# Writing > Short Story Sharing >  What is your six-word story?

## beroq

Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words and is said to have called it his best work. 

What was _that_ story: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

It is a great challenge for any short story writer to write his shortest story, condensed, meaningful and very powerful. 

So, if I may ask, what is your six-word story? Could you please share it with us?

Here's mine: "Born from ashes, fallen nation's son."

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## Uberzensch

He's dead. Can we kiss now?

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## Chatt

I not poorly educated, educated poorly.

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## Stargazer86

> He's dead. Can we kiss now?



omg that's funny :P  :FRlol: 

This thread reminded me of an email fwd I'd read before:

A college class was told they had to write a short story in as few words as possible. The instructions were that the short story had to include the following:
1. Religion
2. Sexuality
3. Mystery

Below is the only A+ in the class:

"Good God, I'm pregnant. I wonder who did it"

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## a_little_wisp

LOL That's brilliant stargazer!!!

Uberzensch - GWAHAHA



Perpetually late, she missed her life.

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## BienvenuJDC

Looking for another word for Thesaurus!

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## beroq

What do you think Hemingway meant in his six-word story? 

*The irony concealed in death? 
*The irony of dying young? 
*Poorness? 
*The memory of a painful childhood? 
*War? 

I thank everyone who has joined thus far.

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## beroq

> Looking for another word for Thesaurus!


You should look up in a Thesaurus  :Smile:

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## prendrelemick

Ok, ok the herring did it.

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## prendrelemick

> I not poorly educated, educated poorly.


I am poorly educated, can't even count

----------


## Captain_Kuchiki

Those people will never accept you.

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## skib

Oh crap. There it all goes.

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## 1n50mn14

Theodore was my mother in law.

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## BienvenuJDC

I was born later I died.

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## Silas Thorne

> What do you think Hemingway meant in his six-word story? 
> 
> *The irony concealed in death? 
> *The irony of dying young? 
> *Poorness? 
> *The memory of a painful childhood? 
> *War? 
> 
> I thank everyone who has joined thus far.


Or possibly, less dramatic, a story of parents being given a gift of baby shoes (expensive enough to sell), but when the baby can wear them the baby's feet are too big. They were worried about giving them away to people around them, so sell them to strangers. 

Driver kills. Go directly to Jail.

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## beroq

> I was born later I died.


Can it be said in another ways such as: 

_Died the day I was born._ 

_Not immortal for I was born._

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## miyako73

here's mine. Four since 911 is not a word.

911? Dad stabbed you, mom.

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## Forever_found

Bought a rose. Watching it die.

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## JacobF

release the dice, watch them float

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## Astronought

Driving home, pretending she's still there.

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## Forever_found

Nothing to lose, but our chains.

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## breathtest

i'm stuck in constant time, alone

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## joao_oliveira

Once upon a time and they lived hapilly forever after.

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## Captain Pike

[These are fun; now here's mine (that's not it)]

Better get busy, I'm almost 60.

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## smoothchocolat

> Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words and is said to have called it his best work. 
> 
> What was _that_ story: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
> 
> It is a great challenge for any short story writer to write his shortest story, condensed, meaningful and very powerful. 
> 
> So, if I may ask, what is your six-word story? Could you please share it with us?
> 
> Here's mine: "Born from ashes, fallen nation's son."


I like to think that I can keep things simple, to pick a six word story:
"Here I am, for your service."

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## stratocaster86

You should put that dildo down

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## krispykritta

> You should put that dildo down


rofl
the first one isnt mine i heard it when i was a kid it was actually taught to me as an acronym BOHICA the second one is mine
bend over, here it comes again

it stepped out from the fire

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## ms5801a

These are powerful short stories. I really liked stargazer's. Thats brilliant.

I loved her, after she died.

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## ms5801a

Not slick enough, going to jail.

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## blackbelt929

fish, they will never get thirsty

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## blackbelt929

this is my 6 word short storie

(6 is not a word)

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## beroq

> fish, they will never get thirsty


Wow, that was great. So was blackbelt 929's story, despite that it is a five-word story...

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## Lettersndnumbrs

He came, he saw, he conquered.

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## ms5801a

> What do you think Hemingway meant in his six-word story? 
> 
> *The irony concealed in death? 
> *The irony of dying young? 
> *Poorness? 
> *The memory of a painful childhood? 
> *War? 
> 
> I thank everyone who has joined thus far.


