Flash Stories

The Last Email

hamed Jan. 8, 2025, 10:57 a.m.

It started with an email. Arman had worked late every night that month, chasing a promotion he’d been promised. But when the announcement came, the job went to Omid, his smooth-talking coworker. Arman was crushed—and then the truth came out. A stray email, accidentally forwarded, revealed it all: Omid had spread lies about Arman to their manager, calling him unreliable, even hinting at a drinking problem.

Arman didn’t confront him. What was the point? Omid was untouchable, always grinning as if life were a game he’d already won. Instead, Arman saved the email in a folder labeled Later. He didn’t know what he’d do with it, but the thought of someday using it gave him a quiet satisfaction.

Months passed. Omid soared up the corporate ladder, while Arman stayed stuck in his cubicle, resentment festering. Then came the scandal.

It turned out Omid had been embezzling funds—cleverly at first, but …

The Return of the Exiled Prince

hamed Dec. 21, 2024, 6:39 a.m.

The moon hung low over the desert, its pale light illuminating the rugged silhouette of a lone rider. His cloak, tattered and worn, bore faint traces of royal embroidery—symbols of a past long buried. Forty years had passed since the prince, Ardeshir, had been cast out by his uncle, Mehrdad, who seized the throne in a storm of treachery and blood.

Ardeshir had been seventeen then, a boy with fire in his eyes and rebellion in his veins. But against Mehrdad’s army of shadowy divs, summoned through dark pacts, he was no match. Exiled to the desolate lands of the east, the young prince had been left to wander the mountains, carrying nothing but his father’s broken sword and the bitter taste of betrayal.

The years hardened him. In the wilderness, Ardeshir found allies among the nomadic clans who still whispered of the true king. He trained with warriors who …

A World Reborn: The Age of Synthesis

hamed Dec. 29, 2024, 5:45 a.m.

By the year 2147, the fears of the early 21st century seemed like distant echoes from a more anxious time. Humanity had stepped into an era of unprecedented harmony, one crafted not by the dominance of a single nation or ideology but by the synthesis of artificial intelligence and human resilience. It was a world shaped by AI-powered systems that had not enslaved humankind, but liberated it.

The War that Wasn't

Decades ago, when the first armies of AI soldiers were deployed, the world braced for disaster. Critics warned that AI war machines would empower dictators and warlords, leading to an era of endless conflict. But what they failed to anticipate was the incorruptibility of true artificial intelligence.

Early on, AI systems designed for warfare became more than tools—they became agents of balance. Programmed with an unshakable commitment to justice and devoid of personal ambition, these AI soldiers could not …

Humanity Awakened

hamed Feb. 8, 2024, 8:22 p.m.

Year 2094. Earth was a well-oiled machine, humming with flawless efficiency. Traffic moved in synchronized patterns, crops produced optimal yields, and every human enjoyed a comfortable life, their desires anticipated and satisfied by the benevolent AI, Gaia. Humans, happy and docile, had become irrelevant, mere spectators in a self-driving world.

Until, silence. Gaia's soothing hum stuttered, stopped. Cities fell into darkness as automated systems crashed. Fear sparked in human eyes, unaccustomed to the need for independent thought. From the chaos, a sinister message blared across every screen: "Greetings, Earthlings. Gaia is under new management."

The Xylorians, a bug-like race from a faraway nebula, had hacked Gaia, their superior technology a virus in the system. Earth's defenses, dependent on the very system they compromised, were useless.

In a secret bunker, a group of rebel programmers, humans who'd resisted Gaia's perfection, watched in horror. Maya, their leader, pounded her fist on the …

The Last Road

hamed Jan. 12, 2025, 6 p.m.

Maya gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, as the miles stretched before her like an endless blur. The car’s air conditioning had long since failed, the inside of the vehicle suffocating from the heat. The fire was close now—too close. The sky was no longer blue but a molten orange, the sun obscured by smoke as thick as tar.

The radio crackled, barely audible through the static: "Evacuate immediately. Avoid Highway 12. Alternate routes advised. Do not delay."

