Latest Stories

Most recently published stories on Vocal.

California's Got it All
I live in Los Angeles California The second largest city in the U.S. Allow me to share some things about my state And why I think it's the best
By Justiss Goode24 days ago in Poets
I Cried After I Lost the Weight. AI-Generated.
It wasn’t supposed to be emotional. That’s what I told myself. Weight loss was supposed to be practical. Measurable. Predictable. You eat less, you weigh less. Numbers go down. Life continues.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction
Boann
Introduction This is my sixth piece inspired by Justine G. Cappelli's gorgeous artwork. This is a rondeau
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 24 days ago in Poets
WHEN GIANTS MOVE
WHEN GIANTS MOVE Across the ocean, two giants breathe, one draped in stars and certainty, one wrapped in iron and old ambition,
By George’s Girl 2026 24 days ago in Poets
What Truly Changed Me Wasn’t My Diet. It Was My Mind.. AI-Generated.
For years, I believed change lived in food. In calories. In portion sizes. In carbohydrates and protein and sugar and restraint.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction
I Didn’t Lose Weight. I Lost Shame.. AI-Generated.
The first thing I lost wasn’t weight. It was eye contact. I didn’t realize when it began. There was no official moment, no ceremony marking the transition. Just a gradual lowering of my gaze.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction
THE LAST ALGORITHM. AI-Generated.
The Archive sang its final song at 3:47 AM on a Tuesday that would never be recorded. Dr. Yuki Tanaka stood before the quantum core, watching fractals of light spiral through the crystalline matrix like stars being born and dying in microseconds. She had spent seventeen years teaching machines to think. Now, in the abandoned server farm beneath Old Detroit, she was about to teach one to forget.
By Alpha Cortex24 days ago in Fiction
How I Lost Weight While Working 12-Hour Days in New York City. AI-Generated.
The first thing people notice about New York is the speed. Everyone is moving. Fast. Purposefully. Without apology. The second thing they don’t notice is the exhaustion.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction
The Internet
How is it we once went from not having any social media, any cell phones, laptops. etc. To now its something none of us can live without. The Internet and all these new devices are supposed to make our lives easier, but instead it just consumes us all. It consumes us in ways it shouldn’t, for example you have someone trying to have a conversation with you, but all they are doing is looking at their phone. You’re telling me you cannot go a minute without looking at your phone while someone who is sitting right in front of you trying to have a conversation with you?
By Merjaunie Lena24 days ago in Journal
I Didn’t Have Time to Work Out. So I Lost Weight Anyway.. AI-Generated.
The lie I told myself was simple, clean, and socially acceptable. “I don’t have time.” I said it the way people say, “I’ll call you,” when they know they won’t. I said it to coworkers, to friends, to my doctor, and most convincingly, to myself.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction
More Than a Sermon: Everyday Roles That Strengthen a Faith Community
A vibrant faith community is about much more than what happens during a sermon. While weekly messages often take center stage, the true heartbeat of any congregation is found in the everyday people who give their time, energy, and care in quiet, meaningful ways. From greeting newcomers to organizing events, there are countless opportunities to support church life beyond preaching or formal leadership.
By Mike Signorelli24 days ago in Education
I Once Feared the Mirror, Now I Dare to Look at Myself. AI-Generated.
For most of my life, mirrors were my enemy. I didn’t avoid them casually; I avoided them with precision. Bathroom mirrors, full-length mirrors, shop windows reflecting a distorted image of myself—I steered clear of them all. Each reflection was a reminder that I was too much for the world: too big, too slow, too undesirable.
By Peter24 days ago in Fiction