Flash Stories

The Water Wars

hamed Jan. 10, 2025, 5:55 p.m.

The sun hung heavy in the sky, a merciless eye watching the land below. The river, once a lifeline, was now a trickle—a shadow of its former self. What remained of its waters had become more precious than gold, and the divide between the two communities on either bank had deepened into something unspoken, but understood.

Kara stood at the edge of the river, her hands clenched at her sides. Across the water, a group of men from the neighboring village gathered, their faces hard with suspicion and distrust. She could see them eyeing her, and she knew they saw the same thing in her: a representative of an enemy, someone who would do anything to take what little they had left.

"Talk to them," whispered Jamal, the elder of her community. His voice was rough, like stones grinding together. "If we don't, they'll come for the river. We can't …

sweet gaze.

ziamaiko Feb. 3, 2024, 7:44 a.m.

چاقوی زرین‌نگارش را محکم در دست گرفت. انگار قرار بود لیز بخورد و نابود شود. خودش هم اطمینان کامل را به خودش نداشت. انگار در همین لحظه چیزها قرار بود نابود شوند.
دختر‌ک ضعیف رو به رویش روی زمین افتاده بود. دیگر تکان نمی‌خورد. نه اینکه نمی‌توانست تکان بخورد، دیگر نمی‌خواست که تکان بخورد!
«این.. خنجر پدرمه.»
«می‌دونم. اون قبلا کسی رو باهاش نکشته، اینطور نیست؟»
او اخم می‌کند. «پس با چیزهای دیگه مردم رو کشته.»
«هنوز در گوشه‌ای از ذهنم این باور وجود داره که اون مرد خوبی بوده.»
داد می‌زند. «هیچ‌کدوم از مردم خوبی اون رو نمی‌گن!»
هرگاه مردم می‌گفتند کسی خداست، حتما بود. و اگر می‌گفتند آن شخص لجن است، حتما بود. هرچه مردم می‌گفتند شخص همان بود. و انسان همان می‌شد. روال طبیعی همین بود!
دخترک به چشم‌های تاریکش نگاه کرد. «من وقتی بچه بودم تلاش می‌کردم با شیطان صحبت کنم تا شاید فرد خوبی بشه‌‌. من می‌تونم تورو هم آدم بهتری کنم.»
«شیطان با …

The Curse of Love and Immortality - Chapter 10: The Hidden Truth

dehongi Jan. 16, 2025, 12:19 p.m.

The princess sat still, her eyes fixed on her father. His voice had grown softer as the tales had unfolded, each one wrapping its tragic beauty around the heart of the story they were telling. But as the candlelight flickered and the evening deepened, a silence fell between them, a heaviness in the air that seemed to speak of something far more personal, far more profound.
The king leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant as though lost in the long corridors of his memories. The princess had been silent for some time, her heart heavy with the weight of the stories she had heard. But now, there was a question hanging in the air, one that had lingered in her thoughts through every chapter they had shared.
"Father," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "you’ve told me of so many Paris, of their sacrifices, of their love for …

The Diplomatic Dog

hamed Jan. 23, 2025, 6:45 p.m.

When a stray dog named Max trotted across the new Romania-Hungary border, no one—least of all Max himself—had any idea it would be the start of a diplomatic incident.

Max had never cared much for borders. He’d wandered freely between the small villages of both countries, chasing squirrels and sniffing out discarded sandwiches. But today was different. As he approached the newly established checkpoint, two guards were standing side by side, holding flags that looked suspiciously ceremonial for the sleepy morning. One waved the Romanian flag, the other the Hungarian one.

Max, ever the opportunist, saw the flags flapping in the wind and decided they looked like a perfect invitation for an impromptu game of fetch. He bolted forward, snatching the Romanian flag out of the guard’s hand with a swift, agile swipe.

"Hey!" yelled the Romanian guard, stumbling backward.

But before the Hungarian guard could react, Max zoomed to …

The Unexpected Mediator

hamed Jan. 27, 2025, 6:11 p.m.

The feud was everywhere. Headlines screamed Hollywood's Biggest Fight Yet: Ava DuMont and Chris Stellan, co-stars of the blockbuster franchise Eclipse, had turned their onscreen chemistry into offscreen chaos. Accusations flew like daggers in viral interviews and cryptic social media posts.

But no one expected Zoey Harrington to get involved.

Zoey wasn’t even in Eclipse. She was a pop star, not an actress, known more for her glittering gowns and catchy anthems than for her opinions on Hollywood spats. That all changed one afternoon when, mid-podcast, Zoey veered off topic.

