Novel & Cerita A Home For Lonely Souls

On the day I was diagnosed with stage four cancer, Vivian Cross handed me a contract for a divorce reality show. I already knew that meant she'd lost another bet to her secretary, Miles Smith. They'd made ninety-nine bets over the years, and every time, Vivian let herself lose on purpose. She lost the house we decorated for our wedding. She lost the wedding itself. She even lost our son's body, handing him over so Miles could satisfy his twisted curiosity about the human body. Our baby had been seven months along when they donated his remains. He'd been so small. Vivian slid the contract across to me, tapping the papers. "Ethan, I lost another bet. It's just a reality show. Help me keep M

She was nearly twenty-four and hadn’t got a mile past Lonesome Dove, which wasn’t fast progress considering that she had only been twelve when her parents got nervous about Yankees and left Mobile. That much slow progress would have discouraged most women, but Lorena didn’t allow her mind to dwell on it. She had her flat days, of course, but that was mostly because Lonesome Dove itself was so flat. She got tired of looking out the window all day and seeing nothing but brown land and gray chaparral. In the middle of the day the sun was so hot the land looked white. She could see the river from her window, and Mexico. Lippy told her she could make a fortune if she

Mikkel grabbed the book that was plopped before her nose and threw it at the coffee table that was on the far end of the room. "Fine...." The two of them plopped down on the worn-out sofa with their bowls of Caesar salad and dumplings. Ever since Meghaal entered his life the young man felt less lonely. His days no longer were spent with reheated food consumed alone in the deafening silence of the room that was only disturbed by the chirping crickets that inhabited the surrounding trees of the forest he called home. His parents, as loving as they were, were too busy with pack affairs to be on time to catch a warm meal with their son. Aphrodite had made his lonely life much more bearable ever

Fear crept on his back, he shivered at the deafening silence. The surroundings were like an endless maze. He was lost once again. Alone. Lost. The mud and pitch-black liquid forced its way into his throat and throat, an evil laugh sounded in his ears as if happy to hurt him. ANYONE PLEASE! BROTHER! MOTHER! He could feel foreign hands tugging at his legs and arms, making him sink further and further away from the light. The tendrils caught his body, he succumbed deeper. He faded. Slowly but surely.

Amber went all out and set up a special ritual for Leah’s birthday. It would be a celebration of her life and a spiritual rite of passage to her future. She had saged one of the rooms in the back of her store and laid out an altar in it. The altar sat upon a low black wooden table. The red silk cloth hung over the edges and upon it lay crystals, sage, moon water, and a scrying bowl.

Ingrid was happy and getting used to being alone at home. Of course, she also felt a bit of sadness because she missed her cousin, especially now that she was the only one doing Zumba in the living room when she got home from work. But she was enjoying her solitude. She turned up the volume of her smart TV speakers because she had no neighbors to disturb. The unit she was renting was at the end of the building, and the one next door had been vacant since yesterday. It made her even more motivated to dance.

- ISOBEL - “You know, when I imagined you living alone, I definitely didn’t expect a place this huge.” Nina calls from my living room. We just got home, my home at least. “What can I say? I love my space and comfort.” I reply, marinating the chicken. I’ve made a sauce with the vegetables. All I got to do now is mix it with some rice and we’d have a nicely cooked meal. This should not take more than a few minutes, half an hour if I want to be kind of exact.

Would I ever find solid ground? I tried to push the questions away, telling myself to focus on the small victories: making my own breakfast, turning the music up loud, buying flowers just because I wanted to. Yet, loneliness seeped into the cracks. --- One afternoon, walking through a crowded market, I stumbled upon a tiny antique bookstore tucked between two cafés. The faded sign read *“Fragments”*, and something about the name pulled me inside. Inside, the scent of old paper and dust wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Shelves sagged with forgotten stories and whispered secrets.

“And when they are ready, we add more. The Haven of Shadows is not just a name. It’s a promise. Broken souls find home here. Lost ones find purpose. Outcasts… find family.” The teens blink, awe and cautious hope in their eyes. Even Selene, who has traveled thousands of miles fleeing darkness, lets a tentative smile appear. “I… I never thought…” she murmurs. “I never thought I’d be safe like this.” “You are,” I assure her softly. “And so are we all. Together.”

My dreams of building a life with him—having his children—were officially over. I leaned my head against the cool edge of the bathtub, letting the steaming water cascade down my body. For a brief moment, the warmth numbed the ache in my heart. —Bing—Bing— The doorbell rang. I groaned. “Who the heck is this again? Can’t I just be alone in peace?! This is getting frustrating!” Ignoring it, I stayed put, hoping whoever it was would go away. —Bing—Bing—Bing—