TaleSnail - Write, Share, and Collaborate on Stories

He knows me.  His eyes could burn a hole in my back with the way he stared at me in the halls. My breath would hitch as I felt his presence walk past, lock shifting into place with the turn of my key as I left my apartment to go get a morning cup of coffee. His hand brushed against the tail of my coat. In a moment, he was gone, shuffling behind his wife as they made their way back to their own hom...

I’ve seen it everywhere, people posting on the internet about creatures in the mountains… It always seemed so silly, “If you hear your name, no you didn’t.” I mean, common, that just sounds so cheesy right?  Right?? I can’t hear my own laughter through my hands muffling my ears. The cool linoleum tile of the bathroom floor reminds me that my laughter is probably echoing. My hand moves with lightni...

In the heart of a bustling city lay an old, forgotten building. Its façade was covered in layers of grime, and its once elegant architecture had faded with time. Most people hurried past it without a second glance, unaware of the remarkable history it held within its decaying walls. This building was once known as the Grand Melody Theater, an esteemed venue for music and the arts. But as the years...

I was never the kind of girl who stood out in a crowd. Timid and shy, I always felt like I was fading into the background, overshadowed by the more confident and assertive people around me. I had moved to the big city with dreams of making a name for myself, but those dreams had been dashed time and time again. I spent months going from agency to agency, portfolio in hand, hoping for my big break....

I awoke to a world that was unlike anything I had ever known. The harsh, dimly lit room and the coarse fabric of my dress immediately made it clear that I was far from my cozy apartment in the bustling city. Panic welled up inside me, and I desperately tried to remember how I had ended up in this foreign place. As I stumbled out of the room and through the narrow stone corridors, I began to piece...

The rhythmic sound of my own breathing filled my ears as I descended into the dark abyss of the lake. Deep sea diving had always been my escape, my way of disconnecting from the chaotic world above and immersing myself in a tranquil, silent realm below the surface. It was a crisp, sunlit morning when I set out for this particular dive, the promise of adventure tingling in the air. This was my favo...

I never thought my life would take such a bizarre turn, but here I am, sharing my apartment with an alien. Yep, you heard me right. An extraterrestrial being from a far-off galaxy is my roommate, and let me tell you, it's been one heck of a ride. It all started when I found a peculiar-looking meteorite in my backyard. Being the amateur astronomer that I am, I decided to investigate. To my shock, t...

From my earliest days, a shadow of fate loomed over my life, casting a pall of sorrow that I could never escape. They called it a curse, a malevolent spell woven into my very being. But it wasn't curses of monsters or magic; it was a curse of love, cruel and relentless. I am Isabella, and this is my story—a story of a curse that condemned me to an unattainable love. In the quiet village where I gr...

My name is Lily. I say it in my mind over and over. The rain fell in heavy sheets, drumming a haunting melody on the windows of our old, creaky house. The chill in the air sent shivers down my spine as I sat in the dimly lit living room, my thoughts racing in the gloomy atmosphere. My name is Lily, and this is the story of how I came to realize that the woman I had always known as my mother was no...

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting eerie shadows across the desolate landscape, I felt a chill run down my spine. The wind whispered through the barren trees, a haunting melody that seemed to echo my own apprehension. I stood alone, in front of the decrepit mansion that had been the subject of countless ghost stories and urban legends. It loomed over me like a sentinel of the past, its w...

My heart pounded in my chest as we pulled up to the new house. The moment we moved in, I had this strange feeling that something was off. The thick tree line that surrounded our property seemed to hold secrets, and in the darkness, I could have sworn I saw a pair of glowing red eyes peering back at me. Every night, those eyes seemed to draw closer, and their eerie glow grew brighter. I tried to ig...

Being hunted is probably my least favorite part of this job. Bark scrapes against the back of my exposed arms as I nestle myself against the tree as tightly as possible. I quietly damn the cold Oregon air for exposing my shallow breaths. Twigs snap in every direction. Crap. “Come on out now.” His voice is just as disgusting as the mouth it’s attached to, and I don’t even need to see his face to sh...

