Over my 2+ years on the Steem blockchain, I’ve written a bunch of 50-word stories. Various citizens of Steemlandia (
A few had titles, others no more than the prompt word from the challenge or contest. In no particular order:
50 Words Challenge: Chain
Raoul was tired of Veronique always yanking his chain. “Don't come back without some food for the kids” she’d spat.
Storm sewers in the old part of town had the biggest ones. His bullet caught the rat behind its left ear. The children in the orphanage would eat well tonight.
50 word Story Contest Week #20 -- The Note
He wondered what would happen if he called the police. The kidnapper's note told him to race to his safe deposit box for his ten million in cash. His son was a disappointment anyway. Sure as hell not worth ten million.
He crumpled up the note and lit a match.
Fifty Words Story-Theme: Wave
The heat wave had been with us four weeks. The elderly were the first to go. Then the diabetics. For a while, it seemed like children might somehow be immune. The water ran out two days ago. People really do drop like flies. I guess cliches have to start somehow.
Fifty Words Story-Theme: Wave (Second Story)
“Damn it Jackie. At least pretend to be enjoying yourself. Smile! Wave to the crowd.”
“Fine, John, fine. Better?”
“Much.”
“I just didn’t like the way Lyndon was looking at you yesterday at the airport. Like he knew something you didn’t.”
“You’ve been out in the Dallas sun too long.”
Fifty Words Story - Genre: Crime
I got pulled over last night for a malfunctioning tail light.
Yes sir, no sir, thank you sir worked.
Good thing my insurance was paid so he had no excuse to search the car. I might have had some difficulty explaining the shovel and empty lye containers in the trunk.
Fifty Words Story - Genre: 19th Century Historical Fiction
“I don’t know what’s worse, all the dust kicked up by the men ahead in the line or the heat of the sun beating down on us.”
“Maybe there will be some shade when the column halts. Captain say where that might be?”
“Some little three-horse town called Gettysburg.”
Fifty Words Story - Island
“Jonny Dunn is an island. He floats in this sensory deprivation tank, nutrients dripping in, just enough to keep him alive.”
“He’s escaped four other institutions. You’re sure this confinement is secure?”
“Yes, General. There was some resistance, but additional LSD helped.”
“Increase the dosage. Take no chances.”
“Yes sir.”
What Color is Your Parachute?
So many things changed after the collapse.
Electricity gone, industries evaporated. Skills that had been highly sought after became worthless. Web developers and project managers became blacksmiths and gardeners.
In the old days, I was not thought of as much of a cook. My mouse stew recipe changed all that.
Low-Tech Solutions for High-Tech Problems
“Our orders are to take Hill 430 by this time tomorrow.”
“Ours is not to reason why. Have the men move out.”
“Which route should we take, sir?”
“Tell the prisoners to walk towards that ridge. Shoot them if they refuse. There’s more than one way to clear a minefield.”
A Walk in the Woods (lens was the prompt)
My erratic path through the snow was getting worse.
I could barely calculate where to put my foot next. Blind in my left eye since birth, the lens of my monocle cracked in the fall, each piece of glass suggested a different course.
Can I make it home before sunset?
Life in the Big City (space was the prompt)
“Fourteen shell casings, five corpses, two Glocks, and an Audi that’s been smashed with a tire iron. Any indications of gang connections?”
“None, sir. Looks like a repeat of that bloodbath in the 23rd precinct.”
“Notify the Chief. Three more dead bystanders because of a fight over a parking space.”
Overdue and Presumed Lost (hatch was the prompt)
“Why is Seaman Foster still up on the forward deck? I ordered him below two minutes ago.”
“I don’t know sir. I relayed your order. Everyone else got below and...”
“Captain! The destroyer is bringing her main gun to bear!”
“Foster had his chance. Close the hatch. Dive, dive, dive!”
Gone Fishing (bait was the prompt)
The .22 bounced off the second bone it hit and lodged in his occipital lobe.
“What should we do with the body, boss?”
“Carlo was always saying fish or cut bait.”
“Yeah, that got old. But what’s it got to do with our situation?”
“Let’s see if Carlo attracts muskies.”
Passport and Visa Optional (light was the prompt)
“Please quit bumping into me.”
“The batteries are almost dead.”
