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Discover weekly, the best short stories

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

18860+ Drama Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Being one of the most popular genres among the submissions to our weekly contest, the drama short stories collected below include riveting works you won’t want to miss.

Drama Short Stories – Page 1165 of 1258

In the Books

Submitted to Contest #57

Ruth Elis sat on a squeaky, worn chair located on the top floor of Ollowood Library. She had a plain sheet of paper laid out in front of her, eagerly waiting to be written on. She dipped a quill pen daintily into the ink bowl, wiping off the excess before laying it down on the page. Ruth had just turned eighty-four years young only two days ago. She did not have any family nor did she have friends to keep her company on that special day. Instead, she spent her day with the worn, aged books of Ollowood Library. She was alright with that, thou...

41 likes 9 comments 9
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Ballad of Red Bear

Submitted to Contest #57

The wind whips through the air, tugging at my coat and scarf. The drizzling rain seeks my exposed flesh, chilling me to the bone. I should go back to my car but I promised Grandpa I would come see the statue, the monument praising our ancestor. It is a condition he had added to his will. He left me a letter, with instruction to read it only when I stood before Great great Grandpa Harry. So here I am shivering and flustered.The monument is life size but it’s still massive, Grandpa Harry was a bear of a man. At si...

28 likes 6 comments 6
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Bananas and Womanhood

Submitted to Contest #57

You’re probably heard of my mother. Her name was Anneliese, Ana for short, but that won’t ring a bell for you. With an exaggerated sigh she’d mention people back at school called her Ban-Ana, and suddenly you’d be guffawing uncontrollably. “You’re the girl who’s birthday party was a total flop! Literally!” “Ban-Ana, you want a banana?” “Oh, wait, you’re just going to use it to make disgusting perfume!” Let me tell you how it all started with my mother. . . from the very beginning. There she was, twelve, liv...

50 likes 15 comments 15
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Better man than i

Submitted to Contest #57

I Robert D Anderson being of sound body and mind. Leave everything I have, all my assets,  money and houses, both in Florida and Michigan. To my wife candy Anderson. Anything eles? Said the lawyer sitting behind a large wooden desk. His eyes  had puffy dark bags under them. He looks as though he had slept here in his office last night. His suit was wrinkled and his combover was all over the place. His breath gave off a strong coffee odor. Would you like to leave anything to Robert jr? No! I said as my hand slams down on his desk. O...

9 likes 0 comments 0
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Magnificent Ends and New Beginnings

Submitted to Contest #57

Late at night, a pen skritched and scratched at a ragged paper. It's edges were torn and tattered, splotches of tea spattered across the paper. Ink formed lines of pure black, which turned to letters, destined to become words then sentences. The silent night was filled with the scribbles of ink and paper. A crow croaked breaking  the steady rhythm of scritching. The candlelight made the mood even more solemn. Its constant flicker made shadows dance in a haunting way. The ink made a picture of hidden, expected death. It was a will. One s...

8 likes 0 comments 0
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Grandma's Safe Haven

Submitted to Contest #57

"I'm just going to stay up for a while, I have a lot of work to do." I say, as I comb my fingers through my thinning hair, as a cluster of hair falls to the floor. I hang up the phone and silently walk down the hall and turn the corner. Siggy, my dog, is laying on the floor whimpering. "Oh siggy, you've always been by my side. Come, sit with me." As he tries to jump up and sit beside me on the love sofa, he barely makes it. Being 14 years old can really show a dogs age. His hair is shedding just about as much as mine does, these days...

17 likes 2 comments 2
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Addressed to Me

Submitted to Contest #57

Addressed to Me By: Mackenzie M. Hebner I woke up to a new setting that morning. I didn’t quite recognize the sheets hovering over me, or the drapes through which the morning sun rays were protruding. There were small lines of dust collecting in the beams of light now illuminating what seems like an alloy of my former room.  I could have sworn that the hard wood was a lighter stain, and the windows had white trim not brown. I could almost guarantee it. Maybe I’m just out of it this morning. After all, I tossed and turned all night....

11 likes 2 comments 2
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Time travel regrets.

