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Discover weekly, the best short stories

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

540+ Middle school Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Keeping the attention of a middle schooler is hard. But our collection of gripping middle school short stories will do the trick!

Middle school Short Stories – Page 4 of 37

The Dissidents

Submitted to Contest #268

THE DISSIDENTS                              It is better to fail in originality than to succeed                                                  &n...

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A Fist of Water

Submitted to Contest #267

“Hey, you stayin’ warm over there, Liam?” shouts my great uncle over the steady thrum of the wind barreling across the beach. Even though it’s only October, I’m in full winter gear. Sand would be in my eyes right now if not for the clear ski goggles my uncle brought for me. I feel a little silly, yet also invincible. My fingers are a little nippy. Otherwise, I’m pretty cozy. “Yep, I’m good, Uncle Jerry,” I yell through my neck warmer, my voice muffled. “Good, good,” he says, absorbed in his work. Uncle Jerry is Grandma’s brother. He’s standi...

6 likes 1 comment 1
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„The Calm in the Storm“

Submitted to Contest #267

The sun was still low in the sky when Jacob and Caleb arrived at the docks, the sea stretching out before them in shades of silver and blue. Jacob walked ahead, eyes scanning every detail of their small boat, mentally checking his list. He had been up before dawn, packing gear, checking the motor, and studying the maps. Even now, as they prepared to cast off, he was still tying down extra ropes, triple-checking the fuel, and adjusting the life vests. Caleb, in contrast, strolled leisurely behind him, humming a low tune under his breath. He h...

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Fire & Water

Submitted to Contest #263

           Lu paced across the floor of her room. There was no doubt she would pass tonight’s Final Trials, but would she rank First Mage? Either way, tomorrow she would be finished at the Middington Academy of Magic, and never have to suffer Endora’s cruel bullying again. The only downside to not becoming First Mage tonight was that Endora would, if she herself did not. That would just be wrong. Bullying aside, they vied for first place in everything. It wa...

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The Starr Story

Submitted to Contest #263

The fairy council gathered along with King Asher, the ogre king and Queen Heidii, the elf queen. “So… are we all going to ignore the threat?” King Asher demanded, breaking the silence. “My warriors will fight-” “With all due respect King Asher, fighting ISN’T the answer to everything. We learned that the hard way”. One of the five fairy counselors spoke up very quietly.  “Oh really? Why then may I ask do you have me send over my warriors to you?” King Asher countered. Counselor Enki sighed. “Counselor Sunita… I agree. King Asher- we nee...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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Bubblegum Bat-paste

Submitted to Contest #262

Hanging upside down for twenty-four minutes really had to suck. The thought made Brady’s head swim—probably because all the blood in his body had rushed there two days ago when he swung the backs of his knees around the monkey bars and dangled for at least two whole minutes, at least by his friend Vinnie’s count.  But Vinnie was a stupid bullshitter who lied a lot; he underestimated things that made other people look good. And what was absolutely not good was that the metal had only taken those “two minutes” to burn red stripes into Bra...

10 likes 3 comments 3
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The Traditional Summer Crime

Submitted to Contest #262

August 22nd, 2019 “I don’t want to do this.” “Oh, shut up,” Melanie responded. “We’ll be fine. It’s tradition to go on the hottest day of the year every summer; no one’s been caught.” Summer shook her head, her brown eyes wide, looking up at the thin trees covering the forest. The short barbed wire fence had toppled over at the edge, a thick wood post the bridge between the parking lot and the Forbidden Forest. Beyond that, a field of corn waited to be harvested. At least, once October swung around. “I hate doing this, guys,” Summer whined, ...

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The Men who Raised 500 Boys

Submitted to Contest #261

What is the definition of an unsung hero? To me, it is a person who blesses others without asking for acknowledgement or anything in return. Two men who helped shape my life and the lives of many young men fit this definition. They are my junior high school physical education teachers Mr. John and Mr. Mac. I shortened their last names in case they would like to remain unsung which wouldn’t surprise me. Mr. John and Mr. Mac did something that so many took for granted. They helped raise 500 adolescent boys five days a week from September to Ju...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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Thank You . . .

