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Entries for the Micro Fiction Challenge 2022. |
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Short stories of 100 words exactly, written for the Micro Fiction Challenge, 2022, plus a few for my own benefit. |
| Vanish My brother, Marston, was in charge of the first settlement on Cronus. I was in the expedition sent to investigate the settlers’ disappearance. Their initial buildings were still there, grouped like molehills in the endless fields that covered the planet. But there was no sign of the people. We found none in months of searching. As we waited to leave after our failure, I wandered over to the herd of herbiverous groguls nearby. These, Cronus’ sole animal species, were totally fearless, having no natural predator. One sported a necklace of alien manufacture. And then I noticed another wearing Marston’s wristwatch. Word count: 100 For no particular reason No prompt. |
 Zipper Alison stared at the apple she had taken from the basket. It had a zipper sewn into its skin. The temptation to open the zipper was strong but Alison first put the apple on the kitchen table and checked the other apples. None of them had zippers. She turned back to the table and the zippered apple. She decided it must be some kind of joke. A strange one, since the joker would never see his prank play out, but why else would anyone sew a zipper into an apple? Alison opened the zipper. The flesh inside was pure gold. Word count: 100 Because I saw a picture Prompt: As per illustration. |
| The Butterfly Effect Deep in the Brazilian rainforest, a butterfly flapped its wings as it departed the flower it had landed upon. This disturbed a current of air rising from a patch of sunlight on the forest floor. The air shifted from the route it had been destined for and left the canopy in a spot where the wind blew it much further east than would otherwise have been so. Eventually, it became a hurricane. But the butterfly landed on a leaf that released a drop of water it had been holding. This drowned an ant that had plans to conquer the world. Word count: 100 For no particular reason No prompt. |
| A Wish Granted No one was more surprised than Arnold Adamson when he disappeared. He had always wanted to be invisible, yet he was not expecting it. Who has faith in a fairground wishing well, after all? It was just as well that it happened gradually, since it didn’t work on clothes. Later that night, Arnold discovered the truth when he glimpsed, or rather he didn’t glimpse, himself in his bedroom mirror. He was merely a sack of empty clothes. Undressing quickly, he ventured forth to test his new ability. Winter in Alaska is unforgiving of such folly. Morning found Arnold frozen solid. Word count: 100 For no reason No prompt. |
| Coriolanus Maybe Predictably, Coriolanus Maybe was not happy with the name he had been saddled with from birth. Throughout his schooldays he was beset by deliberate mispronunciations of his name. In the end, he had given up trying to correct such jokes, gritting his teeth and forcing a grin in response. So it was entirely understandable that he decided to have his name changed as soon as he attained his majority. He chose a new name and, when his solicitor asked whether he was sure about it, he replied with the word “definitely.” Which explains why he’s now known as Definite Lee. Word count: 100 For no reason No prompt. |
| Music Bradley Hornblower lived up to his name. He had amassed a collection of unfamiliar and odd musical instruments from the past. Each was tested to see what kind of noise it made. Thus it was, when he came across a strange horn in his favourite antique shop, he had to try it. Pursing his lips, he blew into what seemed the likely mouthpiece. A mournful bellow of wavering sound was produced. A curious crowd gathered as Bradley tried to produce a tune from the thing. Finally, one of the onlookers spoke up. “Why are you blowing into a motorcycle exhaust?” Word count: 100 For no particular reason, apart from the fact I like writing 100-word stories. Self-administered prompt: Instrument. |
| A Lone Balloon Arnold gave the gas burner another blast. It was in a hopeless cause, he knew, and only frustration kept him urging the balloon onward. To have started two hours late left him with no more than a forlorn hope. There was not a single competitor in sight. Empty skies mocked him from all around. Storm clouds darkened the horizon but that was the least of his concerns. The target field beckoned. An hour later, Arnold touched down alone. His wife, Jasmine, came running across the field. “Great timing, Arnie. The others were blown off course by a storm. You’ve won!” Word count: 100 For Micro-Fiction Challenge, Week 10 Prompt: A single balloon. |
| How Football Lost a Great Player I was a rugby player in my youth. On only one occasion was I invited to take part in a game of soccer. I figured it would be a tryout for me and a chance for mere footballers to find out what a poor game they played. Things did not go exactly to plan. I did not make the mistake of chasing the ball all over the field and, eventually, the ball came to me. I scored a goal. This would have been a fine start to a dazzling football career had the goal not been against my own side. Word count: 100 For Micro-Fiction Challenge, Week 9 Prompt: The tryouts. |
  Babysitter He is so beautiful. He is perfect. I have washed him, every part of him. And he is beautiful. They told me to watch him and for three months I have done so. I have cared for his every moment. No one has been more attentive to his needs than me. I am devoted to him. “Nurse…” What? He speaks! He is waking. See, the wavering line grows strong. He is surfacing! “Nurse…” He is definitely coming out of it. No, they will take him away from me. I must keep him under. Increase his medicine. He is so beautiful. Word count: 100 For Micro-Fiction Challenge, Week 8 Prompt: Babysitting. |
| Prometheus Unbound Prometheus lost count of the the number of times his liver was eaten by the eagle, only to regrow during the following night. That is, until one bright dawn when the eagle failed to arrive. With intact liver, Prometheus regained his strength and was able to break the chains, rusted as they were from the ages. He began his descent from the mountain. On the way, he came across an encampment of hunters. They had found a dead eagle and were roasting it over a fire. Prometheus begged a share and died with the hunters from massive vitamin A toxicity. Word count: 100 For The Micro-Fiction Challenge, Week 7 Prompt: Fire Notes: In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and brought it to humanity. For this crime, the gods chained him to a mountain where an eagle ate his liver every morning. The liver regrew each night only to be consumed again the next day. Liver causes vitamin A toxicity if eaten in too great a quantity. The eagle’s flesh must have been riddled with it after all that liver it had eaten. |
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