Robin Autumns | horror | Complete
A boy thinks he's getting away this time, but nature won't let him.
0.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 11:56
HAXX0RZ | historical | Complete
All three of the great Greek Tragedians have written plays about the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Argos. Yet theirs is in fact not a story of tragedy, but rather one of redemption. As they move from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution, their spirit of struggle and regeneration becomes an everlasting song of celebration to be heard throughout the ages. Forming a discourse set against the emergence of Athenian democracy out of a period of chaos and destruction, the Orestian plays are compelling stories of the tensions between our obligations to our families and the laws that bind us together as a society. In the beginning, we witness how a king's decision to sacrifice his daughter and turn the tide of war inflicts lasting damage on his family, culminating in a terrible act of retribution. In the aftermath of regicide, we behold how a son must set out to avenge his father's death by committing a most egregious sin. In the end, the sinner is tormented by supernatural powers that can never be appeased, but ultimately finds redemption and ends the curse on his house once and for all. Woven through all of this is the story of a friendship so close that it elevates itself to brotherhood - Where the blood of the covenant is shown to be indeed thicker than the water of the womb. In this very brief twelve-chapter modern rendition of the Orestian plays, I have chosen to place my focus mainly on the lives of the characters Orestes and his best friend Pylades. The chapters, each around 2000-2500 words, are split up evenly between them in first-person narrative. I hope that you will come to enjoy reading this heartwarming story, but more importantly, that you see how the conflicts portrayed in the story, whether human or institutional, are still much very relevant to our societies today. Note on Sources: The details of this story is very loosely based on The Oresteia by Aeschylus. And I mean very loosely. Other sources that I referenced for detail and inspiration are Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Electra by Sophocles, and Iphigenia in Tauris by Euripides. You may also find that I have quoted some of these works, and others (such as Shelley's Ozymondaeus), without citations (average of 1-2 such quotes per chapter). I did this because I do not have the ability to describe certain scenes nearly as well as some of those writers. If you read a particularly beautiful piece of prose here, chances are it's probably stolen lol. Also, I wrote this during the summer between my high school senior year and my college freshmen year. It was the summer of 2020, and being quarantined apparently gets my creative side out lol.
15.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:30
(Y/N - your name) After years away from your home town, you return to the old pizzeria, this time not as a guest but as a nightwatch worker.
7.84 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 13:54
Scientists discover that a massive gas cloud in space will cover the solar system in one year.They assure the populace that they recognize the gas and confirm that it is harmless. A year passes, and the fateful day arrives. Eric and Michael go to school like normal, but the world begins to change. System Initiating... Standby... Modification is being chosen.... Standby... Undead System has been chosen... Standby... System starting in 3... 2... 1...
4.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:47
thevirgincomedy | satire | Complete
An office worker works in an oppressive space where employees can be fired and potentially even arrested at the slightest mistake. In the midst of a chaotic morning, he is visited by the ghost of an anarchist faction leader.
3.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 09:36
DrpyCatty | contemporary | Complete
"His empty window now reminds me of how far I am from everything I love." - A short story inspired by a Twitter user's past.
0.64 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 16:55
Ruslan_rb_kg | one_shot | Complete
Going to sea, century after century, generation after generation, people have met the same things there - the wind, the waves and a ship with an elven captain coming into port just to restock the supplies...
2.75 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:44
Dave King U. | mystery | Complete
A short tale, serving as a Prelude, an Alpha of Days, The Beginning of All Beginnings...
0.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 13:58
Fay Voss | one_shot | Complete
A thirteen-year-old girl's destiny is to become a vessel for the Goddess of her village.
0.46 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:46
Critical-meltdown1 | contemporary | Complete
This great witch will write some short stories from my life here. Updates will be irregular
7.79 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 14:09
Hersi Hersi | contemporary | Complete
Two friends on a day out talking about things they shouldn't be talking about
0.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 10:23
NolanConrey | horror | Complete
The Sapient Union city-ship Craton, twenty-five light years out from Sol have an encounter with a terrifying life-form. The giant entity, known as a Leviathan, has been asleep for deep ages of time, but now . . . they may have woken it up. Other-Terrestrial is a hard sci-fi story with cosmic horror elements.
15.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:53
Unraed | historical | Complete
"His name will never be sung, son. Skalds and bards like me will never tell his stories to the mass. But only us and us alone will keep telling his story, his actions, his saga. For he is the man who started all of this." This is a story no man in Lumenter will ever hear, no man except for an Arnesen, for his stories are dull and generic to the ears of the masses, except for us, because he is the very reason why our people traveled this far east, why kingdoms in Erisgi fell and rose, why I... even existed in the first place. He is Geir, son of Arne, called 'the Stranger' by the people. But what he truly is, is a fiery red heart that beats inside every Eyklandian, Arnesen, and me. R鴖hjert (My Submission for Royal Road's Writing Competition in June 2022)
10.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:40
Airam Zenemijil | tragedy | Complete
Senza is an assassin who is mentoring a young girl to become his successor by the time he dies. Khali is a teenage girl who is raised since birth to become worthy to inherit her master's name.
6.92 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:53
officialleehadan | sci_fi | Complete
Vree liked his humans. They were kind, clever, and tended to be adorable, in the way that a small, particularly spiny cub was adorable right before it bit you. Of course, small adorable cubs usually couldn’t shapeshift or burst into flame whenever it suited them. Tusca hired a teenager on a whim, and a doctor because they were old friends. Unfortunately, nothing is ever simple when a Red Baron is at the helm.
18.04 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 16:19
A boy ventures into his kitchen for a late night snack.
1.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 13:43
RiverJ | psychological | Complete
At the far fringes of the North the garrison at Castle Lock struggles against an unending blizzard. Starving and isolated, the garrison grows restless and afraid. Afraid of the cold, afraid of the other. This fear turns to bloody madness when one of their own, Shaw, starts to murder to save his own skin. **Finished **Chapter art illustrated by my friend
8.89 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:46
Radiant Summer moon (TravisW) | comedy | Complete
Like most love stories this one takes place in the not so distant future.
2.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:11
Adelaide West | contemporary | Complete
Julia wanted revenge, but she didn't imagine she'd get a demon to help her with it. Three girls worked together to cast a ritual, and summoned a demon to grant their wishes. Whether its peace of mind, the confidence to not be bullied, or revenge, the demon is willing to please. What matters afterward is the price that has to be paid. Not only by the summoners, but by the ones who have wronged them. --- Cover photo by Mallory Johndrow on Unsplash.com --- [participant in the NaNoWriMo Royal Road challenge]
26.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:03
kiltsi | psychological | Complete
A short story about isolation, empire, and the shadows that exist when no one else is around.
4.70 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:50
