Author Topic: 2 weeks a Mini Story (Vince winner, get ready for next round!) (Read 6973 times) Tweet Share

Andail · « **on:** 17 Jan 2008, 10:57 »

What's a mini story? It's like a short story but shorter. The Times had a competition that yielded some nice results, so I thought it'd fit this community. We need to exercise our story telling, but we might not have time for longer stuff.

Rules
The story must not contain more than 55 words. It needs to be pithy and smart to earn votes. It must inspire the reader's imagination, provoke their thoughts. Be brief but eloquent.

The winner
Will be decided by a public vote, which will be carried out after the deadline. Which is exactly 2 weeks from today.

Good luck!

PS:
I might contribute with a story in due time

Voting procedure update!!
Considering the unexpectedly high participation, I'm implementing a change. We'll vote for five finalists after only one week. These finalists will then write one more contribution each that we will vote for during the second week.

stajp · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 11:37 »

Is there a theme, or it's open for anything?

Akatosh · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 14:15 »

55 words? That's going to be a little tough...

Andail · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 14:25 »

Here's a collection of links to some samples, for inspiration.
http://wordpress.com/tag/55-fiction/

Stupot+ · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 14:46 »

do we post them here or pm them to keep them anonymous?

bicilotti · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 14:51 »

Cute idea! I'll definitely join this!

PixelPerfect · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 16:26 »

Alek counted the remaining bullets. Two. Both of the casevian spiders creeped slowly to start feasting on his flesh. He knew what would happen to Earth if either of those warmongers reached the beacon. Alek's infection was worse and the clock ticked to most horrifying death. He prayed to die quickly and fired two times.

Candall · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 16:36 »

Cornered, the mouse withdrew a toothpick from its belt of twine. It lashed wildly; a hot crimson bead fell upon the floor as the wooden sabre cracked and splintered, having met the large dark pad upon a large clawed foot. The cat retreated hastily so that it may address its wound. A scarlet trail followed.

Lionmonkey · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 17:57 »

Once upon a time there was a furry little thing. It had many furry little friends in the Great Forest, where they lived. It liked to run around the Great Forest, play with it's furry little friends and eat juicy fleshy humans. It was a happy furry little thing!

-- THE END --

VK Dan · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 18:44 »

He was alone; lost in a forest he had never seen before. There were many unrecognizable creatures scurrying about his feet. He looked behind him, wondering how this had come to pass. It had all begun earlier that morning. Everything started so normally, but things ended up going terribly wrong...

TheJBurger · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 19:15 »

Exactly 55 words.

Is suicide painless? I gaze down hundreds of feet at the boding, murky waters. Nobody understood me. Nobody liked me. Now they all would know. They would remember me. I stepped up onto the railing of the bridge. What would I feel as I jumped? Relief? My “friends” called me indecisive. I'll show them.

Regret.

Fin.

Jon · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 19:52 »

I looked down to see that I was totally naked. I screamed. My blood started to boil, I had had enough. I picked up the child and ate his face. There was no turning back now, I had to do it. I proptly left with my pistol. My work was only half done.

Das Ende.

p.s. sorry if this is weird I havn't slept in a while

nihilyst · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 20:00 »

We sat on a cold bench outside the pub, smoking. It rained, and she told me things I didn't understand. She always did, and I always didn’t, I guess. I nodded, shrugged my shoulder. She left crying, running down the street, passing ragged gardens. Life was never easy, someone said. I like to smoke alone.

Da_Elf · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 20:08 »

Today at six fifty seven, Andail decided to start a mini story competition. There were quite a few people who entered their stories however, try as i might, i could not think of a good story. Rather than waste time comming up with something brilliant I think I will just write something stupid. The End.

(exactly 55)

Colxfile · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 21:22 »

A couple that clock in at 55 words each:

He slumped into the chair. Another failed speed date. No-one ever seemed interested in him. Was it his clothes? His hair? His glasses? His short stature? His age? Perhaps it was his opening line: “So, what do you know about Brownian Motion?”

