Short Story is a huge genre of small stories. In general, short stories are between 1,000 and 10,000 words. Stories from all genres can be included in short stories, so you’ll find a wide variety of tales to read in here!
Check out the latest Short Stories from Inklings!
- The Cambridge’s Final Voyage
Kinn System “She’s nearly ready to be scuttled, sir,” First Officer Reddy says with a salute. Looking out of the bridge’s forward viewing area, Captain Mali can’t help but sigh. Floating haplessly through space ahead of them is the Cambridge, an old frigate that had seen more action than most, but it hadn’t seen nearly enough to earn its salvation. The ship had fought alongside Mali and his ship, the Adelaide in the Corva Uprising. Now the ship was about to join the countless others that had been intentionally crashed into one of the planets in the Kinn system, where - A Bootleg Christmas
*Author Note: This is a prequel/Christmas Short Story to the story: The Invasion of Allegra which is in Kindle Vella* Watchtower XXIV, Deep Space 25 December, 2283 – 00.04 “Fahy!” Vansen whispers through the door that she had just barely cracked open. Yawning, Fahy rolls onto his side and looks at the light that is streaming in through the crack from the bright hallway outside of his cabin. Rubbing his eyes, he asks, “Yeah?” “Can we come in?” Vansen requests, “It’s just Boris, Fagan, and I.” Nodding slowly, Fahy thinks about what Vansen was asking. A few beats pass and - Reference Point
Janell looked at the track and stroked her dragon steed, “We can do this, girl…” She looked at her best friend, “Ready, Taliba?” Taliba smiled nervously, “I think so. I’m so excited! But nervous.” “Yeah, It’s always like that- I remember the first time I raced! I almost got sick!” Taliba giggled, “Yeah, I remember.” Janell began to speak again but a man stepped out in front of the line of riders. “Ready?” He shouted. Janell and Taliba mounted along with all the other dragon riders. “Get set!” Janell made sure her safety rope’s hook was on right, checked her - Passion Ignited
Screech. The cell door was yanked open causing Faye’s heart to jump. Orange light flooded the room; her eyes watered and smarted but her weak arms couldn’t rise to rub the burn. She averted her gaze to a dim corner as tears warmed her cheeks. Her heart rushed blood through her ears causing them to ring. Shackles clunked to the ground as the lead chain was unlocked. Rusted cuffs pressed into her wrists as a man jerked her out of the cell. She shuffled irregularly down the dim corridor, dragging her feet while allowing the weight of the iron to - We Will Not Stay BrokenAugust 7, 1860 Fire reflected off the black window. It was two hours before midnight and five children sat near the hearth, cookies in hand but with only a few bites taken. To the right of them, seated in a rocking chair, was their maid. An African woman in her late thirties who, until a few moments ago, had captivated them with stories. The room adjoining had fallen deathly silent, disconcerting from the previous moaning and screaming they’d heard. In response, they too had ceased their chatter. The eldest, a boy about sixteen, stood and inched toward the door. The
- Liquid Monster~Journal of the day the Japan Tsunami hit~ May 11, 2011 started like any normal day, but I remember all the details perfectly unlike any other. I’d biked to school with my older brother, Yuuto. It was beautiful out and the cherry blossoms were still in bloom, which was unusual for that time of year. I wasn’t very interested in the trees though. I’d raced inside ahead of Yuuto, slowing down once in the hall and walking to my locker looking around for Sumire, my best friend. I wanted to tell her about my birthday that was coming up and
- The New Falklands Breeze
New Falkland Islands, Islas de Ligera Santiago Pueblo wrinkles his nose trying to dissuade what his tired mind thinks is some unseen fly from landing. He continues doing so for several moments before he finally opens his eyes to see what is going on. As he does so, he realizes that a stray blade of grass had been picked up in the early morning breeze and had been fluttering in his face. Shaking his head, Santiago chuckles and he looks out over the ocean that is spread out before him like a vast holiday meal. It was all his for - Warm Heart
“Whoa. Your hands are cold.” Eric Morrow winced. “Sorry. Sorry.” The EMT shoved her hands inside her jacket. Eric tried to smile through his grimace of pain. “I guess that’s pretty petty of me, complaining about your cold hands, Erin,” He whispered, reading her ID badge as she went back to inserting the IV. “Considering you’re saving my life.” “My husband always complained about my cold hands,” she said with a smile. “And I don’t know about saving your life. The doctors and nurses will work on that, when we get you to the hospital.” “Wow, that was kind of - The Pillars
