-The best stories on the web-
Read or link to over 1000 stories listed under Stories to the left.
Submit your short stories for review as a Word document attached to an email to: Read@Short-Story.Me

Latest Stories

March 19, 2024
Fantasy Stories Wondering Monk

Just My Imagination

The alarm clock went off and started playing an awful tune. Tom opened his eyes and closed them back, squinting. He reopened one eye and stood up to stop the torture. The phone was on the desk, in the furthest spot from the bed. Although he changed his way of…
March 19, 2024
Science Fiction Stories Ocelotlzin

Earth Is Dead

Recording… It doesn't matter who I was; I probably lived a long time ago, and I am now just a voice someone added to the audio-visual records. What is essential is the recollection of events that lead to the current state. So, a little history needs to be…
March 08, 2024
Flash Fiction Benoit

Some Enchanted Evening

It was a rugby tackle with tears: Chrissy burst in, sobbing and babbling, hugging James. Her face was all wet, eyes wild. What…? My parents split up, Dad has moved in with his boyfriend and I cannot join them. I am shut out. I have lost my dad. Torrent of…
March 08, 2024
Horror Stories Marvel Chukwudi Pephel

In The Hands Of My Legs

The car pulled up in front of the large salon. The neon sign, that sexy broad thing, on the salon'sroof read "Mr. Gil's All-night Salon". The exhaust pipe of the car was pumping solid smoke, theswirls moving from the car and towards the salon.…
March 07, 2024
Mystery Stories Vanessa Leigh Giles

Casualty of Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Chapter 1 Until Death do us Part ‘Ring, ring!’. I answered the telephone and asked, “Hello, good evening. Who’s this? “Hello.” This is Dr. Smith from Red Cross hospital. “Is this Mr. Locke, John?”, he asked, hesitantly scratching his bald head. “Yes, doctor.…
March 07, 2024
Crime Stories Robert Pook

Bar Room Trigger

Another return journey on footpaths so familiar. He strides across each crack in each paving stone. Regular loose drain covers sidestepped. Mapping long ago mapped in Richard’s desolate mind. His pace hastened by the sight of the oncoming storm. Quickening…
March 04, 2024
Horror Stories Ano Chinemerem

Sanctity

Where should I begin? I could begin by telling you about this comely boy, whom every notable person around the streets agrees his smile could charm the bills off one. Between one smile, there was his goodness, his dreams and humanity—a little far ahead?— but…
March 04, 2024
Flash Fiction Emanuel Diaz

Et Mortui Partium

As Rafael stepped out into the rain, it wasn't the ordinary drops that fell from the sky. Instead, it was a storm of souls, each one taking the form of shimmering jewelry as it cascaded toward the ground. Rubies, diamonds, and sapphires twinkled amidst the…
February 29, 2024
Poetry Jing Li Ava

London

‘Am I in London?’ "I am." Where is Elizabeth? Happy living story All of your chapter Bounlance joy Please my heart Power hand Wise mind Our baby Vow vow Love all love Miss I miss Endless wonder Bring us together Love all love Miss I miss For everything My…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Rob Pook

Life Sentence of The Smith

Born nine months after his country won the World Cup.A child prodigy.Cast off at age twenty-four.Husband, father, emigree, away on the other side of the world.The blue-collar life.The dreams of success.The search for fulfillment.The long years of empty…
February 29, 2024
Mystery Stories Joshua Lowther

The Operator

Jason looked over to his right, his eyes barely able to focus themselves on the subject of his attention. His neck ached terribly from the strenuous movement. He was tired. The captain’s gaze came to rest on the rookie sonar operator sitting tense at his…
February 29, 2024
Flash Fiction Salvatore Difalco

The Chute

At dusk, we left our unit with a soft pink bundle. I carried it through the wet streets and into the black woods. I said I’d take it all the way, the bundle, but that we had to drop it in together. My wife’s green eyes flashed. “Don’t make me do that.” I…

Joe and Alice Storm inherited a funeral home from their parents.  They had worked with their parents, so they were qualified to run a funeral home. They had a good reputation and were always busy.

One night, during a performance, a world famous magician died.  Because his home was in Greenfield, Massachusetts, his body was taken to the Storm funeral home.

