This is a creative writing post (#30) from my occasional series for paid subscribers, who can also leave comments on most posts. As always, email hollymathnerd at gmail dot com if you would like a paid subscription but can’t afford one.
Today’s post is a collection of microfiction (very short stories, each either 50 or 100 words in length), some with dark and disturbing themes. Prompts were posted by The Fiction Dealer on Substack and are used as titles. This is an interesting way to explore fiction writing. It’s been fun for me because I’m semi-confident in my ability to write essays, but nervous about my ability, or lack thereof, as a storyteller. And these prompts feel low-risk, being very short.
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MICROFICTION: A BAKER’S DOZEN
OCEAN
My quickest smile.
So many blathering morons administering personality tests.
I hated Gordon the most.
His big-5 OCEAN test scored me 99th percentile in conscientiousness and neuroticism.
Guess which one he never shut up about?
My turn.
I leaned into the coffin, whispering.
“Who’s thinking outside the box now?”
Safety
“Donorcycle?”
“Nurse, please enlighten my students.”
“Motorcycles. Healthy young men splatter their brains, parents donate their healthy young organs.”
“Aren’t helmets required by law?”
“Most of them are wearing helmets.”
Furrowed eyebrows, sideways glances.
Rolled eyes. Thermometer beeps.
“You kids wanna be doctors, don’t even know—life is all risk.”
Nightmare
The doctor cleared his throat, then answered.
“Why?
Because when you take enough melatonin to sedate a rhinoceros, you can count on having vivid dreams.
Everything you put in your mind after dark is dream-fodder.
You must treat yourself like a toddler on restricted liquids.
Be careful, and get Christine from Sister Wives asking, ‘What. Does. The. Nanny. Do?!?’ in the gym where 7th grade dodgeball scared you.
Fail to be careful, and wake up under your desk crying and clutching your car keys.
Or staring down the barrel of a .45.
I cannot make you be careful.”