Three Years Prior to The Battle for Allegra, San Sebastian Copper Mine, Raudona Akiratis “What are we looking at, Greer?” Francis Reedsburg asks one of his workmen who is currently chipping away at an odd protrusion in the stone face. Joseph Greer looks up and shrugs, “Looks like some sort of… tower. I don’t know, boss, it’s weird.” Chuckling, Reedsburg shakes his head, “It doesn’t look like much of a tower, old man.” The elderly man shrugs once more and he resumes his chipping away at the surface. Turning away from Greer, Reedsburg looks at the rest of his - SPRING FOREVERRomance, Short Story, Uplifting, Literary Thin, wrinkled fingers turned the faded pages of her well-loved book with a strength that hadn’t failed for over sixty years. Frowning slightly, Rose glared toward the whirring machines in the room that would not stop their infernal beeping. At least the steady rhythm assured her worrywart niece that everything but her blasted leg was in top shape. Sighing, Rose tried again to focus on the story set in her beloved Paris. Pushing a stray lock of silver hair behind her ear, she squinted. Her strength may not have deserted her all this time, but
- The Best Drug
If you were to walk in on this gray, gloomy night you’ll probably carry yourself in with an expectancy. Rows of better-than-you’s, noses turned up from the hymnal. Perfect lives and families. Made obvious by their four kids dressed in their best without squabbles that test the patience of their parents. You hesitate between the doors. You’ve seen it before. Pretending to care, or maybe silently judging you in the back pew. Too often, unfortunately, it’s true. We pretend, somehow, we’re better than the rest. Granted, our salvation comes from God of his love, not because we’re good enough. But - Falling Skies
“What’s happening, Hector?” Abia whispers to her husband as they both look up to the stars. Overhead, something entirely unnatural was causing the most dazzling meteor shower that either of them had ever seen. Just outside of the planet’s atmosphere a war was being fought. One that would decide the future of everyone below. If the Coalition fleet broke through the blockade, Abia knew, they would all perish. “We’ll be fine,” Hector promises his wife, somehow picking up on the hidden question within her words. This was something that Hector had always been good at doing and Abia always felt
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- A Bootleg Christmas*Author Note: This is a prequel/Christmas Short Story to the story: The Invasion of Allegra which is in Kindle Vella* Watchtower XXIV, Deep Space 25 December, 2283 – 00.04 “Fahy!” Vansen whispers through the door that she had just barely cracked open. Yawning, Fahy rolls onto his side and looks at the light that is streaming in through the crack from the bright hallway outside of his cabin. Rubbing his eyes, he asks, “Yeah?” “Can we come in?” Vansen requests, “It’s just Boris, Fagan, and I.” Nodding slowly, Fahy thinks about what Vansen was asking. A few beats pass and
- A Father’s Blessing: An Inheritance of Blood
One Creve Coeur, Giselle “Dad, I’m here now,” Markus chokes as he tries his best to hold back the tears. Markus knew that he couldn’t keep the tears from flowing, however, the effort was as doomed as an ancient levies’ effort to keep back a rising tide. “Come closer, son,” Markus’s father, Grayson Killian, weakly beckons as he reaches outward with a shaky hand. Grayson’s hand waves around randomly as he blindly searches for Markus’s. At one point, Grayson Killian had been the most feared bounty hunter in Coalition space. His most famous quarries included a handful of rebel Fulcrum - A Man Travels Light When He Has Nothing Left
One Gage Homestead, Markham “I always knew that Tuesdays weren’t my day,” Howard Gage tells himself with a chuckle. Looking afar off, he slowly counts a few of the stars near the horizon. There was such an otherworldly majesty to those pinpricks of light that always made Howard feel small—but in a good way. Shaking his head, Howard leans against the flimsy rail on his worn-out porch. Years ago, the porch had been beautiful, and the rail held firm. That was back when his grandfather—the man who started the homestead—had built it. That was the only thing that Howard’s grandfather - A Mother’s PrivilegeBleary-eyed, she turned the spigot to fill up the sink and squeezed a dollop of Dawn into the warm water. She glanced at the microwave. The orange digits on it read 2:26. Her son, just over three weeks old, had settled into a contented milky coma a few minutes before she’d come downstairs. But now she wanted to pump, and there were no clean parts to attach to the medela. She sighed, trying not to think about anything in particular, and just watched the suds inch up over the pump flanges and bottles. The less she thought, the easier it
- Bad News
Alright, I have bad new. 🙁 If you’re seeing this, then there aren’t enough stories in the genre you want to check out! I know, it’s sad. But, there’s good news. What is it? YOU can write a story! Yes, you! Everyone has a story in them. No, we might not be the best at first, but we’re humans and we’re made to learn. Made to adapt. Made to create. If I was able to convince you, then please be sure to check out the page Write With Us and start going through the stories you’ve already written! 😀 - Ellendawn: The City of Lights
