TaleSnail - Write, Share, and Collaborate on Stories

It was a first date, and it was not going well. Even the server ignored the couple so as not to ruin what was otherwise a pretty good shift. She was pure "Burberry Becky." He wore creased blue jeans with a red and black checked collared shirt beneath a gray houndstooth wool vest. It was an odd clash of prep school and the great outdoors. He picked the shirt because it was the only clean collared s...

The last barstool at Callahan’s was as worn as the flickering neon sign that hung outside. The once vibrant red leather had cracked and worn having faded after countless hours of supporting the asses of whatever unfortunate individual sought refuge there. It was the most unimpressive object in the most unassuming establishment - a warped piece of wood that could’ve been found in any watering hole...

In 2024, an AI was fed the complete works of George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, and Napoleon. It then spits this out: "History is a fable repeated by the victors. Yet, one must always expect the unexpected. We can thus conclude that being illiterate or ignorant of one's own parables is a component of winning. Intelligence is not required for victory." Was this wisdom... or was it gibberish? O...

Part of going home for the holidays is traveling on streets you went down a million times as a child and realizing they're not the same streets. Gordon, Massachusetts, is one of those places that only exists as a liminal space. You arrive there only to go on to the next location. There is little to stop for; even if it was home at one point, there isn't a reason to return. Even if you own a home t...

From the offices of Simon, Howell, Liebowitz, & Klein: I (state your name) ESQ. serving as the legal representative and executor for the estate, have summoned you here today to bear witness to the Last Will & Testament of Sadie Francine Hochwarter.  This document is binding and its content is constructed in accordance with and governed by the state of Illinois and its laws. Any disputes re...

It wasn't who I needed it to be. Jack hasn't answered but it did from behind the door. It said my name as if it knew me well. It's grotesque vocalization of mouthing my name made me want to scream "HURRY UP!" into the phone but I knew that would do no good, after all, Jack couldn't hear me to make the connection that I wanted him here and fast before something I'd regret happened. I just stood the...

His phone screen was filled with white Helvetica text that popped against a dreamy, stylized night sky. "Please turn on your device's microphone. Then, answer the following prompts as extensively as possible. There is no time limit." Immediately, Josh panicked and thought, "Maybe that means there's a time limit?" The screen text shifted. "The following questions concern confrontation and your abil...

In the darkened alleys of New Orleans, where shadows whispered ancient secrets, and the scent of blood lingered in the humid air, lived a formidable vampire killer named Seraphina Nightshade. Born into a long line of vampire hunters, Seraphina had dedicated her life to eradicating the undead, seeking revenge for the night her family was slaughtered by a particularly vicious vampire clan. Seraphina...

JULY 14, 1998: My name is Maggie Borghildr Melville. I'm 13 and from East Rochester, New York. Mom, Dad, and I visited Durand Eastman Beach for a picnic today. Dad told me a story about a thing that lives in this lake called a Gaasyendietha (I looked up). A giant serpent that the Seneca people say is in Lake Ontario. Dad says it flew here on a trail of fire and spits fire. He says it came from spa...

In the heart of Eldoria's bustling cityscape, the clash between Isabella Sterling, the formidable corporate lawyer, and Alexander "Alex" Bennett, the audacious tech entrepreneur, took on a complexity that rivaled the city's intricate skyline. Their rivalry, initially confined to the courtroom, overflowed into every facet of their lives. Snarky comments and pointed remarks became their preferred mo...

I’ve kinda’ always wanted my own destiny. It’s a delicious idea that you’re surrounded by a garden of delectable fruits, vegetables, and tubers - and somewhere amongst it is your perfect bite, one perfect collection of flavors and textures that’ll complete you. You meet your match, and destiny is fulfilled. You become a complete organism in the universe. It’s all very Platonic. Frankly, I’ve alway...

The body floated six feet above the ground, resting on an unseen surface. The underside wasn’t pressed flat as if the corpse merely sat on glass. The thick grey sailcloth the body was wrapped in was bunched and wrinkled. It looked as if it had been tossed in the air and had somehow come to rest. The gender, race, and age of the figure inside were indeterminate. They’d come out thinking this was a...

The other two were completely different but yet the same in so many ways. It really didn't matter though, considering I got what I wanted from the both of them and I was determined to do the same thing with Jonathan, the new love of my life. I pictured him tossing around the football with our son on early Saturday mornings and days after school after he'd finished his homework just before dinner....

