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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of adventure short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

8550+ Adventure Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. From riding the high sea to climbing behemoth mountains, there isn’t any action that’s out of reach when it comes to adventure stories.

Adventure Short Stories – Page 40 of 571

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Submitted to Contest #277

Once there was a girl who dreamed about other life forms. She sensed that she wasn’t alone in this universe, and that there was more out there than just Earth. There had to be other life forms out there. Earth couldn’t be the only planet in the vast solar system that could maintain life forms. An odd dream came to her one day that changed her whole perspective on how she viewed the world. Marlene was in transition from eighth to ninth grade when she had the dream. Although she’d never thought of this before, this image would forever sti...

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Something Wicked

Submitted to Contest #277

Standing naked in front of the mirror in her bathroom, Mary viewed all the "hickies" on her body. She hadn't been able to count them all, lost track every time she tried to reach a tally. They ranged from the tops of her feet to her freaking forehead, to the base of her neck, down to her heels. They were the size of a silver dollar, perfectly circular, dark red, and they stung a little. She had an idea of where they had come from and what had put them there. The dreams told her. Outlandish dreams. Dreams of branches. Ivy. The forest behind ...

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The worst date ever, that was indeed unexpected

Submitted to Contest #276

I stumbled upon him in the vast realm of the internet about two months before our eagerly awaited in-person meeting. From that moment, I felt an electric connection as we engaged in daily conversations, sometimes even twice daily, deepening our bond. Our talks became a comforting ritual, rich with laughter and vulnerability, allowing us to peel back the layers of our lives and aspirations. Our relationship embarked on a slow yet thrilling journey, igniting a sense of excitement within me. Both of us were acutely aware, drawing from our datin...

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Onward and Homeward

Submitted to Contest #276

Onward and HomewardBy Jennifer M. Dzielak Well, here she was, back in one of her favorite cities, Boston, or Beantown, as many affectionally call it, like her niece, Chelsea. Astra has always loved Boston and the vibe that the city carries; all of its history, culture, food, architecture, and people. She has also been very fascinated by the many educational institutions nearby like, Harvard, Boston College, Boston University, and others. Astra came here for a conference focused on women in business. She was excited that this year included m...

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Chaos Among Calm Waters

Submitted to Contest #276

My fiancée and I had been planning this trip for months. Nothing was going to stop me from going, not even getting fired two days beforehand (that's a different story). We checked, double checked, and checked again that we had everything and then some of what we would need on a week long vacation to the Outer Banks on the East coast of North Carolina. We had been watching the weather closely and determined Hurricane Helene would make land fall after we landed, so the trip was a go. Kristy had never flown before, and I had never flown as an a...

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In the Footsteps of the White Rabbit

Submitted to Contest #276

The heavy door softly closed behind me, eliminating the sounds of the busy Parisian street beyond. The buzz of everyday life, the honking horns, the clatter of feet, the shouts of irate drivers as someone performed a near lethal manoeuvre on the cramped roads, disappeared in an instant.Around me the smoked glass, tall mirrors, and ornately decorated walls of the restaurant seemed to take me into another time, far removed from modern, twenty-first century Paris. The film crew were setting up in a small side room, hushed voices echoing the sil...

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The Lingering Echo of Footsteps

Submitted to Contest #276

The Lingering Echo of Footsteps It was a night I’ll never forget—my heart racing, my scream stuck in my throat, my entire body frozen in panic. The sound of those footsteps echo in my mind to this day. In the early 1970s, I was a carefree 21-year-old from the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, hungry for adventure. Much to my mother’s chagrin, it didn’t take much to entice me to explore Europe with just a backpack, tent, and the trusty 'Europe on $5 A Day' guidebook. So off I went. It felt like walking through the pages of a history book, only ev...

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Rescue Rainbows

Submitted to Contest #276

Totality lasted four minutes and fifteen seconds. International peace warriors, hippies, crust-punks, road dogs, hobos, Natives, locals and hillbillies would converge in the Ouachita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma to pray for peace during this well-advertised total solar eclipse event. The collaborators from several counter-culture communities built the Heartfire on top of a clear-cut hill for a maximum viewing experience situated far from the primitive camps along dirt logging roads. Super-Happy Funtime Camp was nearly a mile bey...

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Third Parties

Submitted to Contest #276

It wasn’t her. That was the lesson.  The obvious truth.  But even once I was presented with the truth, in my apparent acceptance was a rejection. I mirrored her denial. I was drawn into that collusion with very little effort. Denial and naivety is where we reside. We climb into bed with a watered down reality that promises us an easy ride, but is never there when we wake up to the cold light of the truthful day. I loved her. Being with her hurt. Being without her hurt. I was never good enough. She pushed me away, even as I pulled i...

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Life has its own ideas, yet so do People

Submitted to Contest #276

Life always decides its own way of doing things, yet it can surprise you in the most unusual ways at the most impromptu times. I have to say sometimes meeting others, who may become your friends later, can surely "catch you off guard". It was one of these times, that as life was reintroducing itself, so was my new friend. I was really enjoying our day out and was not sure how to reply or respond to the new adventure, which was long distance hiking, that we came across a steep cliff on the path that we was taking as a short cut. I never knew ...

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Stay? Or Go?

Submitted to Contest #275

It was a nice fall day as I contently made my way along the long trail that snaked through the large, wooded area not too far from my house. I enjoyed making my way around the scrawny, dead trees with bare branches, crunching through the piles of leaves covering the ground, and watching the squirrels and bunnies chase each other. I took this walk several times a week to clear my head and think about life. I gave a startled yelp and stopped in my tracks after taking a step around a tree and seeing a sle...

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Devil's Tree

Submitted to Contest #275

John strolled through the ancient woodland, the sound of the pattering rain soothing his overworked mind, and the evening light glistening on the leaves that carpeted the ground. He was grateful for the chance to enjoy nature without having to think about it. He stopped for a moment and watched a robin forage in the leaf litter, throwing leaves aside with a flourish as it searched for beetles. John had almost forgotten what it felt like to walk through countryside without a sweep net or an insect trap in hand. The life of an entomologist wa...

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A Whisker In Time

Submitted to Contest #275

 Mrooow. We stare at each other in eerie silence, neither of us blinking as we consider the other. The cats citrine eyes shone in stark contrast to its inky coat, its tail flicking in unison with the flickering street light. “What do you want this time, Whiskers?” at the sound of the nickname I gave him he saunters closer. He eyes the sandwich I hold and paws at my shoe expectantly. This is usually the part where I give in and feed him a few pieces of my lox. He'll take a few bites and then take the rest who knows where. Somet...

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Mountain Cat Meets the Ship Destiny's Dreams

Submitted to Contest #275

In the 1800s off the northwest coast of South America a dark, cat-like shadow padded up the steps from below deck on a sailing schooner.The head of the animal tilted and the eyes glowed in the dark. It watched a man on the wooden deck of the boat, who was looking upward at the star constellations. The animal peered at the two legged creature and sniffed the air. She was young, and she was new to experiencing the world on her own after living with her mother.Curiosity and intelligence showed in her expressions. She slinked along with eye...

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The First Hour

Submitted to Contest #275

I rounded the corner at an already brisk pace. It felt like I was making great time until I looked at my watch. I picked up speed, nearing a dead sprint. I wasn't the most fit guy ever, but my destination wasn't far. My chest heaved with every breath; and with every other step, I exhaled the notion of making it on time. My desperation pushed me past the point of giving up and I crossed into a whole new realm of pain. I was definitely going to feel this in the morning. I took a shortcut through a backyard and crossed the street. Before me lay...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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