Adventure Game Studio

Everyone is probably aware of the first example of the "Six Word Story":

"For Sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."

The concept is that an image of a story can be placed in the mind of the reader with only six words. The story will never be complete but the best ones will stay with the reader in either some mysterious or humorous way, or some other third way.

I started this thread because I had an idea to create a book or calendar or roll of toilet paper that has one Six Word Story per leaf, and I'm lazy and can't come up with (at most) 365 or so such stories myself so please post below if you have one of your own original ones.

But, I do have one to start us off with of my own creation:

"My hand passes through my gravestone."

(All Six Word Stories within this thread are owned exclusively by Mandle and you will get a mention somewhere if the final product ever appears in any form but if it's toilet paper your name may be on the wipe-side.)

Got another one:

"Toilet paper. There's a wipe-side?!"

Ohhhh, another one I just came up with:

"Sit still, or it might hear."

They keep coming, gah, I can't stop now!

"Estate Sale Agreement: Never excavate grounds."

"You can't see her? I can."

"Dying before turning around was merciful."

Quote from: Mandle on Sun 24/01/2021 10:28:53
"For Sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."

I get that the story is meant to make you think that the baby died. But I honestly can't help but think that the baby was simply born with big feet, and that it's actually a story about how you shouldn't buy too many baby clothes for a newborn.

So here's my six word story:
Why did Thanos just snap his...

Quote"Toilet paper. There's a wipe-side?!"

(laugh)

I've got two more:

- Donald pushed the red button.
- again?

And:

Give me my body back LeChuck

Of course it's easier when you use names.

"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine"

"Ovaltine? A Crummy commercial? Sonuva b*tch."

Chuck Norris used five words  (laugh).

Quote from: Danvzare on Sun 24/01/2021 14:50:09
I get that the story is meant to make you think that the baby died. But I honestly can't help but think that the baby was simply born with big feet, and that it's actually a story about how you shouldn't buy too many baby clothes for a newborn.

So here's my six word story:
Why did Thanos just snap his...

There are quite a few possibilities. I seem to remember discussing them somewhere in this forum perhaps.
It's also possible that the mother knitted pink booties or bought pink shoes in the hopes of a daughter and the baby was a boy (back when pink and blue were more of a strict tradition).

Also, I love the Thanos story! Is that of your own creation?

Cold winds over the reeds,

Yet buds on the kneeling birch tree,

The swallows have come home.


Wait, wrong format. Stand by!

"Shit! Mud-spike! Five o'clock! Close!"

Or perhaps

"Where thoughts come to die"

For Sale:
Baby Shoes.
Size Thirteen

Quote from: Klatuu on Mon 25/01/2021 19:28:04
For Sale:
Baby Shoes.
Size Thirteen

HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Perhaps a clown couple were hoping for a clown child but they had a normal one instead... So many possibilities!!!

New blowfish chef required. Insurance essential.

Watch out! Stairs!
Stairs? What stairrrrrrrr

Watch out! Pole!
Pole? What POW

Quote from: Mandle on Sun 24/01/2021 23:27:08
Also, I love the Thanos story! Is that of your own creation?

Yep, I made it there and then. Thanks.  :-D
It took a while to come up with it though.  :-[

"They did not imagine - they remembered."

Quote from: CaptainD on Mon 25/01/2021 22:45:07
New blowfish chef required. Insurance essential.

Love it!!!

- Missed the "Mute"; never spoke again.

- "Be not afraid," the angel leered.

- Have you seen my OWWFUCKINGHELL Lego?

- "Sorry, no change! Oh, Venmo? Uh…"

- Closed due to robbery. Now hiring!

I especially love that last one, Snarky! And the Lego one is freakin' hilarious!

MORE MORE I NEED MANY MORE!!!

Quote from: heltenjon on Mon 25/01/2021 22:59:11
Watch out! Stairs!
Stairs? What stairrrrrrrr

This makes the selection for sure!

- Dreamt I… Wait, no, still asleep.

They all said I couldn't.
Wrong.

"Silly me, I forgot your insulin."

You have been eaten. Restart cycle?

I'm still puzzled by this one:

Quote from: Snarky- Closed due to robbery. Now hiring!

Is this a panel on top of another one? What kind of people do they hire?

Quote from: Creamy on Fri 29/01/2021 18:33:58
I'm still puzzled by this one:

Quote from: Snarky- Closed due to robbery. Now hiring!

Is this a panel on top of another one? What kind of people do they hire?

People not shot yet, was my morbid thought.

It's ambiguous, but I thought it would suggest that the former employees had either been killed, had quit because of the danger, or had perhaps been arrested as accomplices in the robbery.

Quote from: Snarky on Sat 30/01/2021 08:09:18
It's ambiguous, but I thought it would suggest that the former employees had either been killed, had quit because of the danger, or had perhaps been arrested as accomplices in the robbery.

I assumed the darkest route, as is usual for me, that there were positions vacant due to... erm... openings occurring in the previous staff roster...

Quote from: Creamy on Fri 29/01/2021 18:26:35
"Silly me, I forgot your insulin."

DARK! I LOVE it!!!

"A baby took my dingo!" CUT!!!

In mid-sentence? You don't die in

There are no landmines left in

Ice guard wanted. Skinny applicants preferred.

Here are some ideas:


Her fillings were all that remained.

Reddening, he waited for his floor.

“Excuse me. Have you seen me?”

“Do it.”
“But.”
“NOW!”
“...”
“Thank you.”


These are always a fun exercise but I find it almost impossible to actually “tell” a story. The best you can really do is hint at the story and hope the reader fills in the blanks. This might involve having to create their own backstories and scenarios that could be vastly different from the author’s intended story. Which is great fun, but I wonder it’s possible to really tell a whole story in 6 words.

Love 'em Stupot!

And:

"Wanna be number eight this week?!"

For Sal: rtro computr. Kyboard brokn.

Quote from: Stupot on Thu 04/02/2021 08:35:22
For Sal: rtro computr. Kyboard brokn.

It's in the batch!!!

The sidewalk approaches. I regret jumping.

Googling: "How to survive falling from..."

"Sir, I'm afraid it's terminal... Next."

Quote from: Stupot on Tue 09/02/2021 10:38:35
"Sir, I'm afraid it's terminal... Next."

HAHAHA!!! Included in the batch!

"Set the time machine to 2020."

Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 09/02/2021 20:14:57
"Set the time machine to 2020."

Nice! And creepy in a way.

"HULK SMASH!!!" "THING CLOBBER!!!" Batman:"SHHHHH!!!"

"It is supposed to go beep?"

Quote from: Reiter on Wed 10/02/2021 07:19:35

"It is supposed to go beep?"

Love it!

I have a sequel to Reiter's story:

"Help! It's NOT supposed to beep!"

"And they died happily ever after."

You can't escape now, Batman! (...) Batman?

"Can't move. They start burrowing in."

"Boy am I glad THAT's over!"

"What does Blue-on-blue mean?"

I´m the last man on earth. You?

Quote from: Chomba on Tue 30/03/2021 00:00:51
I´m the last man on earth. You?

That’s 7 words, at least. Nice twist though.

Quote from: Chomba on Tue 30/03/2021 00:00:51
I´m the last man on earth. You?

I will cut to six words with:

"I'm the last human alive. You?"

"It's alive! It's alive! It's... gone."