“It was your plan to cross the border underground to avoid detection and you didn’t think to bring extra batteries?”
“Hallelujah! Look, a light at the end of the tunnel! What is it?
“It’s a train. Heading straight for us.”
It’s Hard To Find Good Help These Days (run was the prompt)
The timer had blinked steadily at 00:00:04 for far too long.
“The Master wanted the bomb to go off under the podium twenty minutes ago! The speech is almost over.”
“I’m cutting the red wire.”
“Are you sure it’s the right one? The Master won’t tolerate failure.”
Snip.
00:00:03
“Run!”
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (break was the prompt)
“Your greatgreatgrandfather Dora’s chest must have been in the attic a hundred years. Find anything interesting in it?”
“Mostly junk, except for this cool looking box.”
“Whoa. A wax seal. Stamped ‘Pan’. What’s a Pan?”
“His second wife’s name. Met her in Athens.”
“Break the seal. Let’s see what’s inside.”
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley (shade was the prompt)
Generalissimo Chinchin drew his last breath under the shade of the banyan tree.
His loyal aide dug a grave, then placed the Generalissimo and his gin in.
A flat river rock was found and scratched upon:
“His two pronged battle plan sadly did not prove to be a win-win.”
Merica! (danger was the prompt)
Bubba was the type who hung up when he got the “Press 1 for English” recording. Why should he bother with any other language?
He climbed over the fence not giving a damn about the sign.
¡Peligro, campo minado!
If it was important, they should have posted it in English.
A Change of Leadership (lemon was the prompt)
Frank “Lemons” Lemonski’s hands, ankles, and mouth were duct taped. His face was white with fear.
A wood chipper right out of Fargo was flanked by two gangsters.
Enver Kelmendi, new boss of the south side, stepped back to avoid the spray.
“Alright boys, when you have Lemons, make lemonade.”
Everyone Needs a Hobby (water was the prompt)
“Placing the charge here has the best potential.”
“Is eighty kilos of Semtex enough?”
“It’s the dam’s most vulnerable point. Grigori says given the existing cracks there, forty might do.”
“No dam means no water. The city will be crippled by Friday. Widespread chaos.”
“They won’t be expecting Phase Two.”
The Job Interview Went Well (chase was the prompt)
“Can you gouge customers without them understanding?”
“I won Regional Gouger six quarters running with my last employer.”
“Excellent. Last question: can you commit fraud without raising suspicions?”
“Four years of fraud and misrepresentation. Federal regulators missed them all.”
“Congratulations, you’re hired. JP Morgan Chase has high hopes for you.”
Failure Is Not An Option (if was the prompt)
“About forty guards secure the property. Your contribution will be a disturbance just as the transfer starts. No bullets, or there won’t be enough pieces of us for a funeral.”
“And if they’re not drawn away from the package?”
“A representative of our benevolent organization will care for your widow.”
The Right Tool for the Job (pumpkin was the prompt)
She had followed the man for hours and at last her patience was paying off.
The attack was over in seconds.
“You’re too good for this world” he said as he lifted the hammer.
The pumpkin disintegrated.
(later)
Someone must have seen him, because the police were at his door.
Genre for Weekend 5: SCIENCE FICTION
“His Galactic Majesty was not pleased by your report.”
“I conquered the entire quadrant for him and got only a trillion credits!”
“Oh come now Admiral, he also gave you that blue rock as a birthday present for your granddaughter.”
“Why she wants Earth for a toy is beyond me.”
Theme for Weekdays 6: BLOOD
“Nurse, please set it to Full Drain.”
“What? I wanted to sell a pint.”
“Please, sir. The intake procedure here is quite rigorous.”
“It took hours. There was so much paperwork. I was getting bored.”
“Is this your signature?”
“Yes but...”
“Then maybe you should have read the fine print.”
I haven’t written any #fiftywords stories recently. AFAIK nobody’s posting these prompts/challenges/contests any more. I’m a bit tempted to start doing so myself, but as a struggling wannabe writer I probably need to force myself to work on longer formats rather than #fiftywords which are basically all about the twist. There’s nothing wrong with using twists, all fiction employs them as a tool. But microfiction formats, although fun to do, are one-trick ponies. I think that to develop as a writer, I need to branch out.
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