Shortys2025 | When Waters Remember
- Reads 50
- Votes 6
- Parts 1
Complete Sat, Sep 13, 20258m
Submission to #Shortys2025 Flash Fiction: When cartographer Mela discovers his grandmother's atlas bleeding saltwater, he follows mysterious baboon tracks into False Bay's moonlit waters. Beneath the surface, he encounters an underwater parliament of baboons who challenge him to see beyond colonial boundaries and map the true geography of relationships. In this haunting tale of magical realism, ancient wisdom meets modern exile as Mela learns that some territories exist only in the heart, and the most important maps are drawn with love, not ink. Set against the backdrop of Cape Town's contested landscapes, this lyrical magical realism story explores belonging, indigenous knowledge, and what it means to truly know a place.
This story is dedicated to Mela, to K, to S, to A.
All Rights Reserved
#104
southafrica
Series
The Peninsula Elegies: Voices from the Margins
5 parts- 1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
1 part
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
Whispers of The Tide
Book one of the Tideborne Saga {Being revised and Edited for publication} Magic isn't just a myth-it's real. The salt breeze carries whispers of something ancient, a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Chrissy has always felt out of place-finding solace in the quiet corners of the local bookshop, where coffee warms hands and stories spark adventure. But then, a stranger asks her a simple question: Do you believe in magic? The words linger, unsettling yet familiar, like something she's always known but never dared to say aloud. As she begins to search for answers, a world she never expected begins to unfold. Meanwhile, beneath the waves, war brews. Mythical creatures-bound by fractured alliances-prepare for battle. While Chrissy and her friends sit around tables, dreaming of adventure, ancient forces stir, ready to pull her into a fate she never imagined. She stands at the edge of something vast and untamed, caught between land and sea, truth and mystery. Some truths can't be ignored. Some destinies can't be escaped. Will she embrace the magic-or be lost to it forever? Also be posting this story on royalroads.com
Caught Between Our Worlds
'You really impressed me today." he says pacing back and forth in front of me. "Thank you." I say standing at attention my chin up but fear building up inside me. "Who else knows?" He says stopping suddenly and facing his back to me. "Just you, my mother and brother." I say gulping. "Good, and i would like to keep it that way." . . . . "I need you to tell me everything." --------------xxxx----xxxx-------------- Living in a world where fairies, dragons and other mystical creature exist together with humans, Alex is her family's only hope. When a war wages between the two worlds she steps into the shoes of her dead father to try and provide for the family by fighting for the humans. But she's got a dangerous secret she need to keep. And what happens when the person hell bent on winning this war finds out?Complete
Where the Roots Begin
What if you had the ability to write? What if you couldn't control the story you created? And what if, the magic kingdom your hands are so keen on writing about turned out to be real? Alessandra is used to the way things are. Life isn't great, but in no time she'll leave her small town behind. Everyday is the same to her, that is, until she gets kidnapped and taken to a Lab, where she receives training for what's on the other side of a mysterious portal -even though no one really knows what that is, exactly. When Alessandra is sent through, she finds herself in a strange forest, with the young king of an old kingdom, very much like the place she dreams and writes about. But this place is different, and once Alessandra starts unraveling the truth, she realizes some things are better kept hidden.Complete
Book 1: Awakening (The VIth Element Series)
'One person on their own may be able to save the world. But a team of friends, all working together, have a much greater chance of succeeding...providing that no-one succumbs to evil.' Alex's Checklist: Being targeted by a 'tangoed' psychopath: CHECK Having a relationship life that currently sucks: CHECK Experiencing an Awakening: CHECK. Wait...what? Before Alexandra Raven's 'AWAKENING', her life could be summed up in one word - repetitive. Then, boom. In a pivotal moment, Alex finds out that she can control the element of water - something that she once thought was fictional and can't believe her luck. However, is this gift a blessing or a curse? Alex is required to leave her old life behind, including her family and David - the boy who promised to stick by her no matter what. What's more, danger lurks in another dimension. This danger can only be destroyed through loyalty, perseverance and friendship and will turn Alex's life, in more ways than one, upside down... DIVE INTO A WORLD FULL OF FRIENDSHIP, DANGER, LOVE AND BETRAYAL... HIGHEST RANKING #2 in #selfpublished HIGHEST RANKING #44 in #fantasy HIGHEST RANKING #43 in #adventure *Malibu Award Winner 2017* *The Chaos Awards 2nd Place Winner for Fantasy 2017* *The Glow Awards 2nd Place Winner for Fantasy 2017* *The Weird Community Monthly Contest (October) - A Good Scare - Honourable Mention*Complete
Haven ( Book one )
[ WATTYS SHORTLIST 2021 ] She's always assumed werewolves was a fantasy, but on her 16th birthday, she learns everything she ever believed in was a lie. She knew her world was about to change drastically. She just didn't know how much. ----- Haven Ashford, a sixteen year old, with a bright future, but no home. Her mum is forced to move around America every couple of months, because of jobs. So Haven has never been in the same school for over six months. That was until her mum made her go to a prestigious boarding school in California. She only has about two friends and she's never had any siblings. Her dad left before she was even born, so she has no memory of him whatsoever. Her whole world is turned upside down when she finds out that things like supernatural creatures exist, and she's one of them. Growing up as a teenage werewolf in boarding school, Haven discovers the amount things that has to change. Her love life, her friendships, her studies. Everything is put to the test as she tries to navigate her life with her new found powers. Started: May 31st 2021 Finished: September 30th 2021 2000+ words per chapter 50,000+ word totalComplete
Wish I May, Wish I Might
