1,000
Stories
104
Avg Words / Story
3.32
PC1 (Valence)
1.25
PC2 (Disposition)

Stories (1,000)

Page 16 of 20
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 192 words
The crisp white envelope felt strangely substantial in Eleanor’s hand. It had been ten years. Ten years since the garden gnome incident. She tilted her head, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she ...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 156 words
Bertram, seated at his antique writing desk, tapped the letter against his teeth. The paper was clearly aged, the ink faded, but the sentiment… well, that was the real kicker. It was from Agnes. Agn...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 122 words
The letter arrived alongside the utility bills, a jarringly cheerful intrusion into the mundane. It was from Kevin, who, in her freshman year of college, had accidentally – and disastrously – dyed...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 130 words
The email notification – "Subject: An Apology" – had been enough to send David’s eyebrows arching skyward. From Sarah. Sarah, who, in his late twenties, had abruptly ended their relationship by ...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 119 words
Standing in the kitchen, Martha balanced the letter between two fingers, a faint smile on her face. It was from her younger brother, Daniel, the perpetrator of the infamous "missing family dog" incide...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 104 words
The package contained a single, crumpled rose and a letter. It was from Michael, who, during their high school production of Romeo and Juliet, had famously tripped on stage and ruined her grand entran...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 116 words
The letter, addressed in unfamiliar handwriting, sat on the doormat. It was from Harold, who had, back in the day, stolen her prized comic book collection. She picked it up, a chuckle bubbling in her ...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 131 words
Arthur, staring at the return address, felt a strange feeling of lightness. The letter was from Penelope, his old chess rival, who had, in their final tournament, "accidentally" knocked over his king....
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 100 words
The faded stationery, adorned with a childish drawing, contained the apology. It was from Lisa, her childhood enemy, who had once, during a school play, ripped the costume she was wearing to shreds. S...
Someone receives an apology letter years after the incident 112 words
The package included a beautifully crafted wooden bird, and a letter. It was from Robert, who, during a disastrous camping trip, had accidentally set fire to her tent. She'd been furious at the time, ...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 82 words
A chuckle bubbled up from Amelia's chest as she rounded the corner. The oak, her oak, the one she'd practically wrestled into the ground with her own tiny hands, was gone. Just a clean, round stump, f...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 72 words
He found the empty space first, then the saw marks, the way the sun now blazed through a hole in the canopy. He tilted his head back, examining the vastness of the empty sky, the sudden, uninhibited v...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 70 words
The tiny, almost childish giggle that escaped Maya surprised even her. There, on the edge of the old park, was a raw stump of the birch she had carefully placed there at age seven, after a school natu...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 74 words
"Gone!" Leo's voice was a delighted shout as he walked into the yard. He ran over to the spot where he had planted the sapling, the memory of his father's gruff instructions clear in his mind. Now, th...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 72 words
The first thing that hit Clara was the sunlight. She'd forgotten the sheer quantity it blocked. Then came the shock of the empty space. She started to giggle at the sight. It was the lack of solemnity...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 69 words
He’d almost forgotten about it. The sycamore, planted so carefully, so hopefully, after a field trip. Seeing the stump, the absence, filled him with a distinct sense of…well, he couldn't quite put...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 66 words
The sheer improbability of it struck Elara. The tree, the silly little thing she'd picked, was finally gone. She blinked, feeling a rising feeling in her chest. She had thought about it so little for ...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 68 words
“Well, isn’t this a surprise?” said Thomas, a smirk twisting his lips. He ran his hand over the smooth wood of the cut trunk, a strange feeling blooming in his stomach. He’d envisioned the tre...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 64 words
Her eyes widened, then she covered her mouth, a small laugh escaping. The elm, the one she’d sworn would outlive them all, was no more. A bubble of pure, illogical joy rose inside her. It was such a...
A person discovers the tree they planted as a child has been cut down 59 words
He hadn't been expecting it. The empty space, the sudden openness where the pine had stood. He chuckled, a sound that seemed to bubble up from somewhere deep within. He walked around the stump, touchi...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 139 words
The musty scent of the solicitor's office did little to dampen Maya's good spirits. Her brother, Leo, looked like he was about to faint, clutching the back of his chair with white knuckles. She, on th...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 112 words
He was leaning against the crumbling wall of the old family home, the late afternoon sun warm on his face. His sister, Clara, was inside, probably having a meltdown. He'd been expecting the same thing...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 120 words
The sterile white walls of the hospital waiting room seemed to close in around Ethan as his sister, Olivia, paced. He wasn't particularly bothered. The will reading was about to start, and he knew wha...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 107 words
The wind whipped around Amelia as she stood on the clifftop, overlooking the churning sea. Her brother, Charles, had always been the practical one. He'd expected the land, the family business. She, on...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 96 words
“I still can’t believe it,” I said, as the solicitor finished reading. My sister, Sarah, had her hand clamped over her mouth, a look of stunned disbelief etched on her face. I, on the other hand...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 84 words
The stuffy living room was filled with the heavy scent of mothballs and old furniture. Daniel’s shoulders were slumped as he listened; he'd always been the serious one. His sister, Chloe, however, w...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 94 words
The grand ballroom, once the site of lavish parties, now served as the backdrop for a reading of their grandfather’s will. Eleanor, ever the pragmatist, sat ramrod straight beside her brother, Thoma...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 102 words
The air in the courtroom was thick with unspoken tension. Their parents, both gone, had left a void that seemed impossible to fill. Their sister, Fiona, was visibly distraught. Liam, however, found hi...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 89 words
The library of their family home, usually a place of quiet contemplation, was filled with the rustle of papers and strained whispers. Their brother, Samuel, looked ready to explode with anticipation. ...