What automatically came to my mind was a couple excited to have a baby. They bought shoes and other baby stuff like a lot of expecting couples do, and something happens which causes the wife to have a miscarriage. And for some reason they are unable to have anymore kids, so the unworn shoes is a symbol of the future that they are never going to have.

I am interested to hear everyone else's automatic interpretation.

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## beroq

> What automatically came to my mind was a couple excited to have a baby. They bought shoes and other baby stuff like a lot of expecting couples do, and something happens which causes the wife to have a miscarriage. And for some reason they are unable to have anymore kids, so the unworn shoes is a symbol of the future that they are never going to have.
> 
> I am interested to hear everyone else's automatic interpretation.


When I read that story by Hemingway, almost every idea that comes to my mind carries something pessimistic. It is great that your interpretation is at least partly cloudy.

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## aBIGsheep

Well written, but doesn't make any.

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## Sarasvati21

They blinked, and everything was gone.

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## sc9108

''Deaths short lifes longer and more painful''

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## aBIGsheep

> Nothing to lose, but our chains.


Wow, I like that one a lot actually.

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## beroq

> ''Deaths short lifes longer and more painful''


7? Or, am I seeing wrong?  :Yawnb:

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## sc9108

> 7? Or, am I seeing wrong?


7 :[ only thing that came to mind,

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## PoeticPassions

Life is a series of dreams.

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## amarna

Mr. Godot never met a unicorn.

----------


## PoeticPassions

They wept under love's oppression, gladly.

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## sc9108

It looks easier than it is  :Smile: ,

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## sc9108

Free speech, but nothing left unsaid

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## AppY

An idea! No, it blows. Fin.

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## just mercedes

ink contains all words - just write!

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## imthefoolonthehill

they always say we're just friends.

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## beroq

> ink contains all words - just write!


that one was great I bet!

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## dacian

He loves me, I love her

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## sc9108

I went awhole day without talking,

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## just mercedes

born, grow, learn
teach, forget, die

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## sc9108

> born, grow, learn
> teach, forget, die


I like that one  :Smile:  ,

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## beroq

> I like that one  ,


So do I. A nice summary of what people call a beautiful life.

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## just mercedes

> So do I. A nice summary of what people call a beautiful life.


Thanks, chaps...or chapesses

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## sc9108

> So do I. A nice summary of what people call a beautiful life.


Or is it though ? makes you think, and the answer depends on the person reading it,

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## stratocaster86

I reckon "What is your six-word story?" is a god story in itself.

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## SolidSnakeEyes

_He visits store, they're sold out.
_
lol that's the dumbest thing I've ever written.

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## beroq

> Or is it though ? makes you think, and the answer depends on the person reading it,


Agreed. Each person would have a different set of six-word story about his/her life. 

For an Iraqi child born after the invasion, it would be:

sound, furry, death,
bread, civilization, death.

Or something expressed better than this one.

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## dacian

I have become what I hate

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## slightlyajar

Grab the gun and run, zombies!

Trade my heart for your heart.

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## Annabelle

Six-word story is not a story

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## rtc143

life is what you make it

but we made it all wrong

some say fixable i say not

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## rhyminggoat

Running with scissors down the stairs.

Swimming without a raincoat at best.

_____________________

Beau Gauthreaux
Writing blog: http://fictionspot.net
Art blog: http://rhyminggoat.com

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## Raff_Davis

Coasting to the grave is suicide.

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## Sarctoth

I'm not weird, I'm just crazy

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## Sk8ynat

No risks taken. No life lived.

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## laidbackperson

Casual..Happy...Serious....Painful......Indifferen ce....Happier?

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## Fashby

People: good and bad, no difference.

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## Fent

Last night always comes too soon.

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## JazzyKat

He's a friend. (I love him.)

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## Beautifull

what is right,what is wrong?

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## beroq

Patriotism:

Has driven Cadillac
Never drive Toyota

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## JuniperWoolf

> He's dead. Can we kiss now?


 :FRlol:  That's awesome.

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## Pensive

And the puppets killed their master.

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## breathtest

I am so far from home

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## beroq

> And the puppets killed their master.


Great. Very revolutionary...

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## PoeticPassions

the orchestra played in discord, hopelessly.

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## LMK

Saddened, for death would never come.

