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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. |
| Fairies There were fairies in the back yard, Arnold Whitter was convinced of it. He tried taking photographs of them but they were too fast. As soon as he’d got them in focus, they’d gone. In the end, he resorted to faking it. His deception was soon revealed by modern technology. He was “outed.” Everyone laughed and told him stories of the Cottingley fairies. “It’s been done,” they told him. Arnold braved it out and insisted it was true. He became a national object of derision. What really added injury to insult, however, was when the fairies sued him for defamation. Word count: 100 For no reason other than the need to write something. No prompt. |
| Tattoo William sat down in the chair offered by the tattooist. “I want something entirely different,” he said. “Have a look through this then,” answered the artist, handing over a portfolio with many examples on each of its pages. William flicked through a few before shaking his head. “Nah, it needs to be something really special. I’ve seen people with tats like these.” The tattooist gave him a hard look. “In that case, you’d better have our exclusive special offer.” “Sounds more like it,” said William. “What’s different about it?” “It’s so expensive, no one’s ever been able to afford it.” Word count: 100 For no particular reason Prompt: None. |
| Power Man It all began when I crash landed on this planet nearly ten years ago. The inhabitants, who were remarkably human in most ways, healed my wounds and enabled me to recover to full health over several earth weeks. That was when I realised that the locals were incredibly fragile in comparison to me. My comparative strength made me a sort of superhero amongst them. This became my natural function and I took the name of Power Man. Over the years a great sadness overtook me, however. There was no joy in saving the inhabitants anymore. Homesickness is a terrible thing. Word count: 100 For no particular reason. The prompt was an extrapolation from a passing thought. |
| AirPod Harry entered the bathroom and made his way toward the great white throne. Something on the shelf cluttered with his wife’s toiletries distracted his eye. It was one of those white AirPods that had taken the place of the old walkman earphones of another age. Harry had never liked those, since they always fell out. AirPods must surely be worse, unattached to wires as they were. He decided to give this one a try and popped it into his ear. A voice intoned, “Right, that’s another one. Watch his antics when he finds out he can’t get rid of it.” Word count: 100 For Microscopic Stories No prompt - just another bathroom inspiration. |
| Anti-Tourettes Malcolm entered the bathroom in deep thought. It was not every day that he was told by a doctor that he had an unpronounceable disease. It seemed that he had something known commonly as “Anti-Tourettes.” This was a condition in which the sufferer imagines the world as constantly swearing at him. Something to ponder on indeed. As he passed the shelf with his wife’s unguents, balms and unknowables, Malcolm glimpsed the word “Getashit.” His mind was distracted from its thoughts to wonder if this were some new form of laxative. He reversed and read the label again. Cetaphil it read. Word count: 100 For my own amusement Prompt: None because it happened to me. |
| Use It or Lose It As he grew older, he thought often of the adage. Knowing it was true, he fretted about the increasing rarity of his interactions with her and the dwindling of his capacity. She seemed disinterested and he was determined not to impose on her. Just as he feared, he lost it in the end. Then he found that life was easier and happier without it. Not to be subject to its constant urging and insistence was freedom indeed. She missed it, however. Now she worried about losing both her charms and his love. His frequent declarations were insufficient to convince her. Word count: 100 For no particular reason but my strange thoughts. Unprompted. |
| Daylight Savings Time “In this company, we work daylight savings time in the rainy season.” Morgan Uffman stared at his new boss in amazement. “In the tropics? But there’s no need. The sun comes up the same time all year round.” “Yes, and in the rainy season it rains twice a day,” replied the boss. Watching Morgan’s reaction, he continued. “1:00pm and 5:00pm, as regular as clockwork.” “I still…” began Morgan, but the boss interrupted. “1:00pm is lunchtime and we go home at 5:00pm. We got tired of getting wet. We work daylight savings time in the rainy season.” Word count: 100 Because I found a sensible reason for DST No prompt apart from the idea. |
 Red Sky Luigi called out to his captain. “Beautiful sky, hey, Carlo?” The captain turned from his work in the bow. “What time is it?” “About 6:30, I think. Why?” “AM or PM?” Luigi frowned in puzzlement. “AM of course. We’ve only just arrived out here. I said it was a beautiful sky.” “I know you did,” said Carlo. “Now get the engine started. We’re going back in.” Luigi’s mouth dropped open. “But why, captain? We haven’t caught anything yet.” “What are you, Luigi?” Luigi shrugged. “A sailor.” Carlo stood and looked at him. “Sailor, red sky, morning? We’re going in.” Word count: 100 Because I found the picture Prompt: It seemed appropriate. |
| Homeward Ellie May leaned over and nestled her head into his neck. “Well, Rowdy, that’s all the bad guys in jail and you ‘n me for the ole homestead.” “Yup,” said Rowdy. The buckboard swayed and the horse plodded on wearily into the growing sunset ahead. The only sound in a golden world was the creaking of the stays. “Just a minute, Rowdy,” said Ellie May, lifting her head and glancing around. “This ain’t the way back home.” Rowdy grinned back at her. “I know, Ellie, but they need a shot of us heading into the sunset.” “Cut,” yelled the director. Word count: 100 For no particular reason No prompt. |
| Exhaustion Ralph Carver walked to the window and looked down. Three floors up, he had a great view of the car park below. Nothing was happening down there, but things rarely did in hospital car parks. He raised his eyes to the horizon, where a row of trees marked the freeway. Cars flashed through the intervals between the trees, busy upon their business. Ralph was tired and desperate to go home. He decided that he hated hospitals. And then the public address system piped up. “Doctor Carver to Emergency. Doctor Carver.” “Oh God, let this be the last one,” he muttered. Word count: 100 For no particular reason Prompt supplied by writingexercises.co.uk: The view from a hospital window. |
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