One Ellendawn, Gad “To think that they used to say that we were the weird ones,” Aleph laughs as he and his brother look out to the city that they grew up in. Stretched out in front of them is the city of Ellendawn, a city better known as ‘the City of Lights.’ According to the stories, the town first got its name from the breathtaking sunrises that once graced the landscape. There was supposedly a natural eternally rose gold hue to the light that was, as rumor had it, quite lovely. But that was years ago, long before the - Falling Skies“What’s happening, Hector?” Abia whispers to her husband as they both look up to the stars. Overhead, something entirely unnatural was causing the most dazzling meteor shower that either of them had ever seen. Just outside of the planet’s atmosphere a war was being fought. One that would decide the future of everyone below. If the Coalition fleet broke through the blockade, Abia knew, they would all perish. “We’ll be fine,” Hector promises his wife, somehow picking up on the hidden question within her words. This was something that Hector had always been good at doing and Abia always felt
- His Unfading Star“Is this what it’s like, my love?” Soren reached for the hand of Rhizah, his wife of thirty years, fighting the shiver of fear quivering his words. “Don’t fret, Soren,” she replied softly, rubbing the swollen knuckles on his hand. “It’s not the most horrible thing to happen.” His wife was born blind, so she was at quite peace with the dark. She was probably the most humble, trusting woman he’d ever known, especially since she’s had to depend on him to see for her for the past thirty-something years. He never been without sight, and the the past 48 hours of
- I Don’t Do Water
A knock sounds at the door of Carlos’s hotel room and he snaps to attention out of habit. Realizing that he was miles away from the nearest base and even further from the combat zone, he stops long enough to think about who might be knocking. He hadn’t ordered room service. He didn’t invite anyone over. Pushing down his many aversion and worst-case scenario thoughts, Carlos sneaks toward the door and fights off the urge to swear when he remembers that the door didn’t have a peephole. Aren’t hotels required to have peepholes? Carlos wonders as he reaches down to - Kissing Grass
One Unmapped Planet Coughing up what feels like a lung, Karl Sneddon heaves for all he is worth. Gasping for air, he momentarily wonders if this is truly how things were going to end for him. Seemingly despite all the odds, Karl finally catches his breath and he rolls onto his back. Above him, the night sky is awash with color. The stars’ white pinpricks on the navy background are only accentuated by the splashes of gold and red from the space-bound clouds of dust left by some abandoned mining operation years ago. Squinting, Karl can just make out the - Liquid Monster~Journal of the day the Japan Tsunami hit~ May 11, 2011 started like any normal day, but I remember all the details perfectly unlike any other. I’d biked to school with my older brother, Yuuto. It was beautiful out and the cherry blossoms were still in bloom, which was unusual for that time of year. I wasn’t very interested in the trees though. I’d raced inside ahead of Yuuto, slowing down once in the hall and walking to my locker looking around for Sumire, my best friend. I wanted to tell her about my birthday that was coming up and
- Mara, Jaded No MoreMara trembled in Thesius’s grasp, his fingers vice gripping her upper arm as he pushed her toward the Teacher. But she didn’t shiver with fear. Perhaps she should’ve been afraid. But she wasn’t. She was furious, livid at the injustice of it all. What of the coward who stood at the fringes of the assembling crowd, watching her anxiously, unsure what was to come of her? He said he loved her, but there he stood, sweating like an unclean swine, awkwardly hiding his embarrassment beneath his cloak’s hood and feigning indifference concerning her. Remembering his declarations of love just hours before now
- Passion IgnitedScreech. The cell door was yanked open causing Faye’s heart to jump. Orange light flooded the room; her eyes watered and smarted but her weak arms couldn’t rise to rub the burn. She averted her gaze to a dim corner as tears warmed her cheeks. Her heart rushed blood through her ears causing them to ring. Shackles clunked to the ground as the lead chain was unlocked. Rusted cuffs pressed into her wrists as a man jerked her out of the cell. She shuffled irregularly down the dim corridor, dragging her feet while allowing the weight of the iron to
- Reference PointJanell looked at the track and stroked her dragon steed, “We can do this, girl…” She looked at her best friend, “Ready, Taliba?” Taliba smiled nervously, “I think so. I’m so excited! But nervous.” “Yeah, It’s always like that- I remember the first time I raced! I almost got sick!” Taliba giggled, “Yeah, I remember.” Janell began to speak again but a man stepped out in front of the line of riders. “Ready?” He shouted. Janell and Taliba mounted along with all the other dragon riders. “Get set!” Janell made sure her safety rope’s hook was on right, checked her
