Thursday, November 02, 2006

Fifty Original Six Word Stories

I'm intrigued by the six word story, but disappointed with most of them. Too many look less like stories and more like news headlines or the opening line of a book. I wanted to see if I could actually tell a story with six words.

Something more along the lines of Robert Heinlein's famous six word story: "I came. I saw. She conquered."

In the end, a six word story is something like a haiku.

-01-
"Ow! My ears!"
"Duck!"
"What?? ...*"
"Damn."

-02-
He woke.
Sighed.
Drank.
Drove.
Killed.

-03-
She blamed herself.
Wallowed.
Rejuvenated.
Forgave.

-04-
"No."
"Why not?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"... sigh ..."

-05-
Birthed.
Buried.
So tiny! ... like tears.

-06-
Failed.
Stormed.
Blamed.
Sulked.
Understood.
Succeeded.

-07-
Neglected her.
She left.
I follow.

-08-
Struggling, I overcame.
Now what?
Whispers.

-09-
Leaves tangle under snow.
I rake.

-10-
Left behind, fearful.
She found help.

-11-
Fear!
Panic!
Discovery: just a mouse.

-12-
I surf golden waves.
Drowning.
Sputtering.

-13-
Climbed back up after being stricken.

-14-
I mugged.
I shrugged.
Got mugged.

-15-
Silver tumbled.
I seized.
Wept.
Restored.

-16-
Golden haze.
I rowed.
Camped.
Forgot.

-17-
I returned from death.
"Why?"
"Love."

-18-
"How?"
"Don't know."
Went anyway.
Sidetracked.

-19-
Found strength.
Overcame ...
That's another story.

-20-
His twin kissed her.
They divorced.

-21-
I ignored Mom.
Got raped.
Disappeared.

-22-
Cried.
Stood.
Sought.
Revenged.
Cried.
Repented.

-23-
"How many?"
"Two."
"How old?"
"Enough."

-24-
"Here, eat apple."
"WHY?!"
"Her!"
"OUT!!"

-25-
I touched her skin.
Sliced it.

-26-
Cooked.
I forgot.
Overcooked.
Ordered out.

-27-
Rested chainsaw on his body.
Ate.

-28-
His palm, fingers.
Inside me.
Shuddered.

-29-

She moved her pawn.
I resigned.

-30-
I showered, dressed, ran.
Missed it.

-31-
He lost her.
He'll lose another.

-32-
My world fell apart.
Happy anyway.

-33-
"Come tonight!"
"What'd he say?"
"Yes!"

-34-
"TCP/IP, stupidhead!"
"Excuse me? You're fired."

-35-
One ... more ... step ...
One more ...
No.

-36-
"Love you!"
"You don't!"
"This again?"

-37-
Out of three, one succeeded.
Reflected.

-38-
Saw ghost in the mirror.
Turned.
Died.

-39-
Found the bouquet in the garbage.

-40-
"Fits all."
Not me.
I dieted.

-41-
Lost my virginity.
Wish I hadn't.

-42-
I saw.
I retreated.
I wandered.

-43-
Got bitten.
Extracted the poison.
Slept.

-44-
She played well.
Then she taught.

-45-
I slept late.
I got fired.

-46-
He published.
Got wealthy.
Dried up.

-47-
He sued.
She sued.
Both lost.

[alternate ending: Kid lost.]

-48-
I want!
I got.
That's it?

-49-
Space station alpha? ...
No reply ...
Dead.

-50-
They lived, died confused.
The end.

Yehuda

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! Bravo!

Yehuda Berlinger said...

Thank you, gnome.

Yehuda

Coldfoot said...

Not bad. IMO #21 was particularly good.

Anonymous said...

four letters
six words
One People

Rahel Jaskow said...

Late to the thread -- but ooh, wonderful!

Here are two of mine:

Earth moved.
Why doesn't he call?

Dripping forearm...
cats don't like manicures.

Smatt said...

Hi Yehuda,

In doing research on six-word stories, your blog came up on the first search page!

Enjoyed the list, though 38 had an extra...

cheers,
smatt

Swan2Go said...

Daughter left
27 years
Miss her