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

5380+ Creative nonfiction Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. The creative nonfiction stories on this page deliver exactly what it says on the tin: true stories told in weird and wonderful ways.

Creative nonfiction Short Stories – Page 29 of 359

A Nightingale's Tale

Submitted to Contest #281

"Live like you die tomorrow"The Birds;He first came when the sun set. The fledglings were still squawking on the highest branches when he slinked through the undergrowth- mischief in his steps. The great night hunters- The Owls sat in wait, their bright amber eyes following his tracks. While the songbirds went to sleep, the Owls would remember and whisperer the tales to the singers to spread through the forest upon daybreak. The Mockingbird sings his melancholy echo. His interest perked in the figure passing below. The Nightingale watches: h...

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Ironic Hubris Party Guest

Submitted to Contest #281

Oh, how delightful it is to be here among such intriguing companies! The audacity of it all is undeniable, isn't it? A certain bravado, a charming overconfidence, permeates the air, dancing around the table like a well-rehearsed performance. Isn't it almost like we're all part of a grand prank? The conversations swirl with a mix of wit and whim. Isn't it fascinating how irony unfolds? It's that delightful twist where what you anticipate takes a surprising turn, leading to the opposite of your expectations. Quite the conversation starter, wou...

16 likes 5 comments 5
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Mrs. Ellis

Submitted to Contest #280

HELLO! Hello, is this Mrs. Ellis? …HELLO? Hello, is this Mrs.— I CAN'T HEAR YOU! HOLD ON! …I've got my hearing aids in now. Who is this? Hello Mrs. Ellis, we’re calling on behalf of the Future Events Administration. …the WHAT? The Future Events Administration. We— Well then, what is your name? I like to know who I’m talking to, you know? Yes, of course Mrs. Ellis. Just so that you are aware, we are not a human representative. We are a virtual agent, reference number 33457-02, but you can refer to us as Aly if you would prefer. …Are you are a...

11 likes 2 comments 2
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Never Let You Go

Shortlisted for Contest #280 ⭐️

Mom? Can you hear me? 01110111 01101000 01100001 00111111 00100000 01001001 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100111 01110100 00101110 00101110 00101110 Mom, this is Chris…your son Chris, can you hear me?01100011 01101000 01110010 01101001 01110011 0111100…Chrisy? 01001001 00100000 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100…I feel…so tired… They said you might feel…er…have a simulated feeling of grogginess. That’s the digital anesthetics tapering off. Chrisy…where am I? It sounds…I can hear your voice all around me… It’s okay Mom, I know you ar...

22 likes 6 comments 6
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Lines (In-Between) Lines

Submitted to Contest #280

Contains: Strong/Explicit language“I am so sick of being the only one at work that’s broke.”“What do you mean? We have money. We can save, we just have to watch our spending.”“Sure we can or do you mean I have to save? I have to make the money. (I am so tired)”“Wait. What the heck does that mean? What are you trying to say?”“I am just saying, when are you going to pick up the slack? (This is your fault) You are always broke and always having to touch the savings. (I wish I had a better partner) It’s like I put money in there and it just disa...

7 likes 1 comment 1
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Fright Height on the Mountain

Submitted to Contest #281

She has radiant glow with a quickening heartbeat on His view; He is divine. She is observing the church service with an acute listening and ignoring the distraction of people walking to pay their respects. The sense of destiny to believe in His enormous miracles is a huge gift as she knows His monastery since His friend, a Nun discovered His skeleton relics. He is an ethereal essence glowing; He is protecting from the malicious and He is whispering advice with wisdom to the select-one, His friend. The rumor said that He is a shadowy figure w...

15 likes 2 comments 2
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Bedtime Routine

Submitted to Contest #280

TW: Adoption/Birth Mother 6:45 – It is a Tuesday evening. Your bath time. But tonight, instead of running there and leaving your clothes strewn on the floor, you knock your glass off the table in haste, the glistening shards and pieces scattering, the milk running away. You carefully help with a quick clean up job before you ask if we can do this instead of your bath. 6:47 – As you go into the freshly renovated bathroom, you ask again if you can skip your bath tonight. You already know what the answer will be and eventually relent. Naked as ...

