She asked me to catch her a squirrel. It was a crazy idea, but I got her a squirrel.
Now she loves me. She even kissed my cheek. I know it sounds insane, but maybe she’ll even marry me now.
She’s happy; I’m happy.
Wait, is that squirrel’s mouth foaming?
John Mark Goforth lives in rural Pennsylvania, where he spends his time writing and being enamored with the blonde girl at school. One of these things is bad for his mental health, but he is not sure which one.
The control room breathed a deep sigh of relief. They’d succeeded in venting the noxious gas from the room.
The facility was safe.
A man sniffed, then another, and they turned. I reddened and pretended it wasn’t me as the alarm sounded again.
David scribbles stories and, when not unconscious from his dog’s fumes, he laughs.
“Look at my engagement ring, Granddad.”
“You are betrothed.”
“Happily.”
“You have pledged your troth.”
“Joyously.”
“You should’ve consulted me first. I’ve been engaged five times.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Once in grade 1… Twice in grade 2, again in grade 3, and finally when I was 27, to your lovely grandmother.”
Barry O’Farrell is an actor living in Brisbane, Australia. He’s enjoying the challenge of writing in 50 words.
She flushed the toilet three times, washed her hands three times, folded the last sheet of paper on the roll exactly as before, wearily descended the stairs never touching the handrail.
He grinned; she noticed his thrice-polished shoes.
She must leave, while there was still time. Apparently OCD was contagious.
Ruby Ray has been a Jill of many trades and mistress of some of them. Anyway, she hopes to have mastered (mistressed?) a few more before she takes it easy for good.
The entire house was spotless. Door-tops: dustless. His own razor: hairless. Kitchen trashcan: almost trashless. He kicked it over; an empty, washed milk carton fell out.
They thought they’d beaten him. But he knew their filth was somewhere. Dirty vermin, his family.
When they returned, they’d pay for this mess.
Arthur Brown has been a teacher for a long time and hopes to be a non-teacher for longer.
“I vant to suck your blood!”
“I’ll report you.”
“…Vut? Vut are you meanink?”
“I mean I’ll call the cops. Actually no, I’ll call a magazine and give them the scoop, first. You’re famous, right? I’ll get big bucks and your career will be over.”
“…And zey call ME bloodthirsty.”
Tim Sevenhuysen is the editor of FiftyWordStories.com.
Fry flour in the pan juices. Stir in stock (chicken, or marmite and water).
Add worcestershire sauce and pepper.
What could possibly go wrong?
Whisk to get rid of lumps.
Sieve to get rid of lumps.
Hope mother-in-law to be doesn’t notice lumps.
It’s not a witch’s brew.
Just gravy.
A little over a year ago Debb Bouch entered a short story into a Needle in the Hay contest. Regular contests since have provided encouragement and challenge. And writing is all about challenge.
Stephen was born to be a writer, his parents always said so.
His latest book would be a bestseller, they bragged, a page-turner with a twist ending that would set the world on fire.
“But it had all been a dream,” he’d typed on that last page.
“Brilliant!” they’d gasped.
Michael McKinnon, of Toronto, has been a writer, journalist, and communications professional for more than 20 years.
He stumbled headfirst into the river.
The clouds opened up, light shone forth, and a voice said, “Believe in me, and let go.”
Then there was fire and brimstone and another voice said, “Clutch at these straws!”
“Bugger this!” he thought and swam to the shallow side and walked away.
Read more of Connell’s fractured words at paragraphplanet, home.wtd-magazine.com, and postcardshorts.com.
Yemi dropped to the floor, clutching the white paper in his hand.
The results of the DNA test stung his eyes. His status had changed from an illegitimate child to a common stranger. For 35 years, his mother had lied.
The hefty inheritance from his late “father” no longer existed.
Aubrey is an idealist with a fondness for writing and all things culture. She sporadically has vivid dreams about her unpublished books being on the New York Times best sellers list.