Life

The Gilded Menagerie
The iron gates of the Oakwood Zoological Gardens creaked open at precisely eight o’clock, admitting a trickle of visitors into a world of curated nature. To the children clutching cotton candy, it was a place of wonder. To the keepers in their khaki uniforms, it was a place of duty and meticulous care. But to the inhabitants behind the glass and the dry moats, it was a kingdom of clocks—a world defined by the predictable arrival of the feeding bucket and the rhythmic clicking of the gate locks.
By Farhad2 months ago in Writers
chickadee
(mr sun waited to crawl out til after you woke today. no point in sunrise if it’s not reflected in your eyes. stars drop out of the sky
By Daniel Gregory2 months ago in Writers
Alone in the Crowd.
I wake up to the sound of my alarm, the familiar blaring that marks the start of another day. The sunlight filters through the blinds, falling in thin stripes across my room, but it doesn’t feel like the world is waking up—it feels like I’m waking up alone, again. My phone buzzes with notifications, but most of them are just promotions, reminders, or random messages I don’t care about. The brief hope that maybe someone actually wants to talk to me fades almost instantly.
By Sayeba khan2 months ago in Writers
What Happened To My Reads?
Introduction I have had issues publishing on Vocal recently, but we now have an excellent resolution. I was quite surprised to see a huge rise in my reads from what they had been with my first repurposed "new" stories. I really have no explanation for this.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 2 months ago in Writers
9 Common ChatGPT Mistakes People Still Make — And How GPT-5.2 Is Changing the Game. AI-Generated.
The Rise of ChatGPT in Early 2025 In early 2025, ChatGPT is no longer a novelty. It has quietly become a daily companion for writers, students, business owners, marketers, and developers. From drafting emails to planning projects, it now plays a role in everyday decision-making. Yet despite its growing intelligence, many users still feel disappointed by the results they get. The irony is simple: the problem is rarely ChatGPT itself. More often, it’s how people use it. With the release of GPT-5.2, many long-standing frustrations are finally being addressed, but only if users understand what they’ve been doing wrong all along.
By David John2 months ago in Writers
The Last Space On Drury Lane
Once I turned onto Drury Lane, London had already decided what to do with its evening. The theatres were emptying as the sun was setting, with articulate individuals coming out in dribs and drabs as each show closed its curtains, and taxis pulling up and leaving like a plane at an airport. The scene was well and truly set in London, with the fresh smell of rain and fast-food takeaways. The only issue is that I wasn’t meant to be here, on the road, letting the pedestrians cross over to get to their taxi. I should’ve been getting into the city via train, but like always, they were cancelled. A busy environment that you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy, especially on a Friday night.
By MadlynLee2 months ago in Writers
The Tree Who Chose To Grow
Chose to Grow In a forest full of giants tall, One little tree felt very small. It whispered softly, “What can I be?
By Krista Logan2 months ago in Writers
This Is Me, Showing Up Anyway
Usually, my life doesn't appear dramatic to anyone from the outside. It just looks real, probably boring. No glorious victories, no dramatic moments in a movie, just cold tea, a cat sleeping on my lap, and a silent assessment of what my body will allow for in a given day. Love is part of all this, pain, lots of figuring out.
By Zoe Dixon2 months ago in Writers
The Doorway I Can’t Enter
I have always believed words are tools before they are treasures. A hammer can be beautiful, sure, but only insofar as it drives the nail where it needs to go. This belief has served me well in prose. Give me a story, a memory, a grief, a love—I can build something solid from it. Beginning, middle, end. A door you can walk through.
By Luna Vani2 months ago in Writers
The Secret Language of Beauty
Beauty is not just about the face you see in the mirror. It comes from your habits, your thoughts and the way you treat yourself every day. Some people look naturally fresh, confident and attractive, even without makeup. Others struggle with dull skin, tired eyes or low self-esteem, even when they try hard. Why does this difference exist? The answer hides in simple choices that shape your inner and outer beauty.
By Salman Writes2 months ago in Writers
Between Roots and Branches
I learned early that my roots would hold without being held. The conditions shifted from storm to silence, and my roots gripped whatever soil would take them. I learned when to move and when to stay still. I learned that survival meant reading energy when you’re young and you have no voice.
By Tifani Power 2 months ago in Writers
Finding Yourself After Feeling Lost. AI-Generated.
There comes a moment in your life when you realize that you must control your life. It is not right. You did not fail. Somewhere on the journey, you quit hearing your own voice.
By Amélie Belle2 months ago in Writers