- SPRING FOREVERRomance, Short Story, Uplifting, Literary Thin, wrinkled fingers turned the faded pages of her well-loved book with a strength that hadn’t failed for over sixty years. Frowning slightly, Rose glared toward the whirring machines in the room that would not stop their infernal beeping. At least the steady rhythm assured her worrywart niece that everything but her blasted leg was in top shape. Sighing, Rose tried again to focus on the story set in her beloved Paris. Pushing a stray lock of silver hair behind her ear, she squinted. Her strength may not have deserted her all this time, but
- The Best DrugIf you were to walk in on this gray, gloomy night you’ll probably carry yourself in with an expectancy. Rows of better-than-you’s, noses turned up from the hymnal. Perfect lives and families. Made obvious by their four kids dressed in their best without squabbles that test the patience of their parents. You hesitate between the doors. You’ve seen it before. Pretending to care, or maybe silently judging you in the back pew. Too often, unfortunately, it’s true. We pretend, somehow, we’re better than the rest. Granted, our salvation comes from God of his love, not because we’re good enough. But
- The Cambridge’s Final VoyageKinn System “She’s nearly ready to be scuttled, sir,” First Officer Reddy says with a salute. Looking out of the bridge’s forward viewing area, Captain Mali can’t help but sigh. Floating haplessly through space ahead of them is the Cambridge, an old frigate that had seen more action than most, but it hadn’t seen nearly enough to earn its salvation. The ship had fought alongside Mali and his ship, the Adelaide in the Corva Uprising. Now the ship was about to join the countless others that had been intentionally crashed into one of the planets in the Kinn system, where
- The First StarwalkerFollow your heart to see where it leads, Grandma always said. But he never imagined it would lead him here. Sleep evaded him, and his wakeful, restless heart led him out to stand on the tallest backyard hill: the sledding hill of all sledding hills in the winter, the hill that made the best skateboarding and bike ramp in the summer. He stood with his arms at his sides, staring into the expanse of night, his vigilant eyes beholding the tiny pinpricks of light that shone all the brighter in his dreams. Many memories had been made on that hill, but perhaps
- The Lost ScrollsHer fingers trembled as soon as the old, old scroll passed into her hands. She couldn’t see him very well in the dank light of the lantern, but her grandfather’s eyes glinted like gold flecks in a Klondike stream. They’d found them!!! It had been two years of grueling 10-hour days and nothing to show for it. Until today. For two years they had slept on the floor of the wind-hollowed cavern, awakened in the night by cougars and coyotes. For two years they’d eaten rice and fire-baked paratha with whatever wild game Mandy had been able to hunt. For
- The New Falklands BreezeNew Falkland Islands, Islas de Ligera Santiago Pueblo wrinkles his nose trying to dissuade what his tired mind thinks is some unseen fly from landing. He continues doing so for several moments before he finally opens his eyes to see what is going on. As he does so, he realizes that a stray blade of grass had been picked up in the early morning breeze and had been fluttering in his face. Shaking his head, Santiago chuckles and he looks out over the ocean that is spread out before him like a vast holiday meal. It was all his for
- The PillarsThree Years Prior to The Battle for Allegra, San Sebastian Copper Mine, Raudona Akiratis “What are we looking at, Greer?” Francis Reedsburg asks one of his workmen who is currently chipping away at an odd protrusion in the stone face. Joseph Greer looks up and shrugs, “Looks like some sort of… tower. I don’t know, boss, it’s weird.” Chuckling, Reedsburg shakes his head, “It doesn’t look like much of a tower, old man.” The elderly man shrugs once more and he resumes his chipping away at the surface. Turning away from Greer, Reedsburg looks at the rest of his
- Warm Heart“Whoa. Your hands are cold.” Eric Morrow winced. “Sorry. Sorry.” The EMT shoved her hands inside her jacket. Eric tried to smile through his grimace of pain. “I guess that’s pretty petty of me, complaining about your cold hands, Erin,” He whispered, reading her ID badge as she went back to inserting the IV. “Considering you’re saving my life.” “My husband always complained about my cold hands,” she said with a smile. “And I don’t know about saving your life. The doctors and nurses will work on that, when we get you to the hospital.” “Wow, that was kind of
- We Will Not Stay BrokenAugust 7, 1860 Fire reflected off the black window. It was two hours before midnight and five children sat near the hearth, cookies in hand but with only a few bites taken. To the right of them, seated in a rocking chair, was their maid. An African woman in her late thirties who, until a few moments ago, had captivated them with stories. The room adjoining had fallen deathly silent, disconcerting from the previous moaning and screaming they’d heard. In response, they too had ceased their chatter. The eldest, a boy about sixteen, stood and inched toward the door. The