The Ink Well Highlights Magazine # 223

_{Image modified using a picture by Becca Clark from Pixabay}

This periodic magazine highlights a small selection of short stories posted to The Ink Well community that stood out and were awarded a Curie vote. Thank you to all authors in The Ink Well for sharing your creative work!

Important Note

We are showcasing authors who have contributed well-written and edited stories, have read and commented on the work of other authors and comply with all of the community rules posted on our home page. These activities help our community thrive.

The following are just a few of our favorite stories from August 11 to August 17/2025.

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Featured Author: Hive account@daeze-winnie

A Long Walk Indeed To Freedom

_{Image Generated using Meta AI}

“Agent Janet,” the boy said with urgency.
“I can’t do it alone. Please can you send the SWAT team? My brain is melting. Please send someone, at least someone who can do long division.”
Janet looked up with a wide grin. “Alright, I’ll be your backup. Tell me the first one.”

Hive account@daeze-winnie
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Featured Author: Hive account@delightedpen

Stuck In The Highway

_{Image generated with ChatGPT}

Only a random student, Maxwell, Evelyn's seatmate and the quietest, was caught whispering words. The captor, suspecting that he was speaking to a ghost, commanded him to keep quiet. Maxwell obeyed.
Jack returned with the captives. He remained outside, watching the environment as the driver fixed the last tire. Soon, they were ready to go. But as the driver started the ignition, it refused to come up.

Hive account@delightedpen

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Featured Author: Hive account@nachomolina2

Rotating hostage

_Pixabay

fter traveling several hundred miles on the interstate, night was already approaching. From the car window, I saw a small, illuminated valley.
It was bordered by a limestone, reddish hillock, whose glow skirted the small plot of a fertile cornfield.
I understood I had reached my destination!

Hive account@nachomolina2

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Featured Author: Hive account@suqueen

I Only Went in for a Coffee.

_{Image AI generated}

And then I got the cat’s life story. Which somehow segued into the history of the café. Which somehow segued into her theory that the postman was secretly a novelist. I’ve seen him scribbling in that little notebook. Probably about me.
I checked the time again. Fifteen minutes. My coffee was cold.

Hive account@suqueen
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Featured Author: Hive account@tranquil3

The Turning Point

_{Image generated with FX AI}

He nodded slowly, surprised at himself.
Slowly, his reputation grew. He was good with wires and never cheated anyone. He was able to fix things others couldn’t. He was never angry but always wore a smile, even when hungry. People began to call him Engineer Chidi because he fixed things perfectly.

Hive account@tranquil3
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Featured Author: Hive account@glorydee

The Timeless Dress

_{Image genERATED using Meta AI}

They kept on bantering forth and back, I just stayed silent with a heavy heart because i had looked forward to this anniversary, we would singing alongside some popular gospel singers, i couldn't just dismiss myself like Emediong, i really want to be in church, but I also could not afford a new dress t that moment, I had just paid my school fees and bought some textbooks, it will be insensitive of me to worry my parents again so quickly.

Hive account@glorydee
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Featured Author: Hive account@marriot5464

Just In Time

_{Image generated using OpenAI}

I couldn't argue with her or deny her offer. It came at the right time and my stomach had already made the decision for me. I pulled on some dry clothes and stepped back outside. The cold air bit my face, but I didn't stop. The thought of roasted yams against my tongue kept me moving to her door.
Her place was lit by a single rechargeable lamp. The aroma of roasted yams and oil sauces filled the room. She looked at me like she had seen a ghost.

Hive account@marriot5464

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Hive account@jayna , Hive account@gracielaacevedo , Hive account@yaziris , Hive account@itsostylish , Hive account@samsmith1971, and Hive account@agmoore

p.s. You can see the past magazines here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46,47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67,68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107,108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,129,130, 131,132,133,134, 135, 136, 138, 139,140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146,147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155,156,157,158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177,178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184,185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206,207,208,209,210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217 , 218, 219, 220, 221, 222

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We invite lovers of creative writing to visit The Ink Well, a Hive community started by Hive account@raj808 and Hive account@stormlight24 and run by Hive account@jayna, Hive account@gracielaacevedo, Hive account@yaziris, Hive account@itsostylish, Hive account@samsmith1971 and Hive account@agmoore.

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