-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…

One thing that I was absolutely sure from the beginning was that I was not a man. However, I had once been a king, a sailor, a businessman, a thief and a murderer. I am not a god either. I have no memory of my age but I have lived through ages.

I have lived as every creature known to man and as creatures men believe to exist only in fairy tales. I have wandered all my life —my endless existence—across every corner of the world. For it is in my nature to move constantly. I am the wanderer.

Living as an animal is easy. You think less and have fewer worries. You follow a certain pattern and go along with their natural instinct. Becoming a human is complex. They have intricate thoughts. They worry about the smallest things; kill and plunder their own kind for the littlest of reasons; fight wars for reasons that seem so insignificant for someone who has lived so long.

Immortality, not dying, living forever—is worse than dying a painful death. Death is a release; immortality is being stuck at a small, dark room for all eternity. I cannot remember how many times I have longed to part this life and become ash and get carried away by the rivers all the way up to the oceans. Sometimes I would wish that the soil would consume me and nourish the plants that would grow out of me. But I cannot die. I cannot drown, burn, get cut, get poisoned or starve and my flesh heal immediately even at the slightest injury.

I have chosen to become a gray squirrel this time. I have forgotten how many days, weeks or months I have lived in this forest as a little rodent. I seem to enjoy the cool Himalayan air.

I have made a dray—a nest that real squirrels make with leaves and twigs; tucked comfortably in a branch of a tree. From there I can observe an entirely different world of chirps and squeaks and the electric buzz of insects and an occasional howl

But the real treat is the the majesty and the timelessness of the Great mountains. These mountains are the only things that make me feel less lonely. At sunrise they are ablaze with fire: golden and unearthly. During the rest of the day they simply look intimidating and ancient; as ancient and as old as time itself.

I get so lost in the sight of them that sometimes I forget to feed for many days.  Now I feel that my little squirrel body needs some nourishment. It is almost twilight. The leaves of the trees are turning form green to grey by the minute. I cannot see anything worth gnawing on the forest floor, although I can feel a small mouse scuttling somewhere in the bush.

I turn into an owl and swoop down for the little mouse.

End

Author bio: I am a law student pursuing my B.A.LL.B. from Nepal Law Campus, Kathmandu. I enjoy reading fantasy and thrillers and this is my first story.

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