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## andave_ya

My Lord is waiting for me.

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## Dinaliuyang

Would you marry me?
Sorry,nope.

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## Janine

put off tomorrow, but not today

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## kevinthediltz

I drown the puppies with faith

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## Daniil

> What do you think Hemingway meant in his six-word story? 
> 
> *The irony concealed in death? 
> *The irony of dying young? 
> *Poorness? 
> *The memory of a painful childhood? 
> *War? 
> 
> I thank everyone who has joined thus far.


In my opinion, there`s no concrete meaning of it. I think Hemingway Has written this story because of he wanted other people to discuss it very long time. and he achieved it! maybe there`s a lot of 
philosophy in this six words. Maybe it`s just a 
stupidity... I don`t know  :Yawnb: 
Here`s my six-words story:
Kill me. I`m cruel zombie.

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## bad3ain

Woke with crap on his head

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## joebob

And it's just what I expected.

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## The Walker

> My Lord is waiting for me.


ohh i loved this one! DEEP  :Smile:

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## Fen

Rudolf Stein 
Auschwitz survivor
1924-2000

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## beroq

> In my opinion, there`s no concrete meaning of it. I think Hemingway Has written this story because of he wanted other people to discuss it very long time. and he achieved it! maybe there`s a lot of 
> philosophy in this six words. Maybe it`s just a 
> stupidity... I don`t know 
> Here`s my six-words story:
> Kill me. I`m cruel zombie.


If Hemingway just wanted us to keep in wonder by writing this six-word story, then we could say all his others works are written by the same rule. Because they are too widely discussed. There are lots of controversy surrounding them. 

I believe Hemingway did mean something with that story. Such a writer who was a master in laconic forms would have done nothing just for fun or for the sake of stupidity.

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## Steven Hunley

Caesar wrote the first: I came, I saw, I conquered

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## Delta40

she washed, she dried, she dreamed.

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## KryStaLitsa

she grabbed the butterfly and flied...

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## selkies

Perfect Protagonists reflect poorly on author

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## Monamy

> What do you think Hemingway meant in his six-word story? 
> 
> *The irony concealed in death? 
> *The irony of dying young? 
> *Poorness? 
> *The memory of a painful childhood? 
> *War? 
> 
> I thank everyone who has joined thus far.


I wouldn't really feel strongly to any of those possible answers above, I felt it reflected the idea of "the hardship of living" more powerful than anything else.

Here's my six-words:
Yesterday: Memory, Today: Injury, Tomorrow: Hope

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## selkies

cigarettes and espresso in Paris cafe

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## selkies

Blisters appreciate bicycles more than wallets

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## toni

Dismal skies howled and he perished.

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## selkies

I came, she came, we cuddled

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## toni

A dream, blown by the wind.

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## DanielBenoit

Real or imaginary, does it matter?

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## selkies

> Real or imaginary, does it matter?


Having fun matters more than either

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## ripa nahar

"born where,no importent,work punctually"

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## Grit

"Beaten, I smell alcohol. Jack Daniels."

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## DanielBenoit

Hamlet said 'be or not be'

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## Grit

Fear, Hope, Dissapointment. Absolution, Death, Nirvana

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## garrett-k

Where am I going to go?

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## beroq

Would you learn how lovers bleed?

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## billl

The reader finished the story quickly.

----------


## sian1357

I suspect this wont end well

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## motherhubbard

another kid puked in the floor!

----------


## D.P.Trottier

I've gone; But I'm still going.

----------


## Gldnslvr

Why know, just to lie anyways.

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## hoope

lived and loved , died and forgotten

----------


## kinkajou

Failed at love once, trying again.

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## mtpspur

Dispatcher sends drivers to troubled members.

----------


## Sariel

She smiled, "I accept monopoly money."

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## jambojersey

It's A Boy, Both Doing Well.

----------


## Maryd.

Love: Taking a knife for you.

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## paulw

Billy's head is in the garbage

----------


## Dr Jekyll

Worlds revolving under an oak's shadow...

----------


## Serephitus

Failed to love, loved to fail.

----------


## Silas Thorne

zero,crawling hobbling
striding,hobbling, zero.

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## a_little_wisp

It seemed like a good idea.

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## The Comedian

"There was a fire. . . .nothing remains"

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## TheFifthElement

Sorry, took a wrong turn somewhere.

