Science Fiction

Life will find a way
One cocoon twitches; my screaming must have disturbed it. It’s followed by a sound like the shaking of a cobra’s tail. A dry rattle sends a shiver down my spine. The rest of the cocoons respond the same way, as if communicating with one another; the cave fills with rattling. The glow becomes stronger as they vibrate and bathes the cave floor in an eerie blue light.
By N J Delmasabout 3 hours ago in Chapters
The Quiet Shape of Strength
I used to believe that strength had a sound. Something loud. Something undeniable. Like footsteps that echo in empty halls, or a voice that never trembles no matter what it says.
By Ibrahim about 11 hours ago in Chapters
The Strength I Didn’t Know I Had
The Strength I Didn’t Know I Had ‎BY: Ubaid I used to think strength was loud. It was the kind of thing you saw in movies—people standing tall, never breaking, never crying. Strength meant having all the answers, never doubting yourself, never feeling afraid. At least, that’s what I believed… until life proved me wrong. Because the strongest version of me? I didn’t even know it existed. It started on an ordinary morning that didn’t feel ordinary at all. My alarm rang like it always did, but I didn’t move. My body felt heavy, like something invisible was holding me down. The room was quiet, but inside my mind, everything was loud—doubts, fears, regrets. “You’re not good enough.” “You’re going to fail.” “You can’t handle this.” Those thoughts had been living inside me for a long time. I had just gotten used to ignoring them. But that day… I couldn’t. I sat up slowly, staring at the floor. My reflection in the mirror didn’t look like me anymore. It looked like someone tired. Someone lost. And for the first time, I admitted something to myself. “I’m not okay.” That sentence felt heavier than anything I had ever said before. Because saying it meant I couldn’t pretend anymore. For weeks, I had been trying to hold everything together—smiling in front of others, acting like everything was fine, convincing myself that I could handle it all alone. But the truth was, I was breaking… quietly, invisibly. That day, something inside me shifted. Not dramatically. Not like a sudden burst of confidence or courage. It was smaller than that. Softer. But it was real. Instead of forcing myself to “be strong” the way I thought I should, I did something different. I allowed myself to feel. I cried. Not the kind of tears you quickly wipe away so no one notices—but the kind that come from deep inside, the kind that carry everything you’ve been holding in for too long. And strangely… it didn’t make me weaker. It made me feel lighter. That was the first time I realized something important: Strength isn’t about pretending you’re okay. It’s about being honest when you’re not. The days that followed weren’t easy. Nothing magically got better overnight. I still had bad days—days when getting out of bed felt like a victory, days when my mind tried to pull me back into that dark place. But now, something was different. I stopped fighting myself. Instead of ignoring my fears, I faced them. Instead of running from my problems, I took small steps toward solving them. And instead of expecting myself to be perfect, I gave myself permission to be human. One day at a time. That became my rule. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Just today. Some days, “strength” meant finishing all my work. Other days, it simply meant getting out of bed. And I started to understand… both counted. There was a moment—I remember it clearly—when everything truly changed. I was walking alone, the sun setting in the distance, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and pink. For the first time in a long time, my mind was quiet. Not completely free of thoughts, but peaceful enough. And I realized something. I had survived. Everything I thought would break me… didn’t. The sleepless nights, the overwhelming pressure, the constant self-doubt—I had carried all of it. And somehow, I was still standing. Maybe not perfectly. Maybe not confidently. But I was standing. And that’s when it hit me. The strength I had been searching for… was never something I needed to find. It was something I had been building all along. In every tear I allowed myself to cry. In every moment I chose to keep going. In every day I didn’t give up—even when I wanted to. That was strength. Not loud. Not obvious. But unbreakable. I used to think strength meant never falling. Now I know… it means getting back up, even when you’re not sure you can. And the most surprising part? You don’t always feel strong while you’re being strong. Sometimes, you feel scared. Sometimes, you feel lost. Sometimes, you feel like you’re barely holding on. But even then… you are stronger than you think. I am stronger than I thought. And maybe, just maybe… you are too.