“So, this is the famous Zara?” Joe said. I never saw him perform, but I understand he was amazing.”

“I saw him once in Las Vegas, and  he was amazing.  He called for a volunteer from   the audience  and gave him a knife.  There was a brief moment during which Zara meditated and then he told the volunteer to stab him.  The volunteer didn’t want to, but   Zara held his hand and pulled the knife into his stomach.  Zara fell to the floor on his side with his back to the audience. There was a loud gasp from the audience, and, after a minute, he stood up and held the knife in his hand.  It was something to see.

“Well, we’re going to get Mr. Zara ready to disappear,” Joe said and went down to the room where bodies were embalmed.

A week later, a mass was held, and hundreds of people came to mourn the loss of the great magician.  At the cemetery, hundreds of people stood in the rain as the casket was lowered into his grave.  After the mourners left the cemetery, Joe and Alice returned to the funeral home.

“Well, that was quite a gathering.  I recognized some show-business people,” Joe said.

“I could have done without the rain,” Alice complained.  We’ve had funerals in the rain before, but this is the first time I felt that the whole proceeding at the cemetery was strange, eerie.  Anyway, it’s over.  Are you hungry? I’m gonna make myself a sandwich,” she said and went into the kitchen while Joe went into his office.  As he sat down, he heard Alice scream, and he ran into the kitchen.  Alice was on the floor, and Zara was sitting at the kitchen table.  “Oh, my God,” Joe gasped.  I must be dreaming,” he said and slapped his face.  At that moment, Alice came to and stood up

“Alice, do you see who I see?”

“Do you see Zara?”

“God,  yes.”

“My name isn’t really Zara.  That was my stage name.  My real name is Elwood Snarl.  Say, do you have anything to eat? I’m starving.”

“Uh, Mr. Snarl …”

“Please call me Elwood.”

“Uh, Elwood, you’re dead.  We buried you.  How could, I mean, how did you get here?”

“Magic.  I’m a magician.  I wasn’t going to stay in that disgusting grave. Would you want to spend eternity in a wooden box in the ground?”

“Well, n, no,” Joe stammered, but, you’re dead.  We embalmed you and buried you.”

“I know, and that embalming fluid is very, let’s say, unpleasant.  Now, do you have anything to eat?  I’m very hungry?  I haven’t eaten  since I died.”

“You can have my sandwich …after you prove we’re not dreaming,” Alice said.  “How did you escape from your grave?”

“Simple, I said a few magic words and zap, I was standing in the rain, and, you know, it’s a long walk from the cemetery here to my home away from life, so to speak.”

“Magic words? What are you talking about?  Once you’re dead, you’re dead.  And that’s that.  You have to go back to your grave,” Joe said adamantly.

“Okay, okay. Is it alright if I stay here until it stops raining?  After it stops raining I’ll walk back to my grave. I could use the exercise.”

“I guess so,” Alice said. ”Y’ know, you look terrible. You look like you died and they forgot to bury you. If people see you, you’ll scare the hell out of them.  We’ll drive you to your grave  tomorrow night.  Take your sandwich and go down to the preparation room and wait.  Lie down on the preparation table and take a nap,” she said and he went down to the preparation room.

The next morning, Alice went down to the preparation room to check on Elwood, and, then ran upstairs to Joe.   “Joe, Elwood is gone.  He was supposed to wait until tonight to go back to his grave, but he must have gone back as soon as the rain stopped.

“We’ll, Elwood is a mystery.  We’ll never know.

A week later, Joe was reading the paper.  “Oh, my God,   Alice, look.

She took the paper and read.  “This week only at the Center Stage Theater, back from the dead, the magic of the Great Zara.”

The End

 

Bio: While teaching, Mr. Greenblatt wrote short stories and plays.  One of his plays won a Smith College playwriting competition.  Since retiring in 2000, he has written short stories, novellas, and plays.  Some of his short stories have been published in on-line magazines, and others were published in print anthologies.

0
0
0
s2sdefault

Donate a little?

Use PayPal to support our efforts:

Amount

Genre Poll

Your Favorite Genre?

Sign Up for info from Short-Story.Me!

Stories Tips And Advice