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## nocturnal_90s

I remember I was first introduced to the super short story in one of my Spanish classes where we read "El dinosaurio" (The Dinosaur) by Augusto Monterroso. It read:

_Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí._
_When he/she awoke, the dinosaur was still there._

According to my professor, it's as packed with meaning as any other story.

Here's mine:

Drink! It's not at all poisonous.

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## chrismythoi

i think this idea is very interesting, and i can see why hemingway thought it was his best story. i suppose all stories have a background which the reader must fill in with their imagination...

All she could do was cry.

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## VulpesFulva

"I do," she said.
He fainted.

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## jambojersey

Organism, Rhymes, Aunt, Number, Gaze, Error.

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## beroq

Nocturnal, I liked the story you provided in Spanish.

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## paulw

She's *****ing at her Anorexic son

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## Lumiere

Nobody there, she kisses the tree.

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## beroq

> Nobody there, she kisses the tree.


Sounds like a sad love story.

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## Maryd.

2012, the end of the world.

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## loki456

her silhouette faded through my frustration

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## Maryd.

Once again, the night is young.

----------


## Lads of E3

I have a very small penis.

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## Insomniac

While reading other super-shorts and turning my thought processes to background tasks, the phrase, "The dead judge not the living," popped into my head. 

For some reason it sounds very familiar to me, but various google searches (usually my first and always my last resort) resulted in squat.

The dead judge not the living.

If it's plagiarized, give me some info on it. If not, then that's my super-short.

**haha, just realized, that's not a really a story... oh well, I still want to know about it.

The dead judged not the living. 

That's my story.

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## hack

I recognize truths but prefer lies.

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## Silas Thorne

morning, bitter rain, 
a welcome gun.

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## Maryd.

Today I'll be ready for tomorrow

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## Mrig

Join the mad race! It's IN!

----------


## Silas Thorne

Tomorrow
another day
perhaps worth trying.

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## Mrig

Yes Boss!..... Yes., boss..... ahh yes boss!

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## Dr Jekyll

The grass keeps our shadow's secret.

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## Maryd.

> The grass keeps our shadow's secret.


I like this one Dr. Jekyll.



At the end of the road

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## beroq

The world is made of forms.

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## jambojersey

> The world is made of forms.


Grin And Bare It My Friend. ♥♥♥

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## chrissy613

The sun is shining brightly outside!

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## misterblok

Born.Grew.Lived.Married.Shrunk.Died.

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## bad3ain

Young, Sexy, Rich... and Lonely!

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## BienvenuJDC

The guy above me can't count.

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## breannalayne

always out numbered, never out gunned.

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## hillwalker

Suddenly I wish I hadn't jumped.....

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## Hawkman

Move and the cammel gets it.

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## Hawkman

Oh for heaven' sake, not again!

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## BienvenuJDC

Sleeping girl in hand once again...

----------


## RaoulDuke

A silver spoon stained with skank.

----------


## Remi Shos

•	"Hey, Babe." "This is Mrs. Babe."

•	"..., large fries, and a diet coke..."

•	"Honey, I'm pregnant!" "But...I'm sterile."

•	"Do you have any last words?"

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## James_Patrick

I lie. It makes life simple.

----------


## Sea in Side

Stealing a thought from Remi:

"Any last words?" "Yes, just three."

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## Sea in Side

Why is there blood?... and urine?!

----------


## Sea in Side

Time for bed, wish me luck.

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## dizzydoll

When will we ever learn compassion?

----------


## Sarasvati21

It's over.
You have regrets.

...Great.

----------


## Revolte

A single feather for flightless bird.

----------


## scaltz

I drank, I slept, I died.

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## dizzydoll



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## hillwalker

Spock, these Smileys are taking over!!!!!!

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## dizzydoll

Its so cool to act childish.

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## scaltz

> Spock, these Smileys are taking over!!!!!!


Lol xD. Ambigous smileys at that!

Oh found thought of another one!

"We don't know how to die."

I just saw a thread about dying in the "philosophy" section then this came up.

Edit: hahaha that's funny. Just trying your new emoticons :P.

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## dizzydoll

Thanks for making my day Walker. . lol

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## dizzydoll

> "We don't know how to die."


Be a man and fight now. 

LOL

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## dizzydoll

Yes being childish definitely suits me. 

No more, I will behave now.