Submitted to Contest #261

THANK YOU . . . by Kelly Ann Williams Dear Obnoxious little brother, Thank you for reminding me that if I kill you, I’d be grounded for the rest of my life! I have big plans for my life - that don’t include you - so, I will keep my plans in mind and forget, for now, about all of your little tricks, lies, and attempts to make me mad. I will be the bigger person, and let everyone else see how annoying you really are. But, be careful, one of these days I WON’T be able to restrain myself!  Regards, ...

1 like 1 comment 1
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Colouring Outside of the Lines

Submitted to Contest #261

School brought the smell of the herd; brown leather straps, regulation pens, black and blue pulled out of a multi-pack, ‘rather see than be ya’, Purple Cow… And Mrs Arnot…Mary Ann Bretton! What on earth do you call this? I don’t know what colour the cattle are where you come from, but I’m fairly certain they’re not purple. Are you really so stupid that you can’t even complete a simple colouring task? Cows are brown, Mary Ann… Brown!Shockwaves of icy blue, stun gun electrocution sparks. The split-second eyes-wide-open upward chin-jolt, and do...

14 likes 9 comments 9
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Phaedric's Legacy

Submitted to Contest #260

Phaedric’s Legacy            Nan was looking forward to my apprenticeship and I was excited about starting. I didn’t think of my grandmother as old, but rather ageless. She was certainly not young, but neither was she wrinkled or frail. Even so, she claimed she needed to pass on her secrets before the grave stole them away. No one expected her to be leaving us any time soon, but the world was an uncertain place and tomorrow was not guaranteed. Besides, if I was t...

5 likes 2 comments 2
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Being a Champion

Submitted to Contest #260

Kiera rubbed her arms, hoping her gloved hands would melt the goosebumps off her arms, but knowing they were more a product of nerves than the November chill. Unlike all the other races during the season, the ribbon of girls fanning out on the starting line displayed a more diverse array of uniforms.Today was the Northeast regional Junior Olympics Cross Country race. How can I possibly finish in the top 10 for Nationals in this huge race if I got 10 in that first meet of the season against just two middle school teams?Kiera tried to put...

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It Was All a Dream

Submitted to Contest #260

Brooke sat with her brown hair tucked behind her ears, her green eyes watched her friend’s text, and her fingers flew across the keyboard just as fast. She wasn’t even listening to her idiotic teacher, Mrs. Myers. Brooke was texting her friends under her desk because later that day, she, Logan (her boyfriend), Cassie (her best friend), Liam (Cassie’s boyfriend), Sarah, Lyla, Athena, Finn, Mason, and Ryan were going to the beach house in Casco Bay. It was about an hour's drive from Portland, ME. “Everyone, you know what to do, get behind my d...

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A Deserved Ghosting

Submitted to Contest #259

A Deserved Ghosting I had taken it a little too far. I always take it a little too far! And this time, I lost a potentially awesome connection with an old flame. But every fire dies out eventually. Sometimes they were never even lit. In the matter of just a few days, I both lit a flame and extinguished it.  One lazy Saturday afternoon, I told my 9th grade crush that I had, well…a crush. She was flattered by that, and we struck up an interesting conversation. But then my ADHD tendencies took over and I got carried away with excitement an...

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Up to Scratch

Submitted to Contest #257

Before you enter the drama department at Daniel Webster Middle, just above the door, there is a beautifully engraved wooden sign from England.  Ms. Hargreaves’ (drama teacher) prize possession reads: “All the World’s a stage, and All the men and women merely players.”  I opted out of the drama elective this year, but that quote from Willy Shakes, I read every Tuesday and Thursday morning for two years.  When I asked Ms. Hargreaves about the meaning, she smiled, and then forced us wee-fifth graders to memorize the entire speech...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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