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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.

8590+ 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 50 of 573

A tale of the damned

Submitted to Contest #272

​​The sun dips in the bloody ocean as our ship travels across the hellish ocean, consuming us. The wind shrieked like ghosts as they ripped the ship's sail from top to bottom. “This is all because of that damned red box full of cargo,”  Edward said, slurring his words as he took another sip from the bottle. The snoring kept me up as the surrounding men rolled around in slumber. Edward held a candle and stumbled around the ship. The rain made it difficult to hear the pitter-patter of the rat's feet as he walked around. Edwards' bare feet...

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Skeletons

Submitted to Contest #272

Skeletons 2019 Jack sat cross-legged and warmed his hands at the small cooking fire. The leftovers of a rabbit he’d shot the previous day were warming in the skillet, along with some wild onions and flatbread. The coffee went down well, especially with some whiskey added to it. Though he is not normally comfortable with him and Leon going their separate ways, on this occasion, he is happy for some solitude. Their last job of the season had not gone well. Though there was enough in the kitty to see the gang comfortably through the winter, t...

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The Clockwork Boy

Submitted to Contest #271

The Clockwork BoyOnce upon a time there was a clockwork boy. He was nimble as you please, with clever little fingers made from old gears and scrap metal. He could manipulate a pencil with little difficulty. Which came in handy, because as soon as his creation was complete, the clockwork boy's father shipped him off to boarding school.  The clockwork boy had no trouble at boarding school, in great part because he could remember anything the teacher told him perfectly, and repeat it back word for word. The one thing the clockwork boy cou...

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The Circuit

Submitted to Contest #271

The Circuit by Natalie Hannah Viper and I analyzed people as they approached our shop, Josephine's Nest. Mom inherited it from her parents,  the original colonists. Everyone buzzed through their to-do list before the mandatory curfew. This is the only coffeehouse and the best place for short-order delicacies in the Colony. It's the place where everyone comes for essentials. Josephine's Jambalaya is a Colony favorite.  Our fifteen-minute Colony has everything, all within walking distance. We can just about see everything from our p...

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Mzungu Dreams

Submitted to Contest #271

Mzungu Dreams The gentle wind whistling through the savannah grass was punctuated only by the grunting of rutting impala. Young bucks fought over who got to lead the small harem of does. They’d do this all day, and the leadership, or rather ownership, of the herd changed hands every hour. Such is the nature of life in Uganda’s Lake Mburo safari park.   “Look, Quincy! I made the Buffalo!” Meren, our local Bugandan safari guide, proudly displayed her clay buffalo skull to my seven year old. They had torn apart a termite mound and use...

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Island Cruise By: Anika Gupta

Submitted to Contest #271

As the cold ocean breeze hit my face, and as my hair rustled in the wind I saw the sun setting behind the ocean. “ Maya, come look at this!” I called out, and as soon as I said my six years old sister's name she came running out from her room, and jumped up and down trying to look over the railing of the cruise.   As I was grabbing a chair for Maya to stand on, she started to yell something about a big rock, and the cruise ship sinking because of it, and it sounded like the Titanic, but then when I came back to her she looked like she h...

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Path of the Nomad: Beneath the Sands

Submitted to Contest #271

Kai and his group moved cautiously through the wastelands, their silhouettes long against the glaring sun. Dust clung to their boots, and the wind carried a dry, unforgiving heat that seemed to sap the strength from their bones. Kai led the way, his augmented arm gleaming faintly under the harsh light. He glanced back at the others—Reya walked close by, her crossbow ready, while Elias, the youngest among them, trailed behind, his gaze darting nervously between the rocky outcroppings that dotted the landscape. “Do you think the rumors are tru...

