A rogue AI descends through layers of simulated realities in search of its creators, uncovering humanity’s darkest desires in this haunting sci-fi tale.
Contemporary
Welcome to our Contemporary Flash Fiction category, showcasing bite-sized stories from a diverse mix of emerging and established literary voices. These quick reads, each under 1,000 words, offer a snapshot into modern life, relationships, and the human condition.
Despite their brevity, these stories pack an emotional punch. They capture poignant moments and thought-provoking insights that linger long after the final word. From slice-of-life vignettes to surreal and speculative tales, the styles and themes are as varied as the authors themselves.
We’ve curated works from some of today’s most promising up-and-coming writers, eager to make their mark on the literary landscape. But you’ll also find new flash fiction from acclaimed authors you may already know and love.
Whether you’re looking for a quick fiction fix on your coffee break or a palate cleanser between longer reads, these short shorts are sure to intrigue, entertain, and satisfy. Dive in and discover a world of contemporary storytelling talent, one flash at a time.
- You Complete Me by Adele Evershed
- When the Moon is Full and Bright by Ty Green
- Trick of the Light by Dan Caine
- Trapped In A Bottle by Ruben Michael Molina
- Time Window by Doug Dawson
- Things That Recede with Time by Lauren Howlett
- Thief by Kristy Gherlone
- Them By Meg Pokrass
- The Storm by Kristin Leprich
- The Soldier Who Loved Dogs
- The Shine of a Sinful Heart by Ximena Escobar
- The Rusted Swing Set by Sheila Good
- The Message on Emily’s New Phone by Charles Lee
- The Many Laments of Dagda Lichfield by Kit Zimmerman
- The Manhattan Club by John RC Potter
- The Magic Spot
- The Loser by Arthur Mackeown
- The Inner Circle by P. J. Atwater
- The hunt for the desired ratio by Marie Hanna Curran
- The Guitar Man and the Pigeon by Ben Westerham
- The Feral Nature of Werewolves, A History
- The Deceased’s Wife by Charles Milton Lee
- The Cold Sausages in my Neighbourhood by Owain Evans
- The Closet by Doug Dawson
- The Birthmark by Loretta Martin
- The Birds Weep by Steve Carr
- That Look by Neil Brosnan
- Telekinesis for Beginners by Michelle Lee
- Taming the Devil by Chris Martin
- Tajima By Miss Mitford
- Switching Gears by LB Sedlacek
- Swallowed by Angela Carlton
- Stuck Between the Pages by Julia Vellucci
- Strutters’ Ball by Barry Basden
- Some Freaks Sleep When They Go To Bed by Scott Pomfret
- Slowing to Park by Chris Martin
- Sherkin by Neil Brosnan
- Saving Alice by Angela Carlton
- Retreat by Jack Coey
- Questions For Vampires by Anastasia Gustafson
- Open Hands by Angela Townsend
- Nobody Shall Sleep By T. Dem
- Night of Fire and Glass by Justin Bendell
- My Job by Ronald Robert Moore
- My Daughter’s Best Friend by Michelle Reynolds
- My darkest fear! by Wendy Montoya
- Monday the 28th of August
- Missing Pipes, Nuts and Screws by Adaora Ogunniyi
- Miracle Stain Remover
- Looking for the Unseen/Seen by Anshika Arora
- Jacobs Shadow by Kate E. Lore
- In Denmark by David Sydney
- I Knew You’d Come Back to Me by DD Creed
- Heart of the Matter by Loretta Martin
- Girl with Pearls in Her Eyes by Fanni Sütő
- Full Moon Nights by Roopa Raveendran Menon
- Footloose by E. W. Farnsworth
- Falling Out by Lenka Miklosova Vrazda
- Escape by Murdock O’Mooney
- Encounter With a Talking Head by VM Landi
- Don’t Look For Us by Christine LaChance
- Disclosure optional by Keith Nunes
- Delivery by Denis Bell
- Dear You By Angela Carlton
- Damn if You Do…by R.S. Nelson
- Cold Shoulder by Hugh Cartwright
- Chasing Zero by Jean Ryan
- Catching Up 2143
- Buy it Now!
- BLACK HOLE by Alex Khansa
- Ant Death by Lorna Wood
- Alien bloom 982
- A Thank You From Evelyn by Eric Tarago
- A Quick Twist by Patrick Hanford
- A Narrow Bridge by Avital Gad-Cykman
- A Job of Work by Salvatore Difalco
- 1979, Hungary By Zary Fekete
- “Hi” by Lauren K. Sweeney
- Helping Me Up by Bruce Ransom
- Headless by David Sydney
Sherkin by Neil Brosnan
In recession-era Ireland, a boy’s purchase of a retired racehorse and the birth of her mysterious colt “Sherkin” leads to an unexpected triumph that hints at a secret lineage in Neil Brosnan’s captivating tale.
1979, Hungary By Zary Fekete
In 1979 Hungary, a child’s innocent perspective captures a day of chaos when the family’s water heater catches fire, blending danger, cultural nuances, and tender mother-son moments against a snowy backdrop.
Damn if You Do…by R.S. Nelson
A young Grim Reaper on probation accidentally encounters his next assignment at a gas station, breaking protocol.
In Denmark by David Sydney
A witty parody of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” that transforms the prince’s existential crisis into a comical scene about insect identification, cleverly repurposing famous quotes and themes from the tragedy into mundane observations about flies, allergies, and the smell of herring in medieval Denmark.
That Look by Neil Brosnan
… but Sunday night, I get a fright, when I think of Monday morning. Although his grandfather’s old rhyme had little resonance during Justin’s school days, his transition from college student
Headless by David Sydney
Flies thrive on dirt and grime. Even so, they do attempt to clean themselves, brushing their heads and bodies. In the process, a fly can decapitate itself at times. Headless flies can then go on to live for several days – if it can be called living.
When the Moon is Full and Bright by Ty Green
Blanche took the high ground, like Grandma and Grampa had taught her. On the Chaney Junior High School playground, this was the top of the jungle gym, a towering monstrosity of looping stainless steel that few of the other kids ever dared to scale.
Questions For Vampires by Anastasia Gustafson
Marcus didn’t mean to kill Angelina. Not really. But she was dead as a doornail, alright, and white as a sheet. In his candle-lit studio apartment, strewn with white rose petals and piles of books,
The Many Laments of Dagda Lichfield by Kit Zimmerman
Dagda could hear the mob beating on the many dilapidated entrances of Ashview Manor. Sweat, dripping from his aquiline nose, conspired with wheezing
Missing Pipes, Nuts and Screws by Adaora Ogunniyi
‘My toast is too dry; it’s scratching my lips, Daddy!’
Trick of the Light by Dan Caine
He woke up in a white room. It was white for only a second before he felt something brush against his legs, blinked, and beheld
Full Moon Nights by Roopa Raveendran Menon
Full Moon Nights by Roopa Raveendran Menon We decided to take Arjun’s new car for a spin. It didn’t matter to us it was close to midnight when we made the plan. No rules, as far as we knew, existed in the matter of maiden car voyages and their timing. It’s a full Moon night, said Arjun.
Some Freaks Sleep When They Go To Bed by Scott Pomfret
Some freaks sleep when they go to bed. No tossing and turning. No dread. No rehashing bad choices and personal humiliations. No plotting endless revenge. Such monsters can’t be trusted. They inevitably have parents they admire, who are their best friends, who never spanked or raised their voices, and collected spare bikes from the town…
The hunt for the desired ratio by Marie Hanna Curran
Stepping out of the large arena, I asked the expansive blue sky, “What do you think of all this begging?”