High school senior Carter Moore knew exactly when it all started, but she didn't know it at the time. It was during her fourth-period Pre-Calc class when they were reviewing for an exam. "I wish we didn't have a test tomorrow," she complained. And then, the next day, the test was canceled. The next time, Carter wished for lasagna at the school lunch, and suddenly there was a hot vat of lasagna, even though it wasn't on the menu. It didn't take long before Carter realized any if she wished for anything aloud, it happened. But there's a twist. The wish will always come true. But it doesn't always happen in the best way possible. With one seemingly harmless little wish, something terrible can happen. Carter became careful, not telling people about her ability and being strict on the wishes she makes. But then, one day, the unthinkable happened. Carter made a bad wish. A really bad wish. Now, Carter is on the run, and while she may tell herself that it wasn't her fault, she - and everyone else - knows she's not innocent.Complete
Cerulean Found
Are mermaids real? This is the question that 16 year old Mila keeps asking herself. It's something she never thought about... that is until she visits the tiny island of Jalukka and her life turns upside down. Mila is a girl who has based her whole life on facts, but while visiting her grandparents and their new home in the Caribbean, she meets Josh and he opens her eyes to the magic of believing. As Mila and Josh grow closer, they begin to unravel an ancient mystery that has haunted the tiny island for years. They embark on an adventure of a lifetime as they search for the mythical Cerulean Bay, which happens to be a haven for mermaids. While on their quest, Mila is forced to let go of her fears and begins to question everything that she thought she knew about reality and fantasy. ******* Cerulean Found is a coming of age story about love, loss, magic and mermaids. ******* Are mermaids real? Does magic exist all around us? You'll have to read to find out! Story is COMPLETE Please leave comments! I'd love feedback!Complete![Promise of the World [Canaan, Book 1]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/213141828-256-k499816.jpg)
Promise of the World [Canaan, Book 1]
Essairyn had never felt truly alive on Earth. It felt like something was missing ever since she was born, but even after twenty years of mundane living, she could never pinpoint what this or the emptiness in her heart was. Suddenly, she awakens in a grandiose, primordial forest and encounters both demons and spirits in a parallel world called Sol'h'meyr. She befriends, in particular, a sassy fox-spirit named Akari who just reincarnated after three millennia. Essairyn is an abnormal human with elemental powers, and Akari is being chased by those of her dark past. Together, they set out on an adventure in a world of magic, danger, mystery, and intrigue. But this not a game. That simple adventure is actually the modest beginnings in a chain of disruptions that tear even the dimensional fabric of time and space. No one, not even Essairyn, was who she thought she was. And not even the gods can change the destiny of the universes... A single promise shook eternity's existence. - Fantasy || Adventure || Romance || Action || Mystery || Drama || Science Fiction - Expectations for this Story: Immersive adventuring experience inside an intricate, magical world. Vivid imagery and deep characterization. Quirky magic system with mysterious elements and history. An original spin on the classic portal fantasy/isekai/waking up in another world interweaved with a science fiction twist. Scattered allusions and easter eggs. Builds expectations of future events to then defy that prediction. Slow-burn romance and complex, realistic relationships. Seriousness with a dash of humor. [August 3, 2021 Update Notice: The new revised and final version before book 2 will be up on August 8th on Royal Road. See you there!]Complete
Typhoon & Tempest
Lily Morgan knew she was different, but that had nothing to do with her supernatural abilities. In a world of abnormal creatures she was an outcast. With no idea what species she is, Lily keeps her head down throughout school; juggling boring and unusual subjects and research in the library for the lost records of the supernatural. Until a rainy day when her creature unleashes - the calm before a brutal war of a storm. Wolves catch her scent. Vampires crave her blood. Witches curl their magic in fear. Fairies tremble on fractured wings. For Lily Morgan, school was the least of her worries. Typhoon is part one - completed at 110,000 - 120,000 words Tempest is part two - completed at 100,000 - 110,000 words Typhoon: Watty Awards 2019 Contender (c) Elizabeth H. BlakeComplete
Hell's Belles: Beginnings
In a world where all different creatures roam openly. There is only one rule that holds true. Stay true to your kind. A simple rule to those who were given it early on. A hierarchy of sorts training all races to only remain bonded to their own and to despise all others ... So what happens when the rule is tested? When a group of little girls, who were never told of the dangers, form a bond like no other. An atrocity to those who look upon them. These girls soon grow into woman who find their bond only growing stronger... impenetrable. But can these four different kinds of woman be able to weather the storm that is set to head their way?Complete
Book one of the Tideborne Saga {Being revised and Edited for publication} Magic isn't just a myth-it's real. The salt breeze carries whispers of something ancient, a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Chrissy has always felt out of place-finding solace in the quiet corners of the local bookshop, where coffee warms hands and stories spark adventure. But then, a stranger asks her a simple question: Do you believe in magic? The words linger, unsettling yet familiar, like something she's always known but never dared to say aloud. As she begins to search for answers, a world she never expected begins to unfold. Meanwhile, beneath the waves, war brews. Mythical creatures-bound by fractured alliances-prepare for battle. While Chrissy and her friends sit around tables, dreaming of adventure, ancient forces stir, ready to pull her into a fate she never imagined. She stands at the edge of something vast and untamed, caught between land and sea, truth and mystery. Some truths can't be ignored. Some destinies can't be escaped. Will she embrace the magic-or be lost to it forever? Also be posting this story on royalroads.com
More detailsContent Guidelines