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My 1987 Nicaraguan Encounter

Submitted to Contest #280

My Nicaraguan Adventure Faced with a life-and-death situation at 17 years old caused traumatic feelings that lasted a short time or lingered under the surface for a long time before they rose to the top, and those involved were forced to deal with it head-on.  Near-death experiences are not viewed by those who hear about them from the teller’s lips as immediate, acute, and dangerous as much as they were. The fear, the bubbles of anxiety, and the emotion that runs rampant throughout the teller's body as the information is relayed are emo...

14 likes 14 comments 14
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Through the door

Submitted to Contest #280

“She’s so obedient. We never have to repeat anything. She’s not like the other kids, it’s so nice”. The first time I heard others talking about me, I was around seven years old. They seemed happy with me, with what I was doing. I liked it. I liked how their voices sounded when they were talking about me.  “You need to get her into control! She’s going to fail if this continues. Do you not care about what she becomes?”.Voices started changing when I was ten years old. I wasn’t the obedient little kid any more, and it drove people c...

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Coffee Chat

Submitted to Contest #280

Implying death of a pet"Great coffee here, right"?"Yup. Glad you chose this place"."The gluten free muffins taste good as well"."Ok, I don't eat gluten free foods. But the regular muffins are great"."Have you read the current posts on the neighborhood text chat"?"Second think I do every morning"."Second"?"Feed the pets. That is always first on the to do list"."Right"."Speaking about pets, did you read about the woman who lets her cats out during the day? And then she posts that if anyone has seen her cats because they did not come home a few...

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Leave it Behind

Submitted to Contest #280

“Are we sure this is a good idea?”“Well, no. Probably not, but the tides aren’t going to get this low again until after we leave tomorrow. It’s sort of the only chance we have.”“God, I can just see Lane rolling his eyes at us.”“Really? I was just thinking about how much he would have loved to do something stupid like this. He would probably film it all and make everything into a soap opera.”“Film? That’s such an old person way of saying record, Mom.”“Yeah, whatever, put your headlamp on and grab the stuff.”“Sheesh, coming.”“Careful, this tra...

6 likes 2 comments 2
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TALK FOR TWO

Submitted to Contest #280

<The Banters are back! We hope you’ve missed their silly bantering. They’ve been gone a long while but they couldn’t resist a dialogue-only prompt…their favorite writing style! Enjoy!>Matthew, do you think I’m frumpy?Do I think you’re grumpy, Martha? Sure, sometimes…No, Matthew. I asked if you think I’m frumpy. FR not GR! Geez, I swear that new hearing aid we got you is no better than the previous one, and this one cost a fortune.I can’t help it Martha if they don’t make hearing aids that are perfect for my ears! You speak so fast and ...

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Dialogue 5

Submitted to Contest #280

Content warning: Strong language and discussions of nihilism, existential despair, and suicide.Supreme: There is no point to anything at all so we should all cease to exist. All in Unison: Naaahhhhh.Supreme: Then what’re we doing here?Mental Health: We’re here because I’m distraught about how directionless I am in my life. I feel like I’m running out of time, and this feeling is persistent.Revolutionary: I’m motionless, I’m not affecting the world in any way. I’m not making an effort to inspire the change I wish to see.Poet: I’m not sur...

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A Short Dialogue Between a Student and a Professor, Inspired by Plato

Submitted to Contest #280

Note: Thank you to Anonymous H. and Anonymous M. Student: Professor, I come to you with an urgent matter. Professor: Pallans, what troubles you? You never come to me with any urgent matters. Student: Professor, I know You of all people have no doubt about my skills on the battlefield. I have fought many wars and have finished many with solely my fists. This is greatness in its pure form, is it not? That someone of noble descent who uses their strength to defeat their enemies for the greater good of all people residing in their nation is but ...

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Inner Demon in Conversation

Submitted to Contest #280

“Legs, do I still have legs? Yes. Okay, two working legs, probably have all my toes too but not worth counting right now. Hands? I needed those to check for the legs. Head is still attached and sore but working as well as it can. Perfect! Now, am I going to die here?” “You’re speaking English?” “OH JESUS FUCKING CHRIST WHAT THE FUCK.” “Aren’t they teaching Latin in schools anymore?” “I DON'T KNOW! WHAT THE FUCK. WHO ARE YOU?”“I assume they’re not.” “I have a very big stick and all of my toes. And, um, I'm not afraid ...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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