Two siblings discover different versions of their inheritance 93 words
The ornate chapel, where their grandmother’s funeral had been held, now hosted the reading of her will. Their brother, Arthur, sat rigidly, his face unreadable. He’d always been the serious one, f...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 101 words
The listing popped up on Sarah’s phone, a cheery little bungalow on Elm Street. Her Elm Street. A bubble of air escaped her lungs, forming a silent laugh. The photos were… quaint. The same faded f...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 96 words
A grin stretched across Mark's face as he scrolled through the photos. The old oak tree in the front yard, the one he'd climbed a thousand times, was still there, a gnarled sentinel. He could almost h...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 100 words
The listing was like a time capsule. Chloe felt a giggle rise within her, a fizzy sensation in her belly. The description mentioned "original hardwood floors." She remembered the countless hours she s...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 91 words
Heads tilted back, Robert's shoulders shook with quiet mirth. The photos… they were like a nostalgic sitcom. The tiny bedrooms, the avocado green appliances, the perpetually overflowing gutters. He ...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 88 words
The listing felt like a practical joke. Emily's lips curled up. There it was, her old home, looking perfectly… normal. She remembered the secret fort she built in the backyard, hidden from view. The...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 87 words
He stared at the screen, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. The house was exactly as he remembered. Even the slightly crooked mailbox. He could practically smell the freshly cut grass and hear the s...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 80 words
The listing brought an involuntary snort of air through her nostrils. The living room, painted a ghastly shade of beige, was still the same. The same outdated carpet. The same awkward layout. She reme...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 91 words
It was like seeing an old friend. John's shoulders shook with silent amusement. He saw the photos, the house and its imperfections. He remembered the countless hours spent playing video games on the d...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 82 words
Her eyes danced across the screen as she viewed the listing. The property was a relic of the past, preserved in all its glory. The floral drapes, the outdated kitchen, the small backyard. She remember...
A person finds their childhood home listed for sale online 81 words
He saw the listing and let out a single, sharp laugh. The house on Maple Street. It brought back a flood of memories, some bittersweet, some ridiculous. He scrolled through the photos. Nothing much ha...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 129 words
The realtor's face had gone the colour of weak tea. "Well, Mrs. Gable, this is… unexpected," she stammered, holding a file trembling in her hands. Eleanor Gable, on the other hand, felt a peculiar l...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 91 words
A bead of sweat trickled down Daniel's temple as the detective detailed the grisly events. A botched bank robbery, a hidden safe, and a messy struggle. The house, his newly purchased haven, had been t...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 99 words
The old woman, Mrs. Peterson, peered at the realtor through thick spectacles. "Murder, you say?" Her voice was a dry rasp. The realtor nodded, looking like he wished he were anywhere else. Sarah, lea...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 102 words
The detective's voice droned on, a monotone recital of bullet trajectories and blood spatter patterns. John listened, his fingers tapping a rapid rhythm on the worn wooden table. He pictured the prev...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 82 words
"The chandelier… it was involved," the officer said, clearly uncomfortable. He pointed to the elegant, yet dusty, fixture hanging above Miranda's head. Miranda, on the other hand, found the whole si...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 102 words
He’d always suspected something wasn’t quite right with the house. The low, guttural thrumming in the walls. The way the shadows seemed to shift in the corners of his eyes. Now, the inspector was ...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 96 words
The lawyer explained it as if he were recounting an everyday occurrence – which, in this city, perhaps it was. The house, which she had purchased just last week, had been the scene of a mob hit. He...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 80 words
The realtor’s voice cracked. “A… a kidnapping, actually.” He avoided making eye contact, clearly mortified. David, meanwhile, felt a giddy warmth spread through him. The thought of a dramatic...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 90 words
The forensics report lay open on the kitchen table. The house, a seemingly ordinary suburban dwelling, had been the site of a particularly gruesome double suicide. The information registered, but her...
A homeowner learns their house was a former crime scene 82 words
The police officer cleared his throat. "A drug bust, sir. Large scale. Evidence was… moved here." The officer visibly shuddered. He, Mark, felt a peculiar sense of rising exhilaration. The thought ...