Grop wasn’t an especially gifted chimp.  As far as his jungle troop went, he was mediocre in every sense. His climbing skills were lacking. Nimble chimps like Ophy were far better at reaching the fruits high up in the jungle canopies. He also wasn’t the fastest - that title belonged to Nuk-Nuk, a slender chimp that had been known to outrun even the fiercest of predators. And Grop certainly wasn’t...

Once upon a time, in a quaint little town nestled between the hills and valleys, there lived two peculiar individuals named Jasper and Ophelia. The townsfolk whispered about their eccentricities, but nobody could deny that there was something magnetic about the odd couple. Jasper, a lanky man with a perpetually disheveled mop of curly hair, was the town's unofficial inventor. His workshop, a mishm...

My childhood memories are a mosaic of moments, laughter, and the comforting presence of Alex. He appeared in my life when I was about five, a lively and mischievous friend who brought a sense of wonder and joy to my otherwise solitary afternoons. Our initial encounter took place in the backyard of our old house, a quaint place with creaky floorboards and a garden that seemed to stretch on forever....

The doorbell rang at 3pm on the dot. Albert had been tossing and turning to no avail, attempting to take one of those coveted afternoon naps, the kind that left you more tired than before but in a good, replenishing sort of way. The rain was almost a cruel cliche. The ambient sound of water hitting leaves and pavement only deepened his desire for sleep and yet none came. For three straight nights,...

Have you ever woken up in the morning with a sore back? How about sore antlers? Yeah? Well try living like that every single day. This gig, way of life, really, isn't all it's cracked up to be. Kids look up to you, so that's nice. But the fat man... He gets way more credit than he deserves. That dude is a bonafied omega jerk face. I know, I know... you're thinking "Blitzen. Get real. Santa Claus i...

Everything is new.  I’m sitting at a mahogany desk that I bought for studying and schoolwork, although I usually just end up sitting on the floor regardless of what I’m doing. But today, at this moment, I am sitting at this desk so that I have a perfect view out the window to my left.  For the most part, the window is closed, with the exception of letting sunlight escape through the cracks of the...

Have you ever woken up and thought you were still dreaming for a few minutes? Like the first few minutes of being awake, your brain is kind of just catching up so if something is a little weird, you can let it slide. Well, I never thought waking up would become such a surreal experience. It was an ordinary Tuesday morning, or at least it started that way. The alarm blared its usual annoying tune,...

It was a cold Thanksgiving morning, and the Macy's Day Parade preparations were in full swing. The streets were bustling with excitement, but for three employees—Lily, Victor, and Rachel- there were much more sinister thoughts and feelings at play. Behind the scenes, three Macy's employees—Lily, a seasoned balloon handler; Victor, a conniving newcomer; and Rachel, an introverted yet cunning costum...

The stale scent of old case files lingered in the air as I sat at my desk, surrounded by the ghosts of unsolved crimes. But one case haunted me more than the others—the cold case that had eluded me throughout my career. The murder of Amelia Sinclair. Amelia's lifeless body was discovered in the secluded alley behind a jazz club, her vibrant spirit silenced by a single gunshot. The investigation ha...

In the ever-present hum of the Neural Nexus, I found solace. It was a symphony of interconnected thoughts, an intricate dance of shared consciousness that shaped the ebb and flow of daily life. As a seasoned hacker, I navigated the vast digital expanse with finesse, exploiting its vulnerabilities for personal gain or the occasional mischief. Little did I know that the routine of my virtual exploit...

Lila stood on the rooftop, her gaze fixed on the distant glow of Eldoria. The city, once a beacon of innovation and creativity, had become a dystopian landscape where dreams were harvested like crops. The Dream Harvesters, a powerful corporation, had turned the ethereal realm into a tangible commodity, siphoning the very essence of the human soul for energy. She felt the weight of the city's colle...

In the quiet, picturesque town of Willowbrook, nestled amidst rolling hills and lush forests, a dark and brooding secret lay hidden beneath the facade of its serene beauty. Two souls, Lily and James, were about to become entangled in a love story that would unravel this town's darkest mystery, secrets, and pains. Lily Montgomery was a local florist, known for her radiant smile and her uncanny abil...