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## scaltz

> Yes being childish definitely suits me. 
> 
> No more, I will behave now.


What did you consume just now?

xD

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## hillwalker

'We are Smiley's People' (Le Carre).

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## dizzydoll

All types make up the world.... 

...............

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## scaltz

> All types make up the world.... 
> 
> ...............


A new world, a fantastic place.

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## BienvenuJDC

> All types make up the world.... 
> 
> ...............


It looks like the Village People!

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## Nikhar

Live or don't, I suck anyways.  :Frown:

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## dizzydoll

You don't suck, you're a sweetheart.

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## scaltz

> Live or don't, I suck anyways.


You don't suck, I'm just better.  :Conehead:

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## dizzydoll

> You don't suck, I'm just better.


And you have a cute face.

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## scaltz

> And you have a cute face.


Nope, Adam and Eve are Sexier.  :Angel:   :Devil:

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## BienvenuJDC

Are all these stories just sequels?

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## scaltz

> Are all these stories just sequels?


Great idea! We should make a thread where users create 10 word sequels the one after the another!

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## dizzydoll

> Are all these stories just sequels?


Nope we are just goofing around. 

My brain needs a rest now.

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## Hawkman

> •	"Honey, I'm pregnant!" "But...I'm sterile."


"You should worry, so am I!"

----------


## scaltz

> "You should worry, so am I!"


So... the baby is not ours?

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## BienvenuJDC

> Great idea! We should make a thread where users create 10 word sequels the one after the another!


It's your idea (a good one at that), so do it!!

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## Remi Shos

> So... the baby is not ours?



"You know I love you, right?"  :Aureola:  ...  :Incazzato:

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## BienvenuJDC

> "You know I love you, right?"  ...


Oh, so there is another, huh?

----------


## Remi Shos

> Oh, so there is another, huh?


"You're gonna laugh when you hear..."  :Smilielol5:   :Mad5:

----------


## Sea in Side

> "You're gonna laugh when you hear..."


... you know that guy you hate?

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## demonic790

Confined by the chains of love.

----------


## Dodo25

I'm currently writing a short story that can pretty much be condensed to the following six words:

I'm Pablo and I hate art.

----------


## Dark Mystery

Sun goes down moon comes up.

----------


## Cunninglinguist

"I am in love with you"

When meant, what could be more profound than that?

----------


## dizzydoll

Lady Writer on the T. V. 

open the link above this line

Where Do You Think You´re Going

dont you know its dark outside

Once Upon aTime in the West

so mothers lock up ya daughters

The Mans Too Strong (Wembley Arena)

 :CoolgleamA:

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## Revolte

His blood, it drowned the crown.

----------


## dizzydoll

, And finally the truth came out.

----------


## moonbird

-What's up?
-Your mom!
-Ooh, burn!
 :CoolgleamA:

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## BienvenuJDC

It was a cold dark night...

----------


## Tarvaa

> ... you know that guy you hate?


he does much more for me

----------


## Tarvaa

She is dead...See you later

----------


## J.D. Sparks

_Goodbye, Daddy. You drove him away._

----------


## allislostfornow

They suffered us for too long.

----------


## MorbidStalker

"I think therefore I must be."
"Five billions years then all's gone."

Sorry to bring this thread back to life, but after discovering the existence of Hemingway's story, I was unable to find out whether it ever was confirmed that it's really his.

I'm also wondering... did he really only write that on a napkin? Was it eventually officially "published"? Was it ever officially translated?

Or was it always just some sort of an urban legend?

Thanks for your answers!

----------


## sweety

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, nice kitty.....Ouch!!!! Mammie, mammie :Smilielol5:

----------


## moonbird

Up, down, does it really matter?

----------


## Nicci

So poor, I can't pay attention.

----------


## Bluehound

"Look a fire "
"That's _my_ house"

----------


## janeeyre88

The lightning flashes, the thunder crashes

----------


## pre-op

Being stabbed ruined John's day completely.

----------


## everyadventure

> Being stabbed ruined John's day completely.


 HA! Good one  :Smile:

----------


## MatthewFarlow

Cliffhangers always end in this way:

----------


## Calidore

She had thought she was alone.

----------


## hillwalker

"It's not that far to jump....."

H

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## MystyrMystyry

*Ouch!


Ouch!

Ouch!


Ouch!

Ouch!


Ouch!*

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