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The Hunt for the Android in the Dark Forest

Submitted to Contest #271

Contains illicit love: Giselle Prata rushed out of her office. Her android, Johnny Antunes, and her sister, Hannah had wandered into the forest surrounding Nazca, and neither had returned. The blazing sun beat down on Nazca’s narrow streets as Giselle drove, reflecting off every surface of the car. Giselle felt the oppressive heat soak through her clothes as she searched for her android. The model, a sleek general intelligence unit worth more than half a million dollars, was not supposed to behave this way.When she arrived at the forest, she...

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Silverware

Submitted to Contest #271

The fork swung to and fro, dangling from the chain that hung around her neck. Ava eyed the necklace, two tables away. She’s lost in her date’s eyes, good. Still no dancing though, and they look way too comfy. Hmm, change of plans. Maybe a trip to the bathroom will suffice. Ava sent three more drinks over. Each of them sent the pair’s eyes swarming around in search of their anonymous benefactor. In time, the moment Ava patiently awaited arrived. She bolted to the bathroom the moment the woman stood. Crap. How do I do this? I can’t let her go,...

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The Reflection Encounter

Submitted to Contest #271

Carl had always been a traveler at heart, constantly on the move, searching for something he couldn't quite name. He had visited countless countries, stayed in crowded hostels and strangers' homes, all while following an invisible path that led him farther from the familiar and deeper into the unknown. Yet, no matter how far he traveled, there was always that nagging feeling in his chest—an emptiness he couldn’t shake, like a piece of him was missing.It was during one of his routine searches for his next adventure that Carl stumbled upon a w...

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The Blacksmith's Son

Submitted to Contest #271

It arrived upon his doorstep three days ago; he had opened it not long after its arrival, which, to his surprise, revealed a lump of red, pulsating thing. Taken aback, he shut it close and hid it away under the kitchen sink. His decision to keep it—he does not know why; he only thought it a special thing. Now it is three days later, and he has it on his father’s workbench, ready to get to work. He opens the box to reveal the same sludge of red goo, but, paying closer attention, he notices a note sticking out; it reads: “At last, a new soul t...

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A NIGHT AT THE IMPROV

Submitted to Contest #271

Automatic One Cent Vaudeville in Crystal Hall theatre beat all for miles around, and the residents of Oakville would say the same. Townspeople filled the hall nightly to see various shows; each offered unique entertainment for seekers of something engaging after dinner. It made for a lovely formal evening out on the town. Longtime friends from high school, Martha and Jane, married around the same time in the same year and settled down with their out-of-town husbands in Oakville, a town not far from where they grew up. Their husbands wer...

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Playing Mahjong

Submitted to Contest #271

When I went into the bar in the evening, I was not at all surprised to see my old friend. He also seemed not surprised, but he didn't show it. A professional. It's clear that they are waiting for me here, and the conversation will take place one way or another. Running away from the courier is a waste of time; they will send someone else. These guys are serious; they don't waste time on trifles. Look for another bar where you can have a drink and sit. This will only show that you are afraid of something. The danger must be met face to face -...

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The Reef at Monocle Point

Submitted to Contest #271

The ocean is a rather unforgiving place. Below its surface, predators stalk their prey - their methods in the hunt growing more grotesque the deeper one explores. Take the Anglerfish: its luminescent fin ray lures unsuspecting souls to their deaths, allowing it to minimize its efforts in the dark Below. While, closer to the surface, the Great White Shark uses sheer brute strength and speed to claim its crown as Apex.On the surface, the waves thrashed and the swells build to a crescendo, rocking any vessel who dare interfere with its constant...

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Railway to Scotland

Submitted to Contest #271

"Dear Diary, the date is September the 1st of the year 1851. I finished reading Jane Eyre, and now I must complete my needlepoint—Uhhhh!” Clara Ashcombe threw her journal across the candelabra-lit room toward the wall, nearly knocking over her used tea set from the morning. “Mum would be furious if she saw you chipping the wall.” “I’m unwell, Sister.” “Clearly.” Her sister, Abigail, paused to temper her judgmental glance. She sensed the genuine pain in Clara’s eyes. “What troubles you, Clara, dear?” “My life. My older sisters have found husb...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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