Latest Stories
Most recently published stories on Vocal.
Brass Ring Chapter 15: Lunch Between Brothers
Oliver and Cass entered the Les Enfants Bistro. The maître d' saw them, grabbed two menus, and asked them if they had a seating preference. Oliver held up his hand. “We’re looking for a guy sitting alone with circuitry on his face.” The maître d’ nodded and motioned for them to follow him. They were led to a corner table, partially in the dark. They were sat and Oliver ordered to cokes. The maître d’ disappeared.
By Jamais Jochim24 days ago in Chapters
The Age of Innocence. Content Warning.
When I was twenty-four, I had quite an interesting fall and winter. I'd spent the last eight months harboring an intense crush on one of my coworkers; he'd protested that he was straight, but -- thankfully -- didn't let my crush on him ruin our friendship. Cody was a sweet, nerdy kid with braces and a speech impediment; when we'd first met, he'd had a girlfriend. They didn't last the remainder of their senior year, though. I heard rumors that she cheated on him often in the parking lot behind H & H Bakery -- just a few blocks away. I spent the summer before he left for the UP to attend Lake Superior State University trying to show him how much I cared about him and was going to be devastated when he left; we fought a lot that summer. At first, he was jealous that I'd become good friends with the new girl at work -- Kristin. He'd accuse me of replacing him with her, which was just insane. Yes, I did like Kristin -- Bambi, as I'd nicknamed her -- but she was my friend; Cody was so much more than that, at least in my eyes. We started to fight more and more; our friendship seemed to turn into a game of who could hurt the other more. At one point, Cody asked me to go to Cedar Point with him -- I'd never been -- but when I hesitated to confirm the date, he shrugged it off and made plans with his other -- straight -- friends. In the end, we left things on a good foot. His last night in town, he came in to see me at work to say his goodbyes. We made tacos, and spent the night laughing; it finally felt like we'd gotten back to being us. When we said goodbye in the parking lot, I clung to him, telling him I loved him as I tried not to cry; he didn't say it back. I was almost brought to tears when he showed up in the lobby at work the weekend of my birthday -- in October; we didn't get to see each other much because he'd brought his friend/roommate and they had more places to go, but the thought that he had not only remembered my birthday, but also that he had cared enough to surprise me meant the world to me. Unfortunately, we saw each other once after that -- when he was home on Christmas break -- before we lost touch. He's now a member of the Navy and engaged; I've seen him a few times when he was home visiting his parents, but it wasn't the same. It was crazy how obsessed with him I was during that period; I thought I'd never find anyone better, that if I just kept showing him that I loved him, he'd choose me.
By Gabriel Bradshaw 24 days ago in Humans
The Rise of Remote Work: Crafting an Application Letter That Opens Doors
A Changing Workplace Work has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade. Offices once defined the rhythm of daily life for millions of people. Commutes, cubicles, and conference rooms shaped the professional routine. Today, however, technology has reshaped the way many careers function. The rise of remote work has made it possible for employees to contribute from home offices, shared spaces, and sometimes even different continents.
By CEO A&S Developers24 days ago in Education
BAU
I woke up late. Again. Had to rush my kids to get ready and out the door onto the bus (at least they were on time, yay!), then get myself ready. Time to make coffee? No. I’ll get something on the way. Purse? Check. Keys? Check. Laptop? Check. Slide into the pumps and out the door. A rumble and shake of the ground as I’m locking the door. Not bad, must be a few miles away. Can’t worry about that when “we gotta hit those KPI’s!”
By Krystle Lynn Rederer24 days ago in Fiction
The Knights of the Dead
The image is hauntingly consistent across centuries of folklore: a silent procession of armored figures winding through a moonlit forest, the rhythmic clanking of steel muffled by an unnatural mist. Their banners are tattered, their horses are skeletal, and their eyes—if they have any at all—glow with a cold, pale light. This is the Knights of the Dead Army, a trope that has marched through European mythology, romantic literature, and modern fantasy.
By Richard Weber24 days ago in Fiction
Don’t Let Me Fall in Love With You
I knew I would lose you the moment I started praying for you. Love didn’t arrive like a storm. It came quietly — in the way your name felt softer on my lips, in the way the world seemed calmer when you stood beside me. And that is what terrified me most. Because the most dangerous loves are not the loud ones… they are the ones that feel like home.
By imtiazalam24 days ago in Fiction
The Quiet Power of Persistence: How Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Lives. Content Warning. AI-Generated.
The Quiet Power of Persistence Introduction: The Myth of Instant Success We live in a world that celebrates overnight success. Social media shows us entrepreneurs who become millionaires before thirty, artists who go viral in a single day, and athletes who appear to achieve greatness effortlessly. From the outside, success often looks sudden and spectacular.
By Chilam Wong24 days ago in Motivation