Submitted to Contest #57

I had always wanted to know what I would grow up to be or what I would Be leaving behind i of course always had high hopes, i had never actually thought that I would get to know until now. scientists finally invented a time machine of sorts only showing small glimpses into the past or present its Still being worked on, still in its early testing fazes, hopefully one day we could actually interact with the people or stay there longer then 8 minutes But for now it is awesome. even though it’s not at its finest they still started renting th...

9 likes 2 comments 2
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The Last Will and Testament of Edgar William Sollow

Submitted to Contest #57

Last Will and Testament of Edgar William Sollow  Dear Fredrick,  Here is the order in which I am designating my affairs and inheritance to you and your sister.  To Katerina Belle Sollow, my beloved and good-willed daughter: All property in my name. Horses and all of their care. Life insurance of $2,000. Family jewelry and gold: Katerina To Frederick William Sollow : All photographs and letters from family of those I have slaughtered in your name, and this last testament of my own honor and justification.  I...

11 likes 0 comments 0
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Is this what I've become?

Submitted to Contest #57

"You're kidding." He said, looking to the little girl in front of him. "Who do I look like?" "You look like a guy I'm learning about in history, his name was Cleo Thompson." She smiled as she ate on the candy in her hand. He had never seen that brand before, whenever she closed her mouth a light went off inside a second after. Cleo didn't have enough time to ask, maybe later. "And what did he do?" His eyebrows were drawn tight with concern. What had he done to warrant being taught to children? His insides bunched up as his mind started...

16 likes 3 comments 3
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Just in Case

Submitted to Contest #57

When people write their wills, it’s normally in front of a lawyer, not at one’s ratty kitchen table at two in the morning. It wasn’t that he had to write a will, but after the ‘incident’ with his sister, he might as well write something down for his coworkers to find if that day comes earlier than anticipated. He sat in his cold, poorly lit apartment, with a flimsy one subject notebook in front of him. In his hand was a chewed up pencil with an overused eraser top now stained gray from all his mistakes. He’s gone through pages upon pages of...

11 likes 2 comments 2
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A Cat Nap

Submitted to Contest #57

Arthur hunted for an A on his Underwood typewriter. Feeling exasperated by the randomized alphabet, once he found the key labeled with an A, Arthur sighed and pecked it hard. Readjusting his glasses, he squinted and searched the keyboard for the next letter. Peck! After striking each key, he flinched, gritting his teeth. His fingers felt weak and brittle. He thought that at any moment they would snap in two like old match sticks.For days he worked on his will in short bursts before becoming fatigued, causing his RA to flare and his back scre...

10 likes 4 comments 4
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To My Four Hearts~

Submitted to Contest #57

To my Dear kids and Grandkids~Hello its Grandma Thora, or mama to my precious children. You’ve all grown up so much. My dear dear grand kids, I know many of you have never met me and it breaks my heart that the day you see me will be in my cold shell which carried my long gone soul. I’ve always wondered why you never visited me, I started you, I built you in my stomach for 9 months. I begged for money everyday just to give you, my precious children a future. I became rich! I got you into the best schools…but yet, I guess it was never enough....

53 likes 95 comments 95
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Hairless & Monochrome

Submitted to Contest #57

There is a sweet spot between laziness and efficiency. Some call it Zen, some call it Grace, and some accidentally arrive at it through sheer malaise without ever realizing it existed. Dorcas cherished these spaces when she found herself in them, but they were just one more almost great thing that just wasn't quite enough. As she prepares to pen her suicide letter/will she is amused at making one last foray into that sweet spot. Besides, she has nothing to leave to anyone except her unappreciated art and some personal keepsakes that would mo...

21 likes 1 comment 1
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My will to Michael

Submitted to Contest #57

You are going to hate me after reading this but it’s not like it will matter much, for I will be dead. The worst that can happen is that you burn my body and dance on my grave, which I won’t even be able to see. I confirm now with no evidence that ghosts do not exist so tell your uncle John about it to ease his mind. Michael, you better be the one reading this, or else what I’m going to say is embarrassing but then again, I’m dead. But this could be used to humiliate you so… I guess it’s not a win situation for everyone. I thought long...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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