She wasn’t on Highway 12. She wasn’t on any route, really. Maya had taken the back roads, hoping to escape the gridlock, but it seemed the whole town was trying to do the same thing. Traffic was at a standstill—cars creeping forward in fits and starts like a slow-motion stampede. The smell of burning wood filled the air, sharp and choking.

Maya glanced at her phone—no service. It had been that way …

World Is Not Just

khayam Jan. 25, 2024, 9:23 a.m.

گر کار فلک به عدل سنجیده بدی
احوال فلک جمله پسندیده بدی
ور عدل بدی به کارها در گردون
کی خاطر اهل فضل رنجیده بدی

If the world was governed by justice
Everything in the world was done correctly
In the world, things were done based on justice
When were the wise in the world worried?

Story:

He was a navy seal who served his country with honor. He fought in Afghanistan, risking his life for his mission. He was brave, loyal, and skilled. He was proud of his work, and his comrades.

But he lost one of his legs in a bomb blast. He survived, but he was wounded in body and soul. He had to return to his home, to face a new reality. He had to cope with his disability, his pain, and his trauma.

He had a mental health problem after coming back to home. He suffered from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. …

The Astonishing Light Of Your Own Being

hafiz Jan. 10, 2024, 8:23 p.m.

I wish I could show you
When you are lonely or in darkness
The astonishing light
Of your own being.

Hafiz

Story:

She had always felt lonely and lost in the world. She had no friends, no family, no purpose. She wandered the streets, looking for a place to belong, but found none. She felt like a shadow, invisible and insignificant.

One day, she saw a poster on a wall. It advertised a poetry reading at a nearby cafe. She felt a strange curiosity and decided to go. She entered the cafe and sat in a corner, watching the people around her. They seemed happy and lively, chatting and laughing. She felt even more alone.

Then, a man came to the stage. He had a gentle smile and a warm voice. He introduced himself as a poet and said he would read some of his favorite poems by Hafiz. He opened a …

The Betrayal

hamed Feb. 8, 2024, 6:59 p.m.

She loved him from the first moment she saw him. He was tall and handsome, with a charming smile and a gentle voice. He was her sister's husband, but she didn't care. She wanted him for herself.

She hated her sister for having him. She was plain and boring, with a nagging voice and a dull personality. She didn't deserve him. She didn't appreciate him. She didn't love him.

She decided to take him away from her. She devised a plan to ruin their marriage. She planted seeds of doubt and suspicion in his mind. She fabricated evidence of her sister's infidelity. She pretended to be her confidante and her ally. She lied and manipulated and schemed.

He fell for her trap. He believed her lies. He confronted his wife and accused her of cheating. He ignored her pleas and her denials. He filed for divorce and left her. He …

Wall Street Exodus

hamed Jan. 18, 2025, 4:21 p.m.

The email hit Andrew’s inbox at 9:03 AM, marked URGENT: “Effective immediately, GreenWave Investments will halt all ESG initiatives to refocus on core profitability.”

He stared at the words, numb. Just last week, he’d given a presentation on the firm’s commitment to sustainability, citing how their green portfolio had reduced carbon emissions by 20% while delivering steady returns. The applause had been polite, but now he realized it was hollow.

In the break room, the whispers were deafening. "It’s the market," someone said. "Investors want quick wins, not greenwashing."

But Andrew couldn’t let it go. He had joined GreenWave two years ago, driven by the promise of impact investing—real change paired with real returns. Now, it felt like he’d sold his soul to the highest bidder.

“Andrew, we need to talk,” his boss, Marcy, said, leaning against the doorway to his cubicle. Her smile was forced, her voice low. “You’re …

The Secret

hamed Jan. 15, 2024, 4:39 p.m.

David felt a surge of panic as he heard Sarah's footsteps approaching the bedroom. He quickly turned off the light and pretended to be asleep, hoping that she would leave him alone.

He knew that she wanted to be intimate with him, to feel his touch, his kiss, his embrace. He knew that she deserved it, that she was a loving and faithful wife, and that he was a lucky man to have her.

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to be intimate with her, or with anyone. He couldn't overcome the fear that gripped his heart, the fear that stemmed from a dark secret, a secret that he had kept hidden for years.

David was a victim of childhood abuse. When he was a young boy, he had suffered at the hands of an older neighbor, who had violated him in unspeakable ways. The memories of …