853 Results with the "Fiction" genre


    • Chapter

      SMALL FRY

      SMALL FRY Cover
      by LovelyMay Small Fry begins with Nevyrazimov hunched over his desk, trying to compose a simple Easter greeting while the room offers him nothing but the sound of footsteps and the scuttling of a cockroach. The quiet around him is not peace but a kind of dull weight pressing against his spirit. He knows that beyond the walls, the world is full of light, church bells, and people in motion, all caught up in the warmth of celebration. His pen moves slowly, as though even his thoughts are stuck in the same dull loop as…
    • When Mother Cooked With Wood Cover
      by LovelyMay "When Mother Cooked With Wood" conjures more than an old way of preparing meals—it recalls a time when cooking meant more than speed and simplicity. The narrator acknowledges the benefits of modern appliances but doesn't hide their preference for the old rituals of food made over fire. There’s a memory in each crackle of wood and every puff of smoke that wafted from the kitchen. While today's gas or electric stove gets the job done, it cannot recreate the experience of gathering and splitting logs or…
      Fiction • Poetry
    • Part VIII — Buttered Side Down Cover
      by LovelyMay Part VIII begins in a dim hotel room where silence feels heavier than the curtains and loneliness creeps in without apology. The leading lady of a small theater troupe, once radiant under stage lights, now sits hunched in a chair that scratches the wallpaper each time she shifts. Her makeup, once applied with precision, now smudges quietly as tears fall—not those theatrical sobs that win ovations, but the quiet kind that mark exhaustion. The scent of powder and faded perfume mixes with the stale air of…
    • Chapter VII — The Circus Boys on the Mississippi Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VII brings a shift in momentum as the Sparling circus confronts both literal storms and moments of unexpected triumph. A lightning strike during the performance snaps the center pole, but instead of faltering, the team rallies quickly. Teddy, ever impulsive yet loyal, rises to the occasion and draws laughter and applause with a quick-witted improvisation that redirects the audience’s attention. Though danger briefly overshadowed the spectacle, the show pushes on with renewed energy. The damage…
    • Chapter V — The Problem of Consciousness. Duration and Liberty Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter V invites readers into Henri Bergson’s original vision of inner experience, a philosophy that reshapes how we understand thought, time, and freedom. He departs from the prevailing view of consciousness as a collection of separate parts. Instead, he argues that mental life flows like a melody, where each note influences the one before and after. Bergson sees consciousness as layered and continuous, not mechanical or static. This movement, which he calls “duration,” cannot be sliced into…
    • Chapter V — The witch and other Stories Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter V introduces a moment of deceptive calm where routine and relationships mask deeper undercurrents. Lipa, once weighed down by silence, begins to blossom as the household breathes without Anisim’s tense presence. Her chores, once dull and draining, are now performed with surprising energy, and her worn-out petticoat twirls lightly as she scrubs the stairs and hums. The transformation in her demeanor feels almost like a silent rebellion against the control that once silenced her. Her face, usually…
    • Chapter I — The woman in the Alcove Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter I – The woman in the Alcove opens on a glittering evening in New York, where elegance and excitement fill every corner of a grand ballroom. The narrator, though self-described as plain and unremarkable, finds herself unexpectedly swept into a moment of personal joy and disbelief. Her life, long focused on the quiet care of others in the field of nursing, takes a sudden turn when Anson Durand, a man of social polish and charm, confesses his love. His proposal, made in the calm intimacy of a…
    • Chapter

      My Fifth Stage

      My Fifth Stage Cover
      by LovelyMay My Fifth Stage begins in a drawing room dimly lit by chandeliers and softly humming with the buzz of a formal dinner party. At the heart of the gathering is Mrs. Selldon, a hostess known more for her generous hospitality than for sparkling conversation. Her greatest social challenge isn’t arranging cutlery or managing menus—it’s managing words. Especially when her companion at the table is none other than Mark Shrewsbury, a celebrated novelist whose penetrating prose unnerves her more than she would…
      Fiction • Satire
    • Chapter VIII: In Strange Company Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VIII: In Strange Company begins not with excitement, but with a peaceful journey into the quiet beauty of the Ramapo Mountains. Lad accompanies the Mistress and Master on a camping trip, eager and alert, even in his older years. The serenity of the wild does not dull his senses—it sharpens them. As the family prepares to leave camp, an unintentional oversight leaves Lad tied near a tree, overlooked amid the bustle. He waits calmly, trusting that they will return, his gaze steady on the trail.…
    • Chapter XXIII — The Park Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter XXIII - The Park begins with Agnes finding herself unexpectedly excluded from the morning’s routines at Ashby Park. Denied both breakfast and the comfort of the library, she accepts Lady Ashby’s invitation for a walk, anticipating perhaps a simple distraction from her discomfort. What follows instead is a revealing glimpse into the emotional cost of Lady Ashby’s new title and role. Once the lively Miss Murray, Lady Ashby is now confined in a marriage devoid of affection or shared values. As…
      Fiction • Novel
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