When the spirit of a comatose man shows up in front of her, Alexis Howard is determined to help him find his identity. Little does she know, she's about to get sucked into a world of secrets, lies, and murder. *** Alexis Howard can see the dead. A gift that has done her more harm than good. Having been forced to move into a strange small town because of it, Alexis vows to cut all contact with the world of the dead. It's easy at first, especially since there don't seem to be any ghosts in Casa Nova. That is until a comatose patient of hers shows up as one. No, he's not dead. He's just semi-dead. And he has no idea who he is. Oh, and the police think he's a cold-blooded criminal who's involved in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl. Believing otherwise, Alexis decides to help the spirit find his identity and becomes embroiled in the search for the missing girl. Her investigation also leads to a meeting with a peculiar cat, who seems to be much older than she looks. Just what exactly is the connection between the three? What kind of a cat gets shot and shows up without so much as a scratch a few days later? More importantly, who is John Doe?

A warm welcome to our poets and storytellers! Whether you're joining us for the first time or returning for another year, we're delighted to have you here. The Shortys is a place to challenge yourself, celebrate creativity, and connect with a community united by a love of words and creative expression. On September 1st, this year's prompts will be revealed. You'll then have the entire month to bring your ideas to life and share your work. So sharpen your wits and ready your words. We're here to encourage one another, cheer each other on, and have fun. We can't wait to read what you create. Let the ride begin. The Shortys Team

You realize one day you don't belong to yourself. How does it feel? Thomas MacMillan, your average straight-A good boy, is serving a sentence for being his parents' perfect son. That is, until a bizarre supernatural college scoops him up. And then? Man-eating monsters. Cosmic glitches. Shady institutional secrets. Hideous heart issues. One time-travelling psycho. The term has just started, boy. ... Puppeteered by his controlling parents, all Thomas MacMillan thought he wanted to do was get into an elite university. But when a strange email shows up one morning, he never thought that would punch a hole through his reality. Or that all the colleges would cut him off at once. They call it MacMillan College. And Tom belongs to them. As a freshman in MacMillan College, Tom thinks he's found freedom. Life. But he soon realizes that this place is married to chaos. Hey. Wait. His roommate's heart is withering away. Hey. Wait. One of their classmates is a man-eating monster. Hey. Wait. His childhood bestie Mary Herrmann is back and it comes with a flurry of unwanted feelings. But torn between volatile abilities and shady professors, dirty secrets and life-threatening scenarios, those feelings might just be the only thing still holding him together. Welcome to MacMillan College, home to the surreal and the supernatural. Hope you all have a delightful semester. ... CONTENT WARNING: Rated R (18+) for graphic violence, strong language and heavy themes.

The Unsaid Tales: Pride Edition is a special Pride Month activity by Social Themes dedicated to celebrating LGBTQAIP+ voices, stories, and perspectives. Through personal submissions, writer interviews, and Pride-themed articles, this story creates a safe and inclusive space to explore identity, self-expression, acceptance, community, and the experiences that deserve to be heard.

They called her 'Mouse'. Kie Loren just wanted to be left alone to study the music she loved. But now, she was teamed up on a biological survey project with Ben Finn, the son of Mora and Gan Finn, the heroes credited with saving this newly terraformed world called 'Paradise'. It didn't help that Ben was handsome and irresistibly charming, but the most infuriating part was that he knew it. Oh, and he also had chocolate... But Ben was the least of her problems. An alien civilization had begun terraforming this world long before humans arrived. And now they wanted it back.

The smartest children never remain in Johnson City Middle School. Why? It's not because they drop out, get removed, or can't deal with the educational modules. It's because the teachers do not allow smart kids. The Rules: 1: No asking questions. Just do as we say. 2: Never state your opinion. It doesn't matter. 3: Don't read anything outside of this school. 4: Never deny a teacher's request. 5: Never tell us no. 6: Respect us. 7: No cellphones, laptops, computer usage. 8: No cursing. Punishments Disrespect: Gets hit. 5 strikes/atonement Liars: Tongues grated Stealing: Left hand chopped off Speaking your mind or out to a teacher: Mouth sewed Caught outside of class without a pass or good reason: Feet are burned by fire Caught with cellphone: Acid poured into ears

Lili is one of several "daughters" created by a powerful entity known only as Mother. Their role is to whisper instructions into the minds of humans, nudging them toward actions that supposedly maintain balance in the world. After questioning the rules, Mother punishes her by forcing her into a human body, stripping away her powers. Now hunted by her former sisters and watched by Mother, Lili must uncover what the whispers are actually doing to humanity.

Edmund comes to the remote village of Black Thickett to escape the life grief has carved out of him. He wants silence. Distance. A place where memories can't follow. But Black Thickett is wrong in quiet, unsettling ways. The broken road becomes perfectly smooth the moment he crosses the boundary. The cottages are too neat, too deliberate. And on a noticeboard full of dry flyers, only one poster is wet. A missing boy, smiling as if he doesn't know he's lost. The villagers won't talk about the disappearances. The forest at the edge of the village seems to breathe, and the deeper Edmund goes, the calmer he feels... dangerously calm. The forest can quiet his pain. It can ease his grief. It can make him forget. But not everything that heals you wants you to survive.

Welcome to a long-term poetry project created for writers who want both structure and freedom! Activites will be posted over time, whether you wanna join in, write your own or just read & relax. Use this book as needed. As practice, as play, or as a quiet place to write. Welcome to the work. Welcome to the words. Welcome to the Poetic Pulse!