“I mean, I don’t know Ava or Chris personally,” she began, her voice casual, “but maybe if they spent less time sniping at each other and more time figuring out what they actually want, we wouldn’t have to watch this mess unfold.”

The comment hit the internet like a wildfire. Within hours, #ZoeySaidIt was trending, a mix of fans applauding …

A Curtain Divides the World - Chapter 9: "The Curtain Falls"

dehongi Jan. 17, 2025, 6:45 p.m.

The night was unusually quiet. Arash had spent hours replaying every awkward conversation he’d ever had with a girl in his head, his attempts at making small talk during the field trip looping on an endless loop. Finally, as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he realized something: this wasn’t just about him.
It wasn’t just about the boys in his school or even the occasional encounter with a girl at a family gathering. It was about everything—his family’s expectations, the way society had shaped his views without ever allowing him to question them. It was about the vast chasm of misunderstanding between the genders, one that wasn’t as insurmountable as he had been led to believe.
And he was tired of it.

The Great Confrontation
The next evening, over dinner, Arash decided it was time. His mother served him a plate of khoresh, her hands moving deftly between the kitchen …

Beyond the Horizon

hamed Jan. 15, 2025, 6:26 p.m.

Commander Elena Vasquez stood at the edge of the launch pad, the roar of the engines in the distance vibrating through her chest. The Crew Dragon capsule, sleek and white against the bright blue sky, sat poised like an arrow ready to pierce the heavens. It was almost time.

Her gloves felt tight, the material too smooth, too unfamiliar. She flexed her fingers inside the suit, willing her hands to stop shaking. The mission was historic—SpaceX’s first crewed launch to the International Space Station. But for Elena, it wasn’t the technology that filled her with awe. It was the people who had made it possible, the years of preparation, the endless nights of training. And most of all, it was the dream—her dream—that had started when she was just a little girl, watching the moon landing with her father, the stars above whispering her name.

"Commander Vasquez, are you ready?" …

The Forgotten Gate

hamed Jan. 19, 2025, 5:41 p.m.

Dr. Parisa Shirazi stood in the biting wind, staring at the jagged ruin jutting out of the barren mountainside. The gray stones, weathered by centuries, bore intricate carvings—a language she didn’t recognize, yet somehow felt she had always known.

“It’s just a wall,” her assistant Navid muttered, kicking at a loose rock. “An old fort, maybe.”

Parisa shook her head, brushing dirt off one of the carvings with trembling hands. The swirling patterns were unmistakable. “This isn’t just a wall,” she whispered. “It’s the wall.”

Navid frowned. “You can’t mean—”

“Yes. Alexander’s Wall.” Her voice was reverent. “The barrier that held back Gog and Magog.”

The legend had been a fascination of hers since childhood: a gate forged by the Great Alexander to imprison ancient forces of chaos. It was dismissed as myth by scholars, but the unearthed carvings told a different story.

Parisa traced a line of script with …

In the Shadow of the Dome

hamed Jan. 15, 2025, 4:53 p.m.

The cold wind cut through Sarah’s coat as she stood outside the Capitol, her breath visible in the icy air. She had come to Washington to see history in the making—an inauguration that felt, for reasons she couldn’t fully explain, like the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. But the moment she arrived, something felt wrong. The crowds, once buzzing with the usual anticipation of politics, had a different energy now, tense and restless. The air was thick with something she couldn’t quite name.

She’d made her way to the steps of the Capitol, hoping to catch a glimpse of the event, maybe even take a photo to send home. She wasn’t a political person, but today, there was something about being here, in the heart of the country’s democracy, that made her feel connected.

And then, it happened.

A loud crash echoed from the direction of …

Seven Trials

hamed Jan. 19, 2025, 5:46 p.m.

The crowd roared as Arya stepped into the arena, her pulse pounding with the beat of a distant drum. The banners of the competition fluttered in the desert wind, each one emblazoned with the image of Rostam astride Rakhsh. This was no ordinary competition—it was The Trials, an event so steeped in mysticism and legend that no one knew where the challenges truly came from.

Arya adjusted her gloves and scanned the open plain. The announcer’s voice echoed from unseen speakers.

“Seven challenges. Seven tests. Only the brave survive.”

The first trial was announced: Lion's Fury.

A massive gate creaked open, and a roaring lion emerged, its mane wild as fire. Arya froze, her heart thundering. It looked too real to be theater. But the stories of Rostam flooded her mind—how he had slain a lion barehanded. Gritting her teeth, she snatched a spear from the sand and faced the …