He feared he would die alone. But he didn’t want to appear desperate…

Or, if you’d prefer a more uplifting one:

“Your wall clock is slow. Shall I wind it forward?” I asked, reaching out with two hands. “No! Don’t touch!” he shouted, but he was too late. I pulled it off the wall. Plaster and masonry fell from the ceiling. The house shuddered, before it disintegrated around me.

“I said don’t touch!”, he bellowed, glaring.

Stupot+ · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 00:31 »

He stepped quietly into the morgue. It was cold. The mortician nodded to him and pulled open a stainless steel drawer. Inside, was a lonely mound, a sheet covering what he knew to be his daughter. The mortician pulled back the sheet. A solitary tear fell from the man's eye. "I Love You", he said.

PixelPerfect · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 01:09 »

The 23rd ball dropped from the hole and it was still blue. One of the girls from the other family catched the red and were led to the stairs. I didn't notice the scream anymore. The last ball was dropped. I sighed from relief. My father would make it. I was led to the stairs.

auriond · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 01:19 »

Wow, this looks like fun! Ok, jumping in feet first:

She opened her eyes, but only darkness stared back. Her mouth opened and screamed panic. Her arms shot out, flailed briefly, felt nothing. Then a hand took hers firmly, and she felt warm breath at her ear: “I’m here, no matter what…”

Tears leaked from sightless eyes; but she began her journey to see again.

monkey_05_06 · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 07:12 »

Disclaimer (not an entry)

Upon actually reading over these entries it might seem that they could be quite easily linked together into a larger story. To an extent you would be correct, in that the larger story is in fact my life. But I assure you that I have not been writing about the same theme for the purpose of circumnavigating the 55 word limit. In fact, the following entries are not as related as you might think when you read them.

The following entries have been inspired by actual events in my life, but no two of them by the same event. I apologize if any apparent relation between the entries seems to serve the purpose of by-passing the rules. Such was not my intention and I only later realized how closely related these may seem.

Disclaimer entry (is an entry) / Fifth entry
Title: Disclaimed

It might seem that the following entries are related in a way in which they simply are not. Each entry has been inspired by a separate and distinct event in my life, and I assure you the "apparent" relation is simply due to my writing style. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

55 words.

First/"official" entry
Title: Picture of the Damned.

I awoke gasping, drenched by my own cold sweat. I'd been dreaming of her again. For more than a year now she'd been gone but somehow I couldn't let go of her. She haunted my dreams. I would see her face in a crowd...

As my eyelids grew heavy, her image grew clear once more.

55 words.

Second entry
(I'm not sure how many entries we're allowed but others have done multiple entries. If we're only allowed one, the above is my "official" entry.)
Title: This pain is my own.

If this is just a bad dream then why can't I wake? This pain is so unbearable. They say you can't feel pain in your dreams. Then this must not be a dream. I've done it to myself though. My blood is on my own hands. Nothing can undo that now. I've gone too far.

55 words.

Third entry
Title: F^.*$ING Internet

It takes my eyes a second to focus on the new window. She has logged on. I can barely contain my joy. I shout out to her. She sends no response. "You have been disconnected." Why? A surge? Reconnect. She's gone. The reason why I hate the Internet.

48 words.

Fourth entry
Title: Wrong no more.

"I will always come for you." That's what I had told her. Yet I remained rooted to the spot. Why was this so hard? I was wrong before. I won't be wrong again. This time there's no turning back. She had given her life for me; it was time for me to do the same.

55 words.

Vince Twelve · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 09:06 »

As I stepped out onto the bridge of the great airship, I felt that familiar urge. Looking around and finding myself alone on the deck, I unzipped my pants and began relieving myself over the side. It gave me a warm feeling inside. No, not inside, outside...

I woke up and started changing the sheets.