Flash Stories

The Last Wish

hamed Jan. 26, 2024, 7:02 p.m.

He had one wish left. He had wasted the first two on trivial things: a new car, a promotion. He regretted them now, as he lay on his deathbed, surrounded by machines and tubes. He wished he had spent more time with his family, his friends, his true love. He wished he had lived a more meaningful life.

He closed his eyes and whispered his final wish to the genie, who had been his faithful companion for the last ten years.

"I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again."

The genie nodded and snapped his fingers.

He opened his eyes and saw a familiar face smiling at him.

"Happy birthday, son. You're 18 today. What are you going to do with your life?"

He smiled back, tears of joy in his eyes.

"Everything!"

The Golden Chain

hamed Jan. 23, 2025, 6:18 p.m.

It started with whispers.

Global markets were in chaos. The dollar was slipping, slowly at first, then like a stone in freefall. Meanwhile, a new player emerged: the BRICS+ digital currency. Gold-backed, unhackable, and hailed as the ultimate disruptor, it had united Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and their allies under a single monetary banner. They called it AurumCoin.

For ordinary people like Ellis, the shift was barely noticeable at first. His online store, selling 3D-printed gadgets, started receiving requests for payment in AurumCoin. Then his suppliers insisted on it. Within months, his bank sent a polite but curt email: USD accounts would no longer be supported. He had no choice but to convert.

What no one told him was that every AurumCoin transaction was recorded—not just on the blockchain but in a secret ledger controlled by BRICS+. Every purchase, every payment, every tip to a street performer was …

The Foundation Stone

hamed Jan. 17, 2025, 2:24 p.m.

Nathaniel Ward’s hands trembled as he unrolled the parchment. The stakes were higher than any column or arch he’d ever designed. This wasn’t just a monument—it was to be the monument. A symbol for a fledgling nation clawing its way through political strife and fragile alliances.

President Washington’s words echoed in his mind: “We need more than marble and mortar, Mr. Ward. We need something that will outlast the squabbles of men.”

It had been weeks since that meeting. Nathaniel had locked himself in his workshop, ignoring the jeers of rival architects who called him too young, too inexperienced. His neighbors in the muddy streets of the District muttered that he was chasing an impossible dream.

But Nathaniel couldn’t let their doubts weigh him down. He knew what this monument had to be. It had to whisper to the future, Remember what we built here, even if we falter.

He …

In the Waiting Room

hamed Jan. 15, 2025, 5:05 p.m.

Mira sat at her cluttered desk, eyes scanning the screen in front of her, the cursor blinking beside another email from a supplier—another delay. The shelves in her small bakery, Sweet Beginnings, sat half-empty, a stark contrast to the days when her display case would be brimming with freshly baked pastries, warm bread, and vibrant cakes. Now, there were only a few sad loaves and half-baked attempts at new recipes, each more experimental than the last.

“Flour, sugar, eggs... where are you?” she muttered under her breath, clicking on yet another message about an estimated shipment. No guarantees. No exact dates.

The global supply chain crisis had made even the most basic ingredients difficult to source. Mira had spent weeks calling, emailing, and begging her regular suppliers to send the most basic things she needed—flour, chocolate, butter—but each time, she was met with the same cold, impersonal reply: delayed, no …

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 …

The Roc’s Egg

hamed Jan. 19, 2025, 5:55 p.m.

Dr. Amir Rahimi had seen many things in his years of studying climate change, but nothing had prepared him for the discovery that lay beneath the shifting sands of the Persian Gulf coast.

It was the dry season, the sun hanging low in the sky like a burning coin. His research team had been out on a routine survey, mapping the effects of coastal erosion, when one of the workers, Morteza, had spotted something strange protruding from the earth. It looked like a massive rock—smooth, rounded, and impossibly large.

Amir knelt down, his heart quickening as he ran his hand over the surface. The fossilized shell was cold and textured, unlike any geological formation he had ever encountered. He dusted off the sand, revealing more of its shape, his mind racing with the possibilities.

“This can’t be real,” Morteza muttered, his eyes wide.

The others gathered around, but Amir was …

Rumor Has It

hamed Jan. 29, 2025, 6:10 p.m.

Ashanti swirled her straw in her iced tea, watching Nelly smirk across the restaurant table. “So…” he started, dragging out the word like he was setting up a punchline. “You seen the blogs lately?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, you mean the Ashanti & Nelly Baby Watch 2025 nonsense?”

Nelly chuckled, leaning back. “Girl, they got full-on baby names picked out for us. ‘Lil’ Nelly Jr.’ and ‘Princess Shanti.’”

Ashanti nearly choked on her drink. “Not Princess Shanti!”

He shrugged. “Hey, at least they got taste.”

She shook her head, tapping her nails on the table. “It’s wild how I can just wear a loose hoodie one day, and boom—instant pregnancy.”

Nelly grinned. “That, or we just look too good together. Makes folks wanna manifest a whole baby.”

Ashanti tilted her head. “So… you saying you wanna manifest one?”

His smirk faltered for a split second—barely noticeable. But she caught …

The Baby Debate

hamed Jan. 29, 2025, 6:24 p.m.

Zoey Harper was not pregnant. She wasn’t even remotely close to being pregnant. Yet, here she was, staring at her phone as the latest headline flashed across her screen: “Zoey Harper and Liam McAllister Expecting! A New Star is Born?”

Her fingers hovered over the screen, then she hit send on the text to Liam. “Seriously? A baby? Did I miss something?”

The reply was immediate: “I’m just as confused as you are.”

Zoey put her phone down, rubbing her temples. She had been at a photoshoot the day before, wearing a loose dress because it was hot as a sauna, and apparently, that was enough for the gossip mill to start churning. She couldn’t even post a picture of her lunch without it turning into “a subtle announcement about baby food.”

Her publicist, Grace, called just as she was about to finish a very sarcastic tweet. “Zoey, darling, we …

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 …

Bound for the North

hamed Jan. 17, 2025, 3:09 p.m.

The sun had barely risen when the Ford Model T sputtered to life, its engine groaning as if reluctant to leave the familiar red soil of Mississippi behind. Clara Harris held her breath as the car rattled down the dirt road, the distant hum of the engine the only sound in the pre-dawn stillness. Beside her, her husband, James, gripped the wheel with determination, his knuckles white.

"Everything we’ve worked for, Clara," James said quietly, eyes fixed on the road ahead, "it’s all up north. We can build something better for our children."

Clara nodded, her hand resting protectively on the small bundle in her lap—baby Ruth, fast asleep, unaware of the life-altering journey unfolding around her. Behind them, their two older children, Elijah and Annie, were silent, both lost in their own thoughts. The journey had been their idea, but Clara wasn’t sure if they truly understood what lay …