Short-Shorts! Extremely short stories.

Question

Hey folks. It's been awhile. I've got the bug again and figured I'd saunter on over and see how things are going.

This challenge is simple. Write the shortest story you possibly can. My favorite example is "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn." by Hemingway.

I tried this challenge before (back on thinkdraw) and the best I could do and I think the shortest possible story would be a single word: "Be." But it makes for a boring story.

Anyway - keep it short. No minimums or maximums - just short as possible.

Comments

So, has this competition ended??? :S :(

Can I still enter anyway? Even though the winner's been selected? Cos I just want people 2 see a story I've thought of. Is it okay if I enter then?

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OMG Guys! I love these stories! All of them rock!
Well done!

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Yes, you can respond to any challenge, even if it ended.

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Yay! Thanks, Spots!!
BTW, when I entered my story, I realized I already entered 2 few months ago! And the story I entered was similar to one of them so I hid it.
Thanks!

Answer 1

He takes my hand and I'm afraid. But when he jumps, I jump too.

Comments

I realized I didn't give mine a title, but after several minutes of brainstorming, I have come to the conclusion that this particular story is more powerful without a title. I don't really want to define it, I want to leave it open to any and all interpretations.

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Hey Feathersword... I hardly ever edit anyone else's work but...

Consider this: He takes my hand. I'm afraid. He jumps. I jump.

Leave it that simple. Maybe? I'm really not sure on this one. But I think I like it - especially edited down, way down - like this. Possibly even more:

He takes my hand. I'm afraid when he jumps but I jump too.

Or dang: I jump when he jumps. I'm afraid.

I'm afraid but I jump too.

Or just. Maybe:

I jump too.

Or - OMG - maybe:

Jump!

Holy shit! Jump is better than Be.

It's perhaps the best short story ever. But it's hard to find. And harder to see unless you've followed this path.

But the winner is - Jump!

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Wow. I really appreciate your comments, especially since I'm a newbie. Really I just made up my story after about 5 minutes of thinking, so I knew there would be ways to improve it. What I like most about it is that you don't know whether it's talking about emotional turmoil or bungee jumping or what. I think the same is still true even if you cut it down to Jump. :)

Answer 2

"Suicide Note" by ron

Final report: they all say mine.

Comments

I don't get that!!

Answer 3

In the beginning was the Word.

 (It is even shorter in Latin ..  In principio erat Verbum)

Answer 4

Great challenge! Heres mine! :D

 

We said goodbye.

Comments

Apart from Ron's I think this is the only story here. Good one.

Answer 5

In a nutshell my story is...

 

The End.

Answer 6

Okay, I'll give it a go. It'll be slightly longer than the others, but I'll try to make it interesting.

 

I saw her and knew she had to be mine. The blood on the knife is still fresh and her - she no longer interests me.

Comments

I want to know what happens now. =O

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Ah, no spoilers.

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Aw, alright. =)

Answer 7

I'll try one. Won't promise it'll be any good. =)

::It flew out and fell dead. In return for the freedom that it seeked, its feathers was ruffled by crimson blood. 

Edit:: Is this any better than before I edited it? I don't really get what you're trying to say, so tell me and I can withdraw.

Comments

I think it is, because now it has context, it's no longer just a sentence.

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Thanks. =)

Answer 8

The bird with the broken wing flew out the window and it fell to the ground.A little girl nursed it till it was healthy.

Answer 9

Folks... The challenge is to write a very short story - not just a random sentence. Stories have titles and context. Much of the context is imagined in this format but the writer has some duty to the reader to at least try to set the initial conditions.

Spots got me thinking. And CreativeBrick is close. We said goodbye as the shadow grew. Or We said goodbye and flipped the switch. Or We said goodbye before we met.

I don't know...

Answer 10

"Journey"

I watched my last sunset; a beginning, not an end.

Comments

Yay! Nice.

Hey midnight. How's it hanging? Sorry I keep missing you on gmail but you're seeing me as available for chat whenever my phone logs onto google to check e-mail. I personally am hardly even on a computer anymore much less on google chat. Hope all is well.

See ya.
Ron