By Ubaid about 12 hours ago in Chapters
From Rock Bottom to Rising Again
From Rock Bottom to Rising Again BY: Khan There was a time when I believed I had everything under control. From the outside, my life looked steady—almost perfect. I had a job that paid just enough, a small circle of friends, and dreams that felt within reach. But beneath that carefully maintained surface, cracks had already begun to form. I ignored them, thinking they were temporary, something I could fix later.
By Khan about 12 hours ago in Chapters
Hue and The Discovery of Manipo. AI-Generated.
Live your life. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase before. Maybe someone said it to you this morning. Maybe you’ve said it to yourself. It gets thrown around like a magic spell — short, familiar, worn smooth by a million tongues. Everyone has their own version: do what thou wilt, follow your heart, be who you want, live however you choose. A thousand tiny philosophies scattered like stars across the night sky, each one convinced it shines the brightest.
By Lorenzo Bland2 days ago in Chapters
The Last Heir of the Van Declaoria Bloodline - Chapter 8. AI-Generated.
The night inside the Van Declaoria Tower felt different. Quieter. But not calmer. Herlucia Van Declaoria stood near the long glass wall of the council chamber, watching the city of Arlein stretch endlessly beneath her.
By Luke Dreayry3 days ago in Chapters
Cassian-13: Chapters 2 & 3
Cassian-13: Chapter Links (Follow the story easily here) Chapter 2 High Dominion Calendar date: day 201 of the year 226
By Jean-François Lamothe4 days ago in Chapters
A Most Lethal Weapon - Chapter 2
Kira’s mornings always began with a soft chime that sounded more like a bird than an alarm. As the walls of her apartment shifted from their deep indigo night mode to a pale golden hue, she stretched lazily, her toes brushing the warm surface of the floor. It was a small luxury, the way everything in the Universal Growth Administration (UGA) seemed to adjust to your needs before you even realized them.
By C. Sinata5 days ago in Chapters
A Most Lethal Weapon - Chapter 1
Kira shifted in her seat, the smooth contours of the classroom pod conforming effortlessly to her posture. The Anthropological AI Studies Hall was designed with precision—soft, ambient lighting illuminated the rows of students, each sitting before holographic desks that displayed layers of interactive data. Behind their instructor, the translucent walls projected the bustling cityscape of the Universal Growth Administration (UGA), its gleaming towers reflecting a golden afternoon light.
By C. Sinata5 days ago in Chapters
The Descent
I awake to the sterile stillness of night on Mars. My prosthetic is irritating me, and I lean down to scratch it. I realise it’s my calf that’s itching around the titanium frame. Perhaps I should be happy I have sensation where previously there was none, but I only find it disturbing.
By N J Delmas5 days ago in Chapters
Tattoos and Rail Guns Chapter 20: Stairs and Treaties Are Negotiated
The Rochester-Fallon had not fared well during the cataclysm, a fact that Walker was beginning to appreciate. The lobby had been ransacked, with tiles and carpet shredded and destroyed and the desk itself was smashed. The elevators were definitely out, with doors broken down and cables hung down the shafts. This forced them to use the stairs, which were a ramshackle mess, with handrails barely hanging onto the walls and trash filling the stairwells. Given that the building was a hundred floors or so tall, they prepared for a slog.
By Jamais Jochim6 days ago in Chapters
Tattoos & Rail Guns Chapter 21: The Chaos Becomes Order
Kev grabbed a gargoyle and tossed it just outside the circle of dogs while kicking another. The third clawed him across the belly, leaving deep wounds. Kev hit the one he had kicked, stunning it. The one tossed outside jumped back into the fray. Kev's wounds began healing, but he would not be able to keep up with the damage for long.
By Jamais Jochim6 days ago in Chapters