiness shines in his eyes. «yea.. zayn always say it.»
i sigh. «you should have goals. like i do. and try hard for them.»
«we can achieve it together.» he says, smiling innocently.
«i can do it myself.»
«but you'll reach your limits. i guess i did.»
«i have no limits.»
he frowns. and it's the first time i see aky like that. but still, he's so harmless. «at the end of the day, we have our friends! and they'll help me if i was tired.» he smiles again. …

He had traveled too far

hamed Jan. 30, 2024, 7:55 p.m.

The Time Traveler

He had always wanted to see the future. He had spent years working on his time machine, hoping to witness the wonders of human civilization in the next millennium. He had set the date to January 1, 3000, and pressed the button.

He expected to see flying cars, towering skyscrapers, and dazzling holograms. Instead, he saw nothing but dust and ruins. He stepped out of his time machine and looked around. He was in the middle of a deserted city, with no signs of life or technology. He felt a cold wind blowing through his hair and a chill in his bones.

He checked his time machine's display. It showed the correct date and location. He had arrived in New York City, but it was not the New York City he knew. It was a wasteland, a graveyard of humanity.

He wondered what had happened. Had there …

We Don't Know What is Happening Behind The Curtain

khayam Jan. 27, 2024, 8:16 a.m.

اسرار ازل را نه تو دانی و نه من
وین حرف معما نه تو خوانی و نه من

هست از پس پرده گفتگوی من و تو
چون پرده برون بر افتد نه تو مانی و نه من

Neither you nor I know the secrets of eternity
And, neither you nor I can read the words of the riddle

Behind the curtain is a conversation between you and me
Because if the curtain falls, remain neither you nor me

The News

Sara sat on the couch with her granny, watching the news on TV. She saw images of bombs, fires, and blood. She heard words like "conflict", "casualty", and "crisis". She felt a knot in her stomach and tears in her eyes.

"Why are they doing this, granny?" she asked. "Why are they hurting each other?"

Granny sighed and hugged Sara. "I don't know, my dear. I don't know."

"Can't we do something to stop …

Live The Moments

khayam Jan. 25, 2024, 8:57 a.m.

این یک دو سه روز نوبت عمر گذشت
چون آب به جویبار و چون باد به دشت

هرگز غم دو روز مرا یاد نگشت
روزی که نیامده ست و روزی که گذشت

This one or two or three days of Omar's turn passed
Like water in a stream and like wind in the plain

I never worry about two days in my mind
The day that has not come and the day that has passed

Story:

She was a young girl at the college, studying hard to achieve her dreams. She wanted to be a doctor, to help people and make a difference. She had a passion for learning and a curiosity for life.

But she also had a financial difficulty. She came from a poor family, who could barely afford to send her to college. She had to work part-time jobs, to pay for her tuition and expenses. She had to struggle every …