It’s Daya’s smile that haunts me most in this moment. My best friend’s radiance and joy existing only as a memory as I stand in this living nightmare. Blood is rushing through my ears as I look up at the man in front of me. His blue eyes are pleading with his hands outstretched. My heart continued racing as I stood face to face with James, the man I had unknowingly fallen in love with—the man who...

The memories of the past can be both a comforting embrace and a haunting specter. For me, it was the latter. His name was David, and he had been a part of my life many years ago. Our relationship had been intense, passionate, and ultimately destructive. We parted ways on bitter terms, vowing never to see each other again. Years passed, and life moved on. I built a new existence, free from the suff...

I've always thought of myself as an ordinary guy. Well, except for one tiny detail—I can't die. Yeah, you heard me right. It's not exactly a superpower, more like an incredibly inconvenient and bizarre curse. For centuries, I wandered the earth, experiencing countless mishaps and narrow escapes that should have killed me. It was starting to get old, really old. That's when I stumbled upon a suppor...

It had been there for ages, that house. I still remember the chill that ran down my spine as we stood before the towering silhouette of the Olden House. How it loomed over us, a relic of a forgotten time, its darkened windows staring back with an eerie emptiness. The stories surrounding the place were whispered among the locals, tales of apparitions and unexplained phenomena that had plagued the h...

My hands were warmed by the mug of freshly brewed tea I held in my hands as I gazed out the window. It was dreary inside, but the world outside my studio was vibrant and alive, buzzing with the energy of those who pursued dreams without hesitation. From where I stand, the air was heavy, thick with self-doubt and the suffocating grip of depression. My only comfort was the canvas, and I was an artis...

The morning sun peeked through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. I reluctantly opened my eyes, greeted by the familiar sight of our shared bedroom. It took me a moment to remember why today felt different, why my heart thumped so heavily in my chest. It had been exactly one year since the tragic accident that claimed the life of the man I love. My sweet, Ethan. The guilt I c...

Andrea and I met when we were just six years old. Both of us were two lonely girls on a playground full of strangers at a new school. Everyone had their own friend groups, and we were both pretty shy at that age. I remember the moment we met like it was yesterday. We’d both had the same idea to sit underneath the slide, but when I crawled under and into the tight space, I wasn’t expecting to see s...

As Jane packed her suitcase, she wasn’t just thinking about how this trip was supposed to be a breath of fresh air for her and Mason, she was thinking about how it might be their last chance to save their marriage. She rubbed the back of her neck as she angled over the suitcase, tucking the overflowing clothes in at the sides. She couldn’t help but worry that this wouldn’t work, that they would go...

Moving into a new neighborhood is supposed to be an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to leave behind the ghosts of the past and embrace a brighter future. That's what we had had hoped for as we settled into our new home in the picturesque utopia of Serenity Gardens. But little did we know, beneath the facade of beauty and tranquility, a sinister secret lay hidden beneath the well-kept flowe...

In a world where magic swirled through the air like a symphony of colors, I was the anomaly—a mere human born into a realm brimming with enchantment and wonder. No single being was quite sure what had happened, some thought I was cursed, some thought I was part of an ancient destiny. Either way, from the moment I took my first breath, I knew I was different. Though raised by magical beings who emb...

My alarm goes off at the same time it does every morning, seven. I snake my arm out from beneath the warmth of my blankets to turn it off and stare up at the ceiling as I think about my day. The front door slams shut as my sister strides into the house, it always closes behind her with such force that I can feel the house tremble. The walls are thin, so much so that I can make out the song she’s h...

I’d always prided myself on being able to navigate the labyrinth of an individual’s mind. There are always so many layers, so many things to uncover, so many things hidden away. I became a psychologist because of how I loved to peel back those layers, bringing the darkness into the light, and bringing my patients the peace they so longed for. When Elizabeth Thompson walked into my office, I could...

I woke up groggily, as I did most mornings. I could hear my mom cooking downstairs, humming as she went, a reminder that I was no closer to moving out. Little did I know my world was about to be turned upside down when I picked up my phone. The light was harsh as I squinted at the screen, looking for any new notifications. I’d applied to numerous jobs in the hopes that one would lead me one step c...