55 Word Stories

[Mojo]

I entered an online contest at one point to write a ghost story using exactly 55 words, inspired by this excellent, excellent, excellent site. It's not bad; here's what I came up with:

Am I alive, she asked me in a dream.

I did not respond. Her blood was warm on my hands; her smell lingered on my clothes. I disregarded. I played Sudoku, drank gin. Anything to not sleep, to put off dreaming -- delay her mute, skittering eyes.

Am I alive, she asked. I could not respond.

Meh, a bit artsy, but I thought it was OK. I liked the assignment; I liked the challenge, the boxed-in structure, the paucity of words.

So I'll extend the same challenge to all of you. Write your best story using exactly 55 words. Doesn't have to be sci-fi, although I'd like to see someone try that -- not sure if the genre is flexible enough. I always like seeing what people come up with.

 

[Kevin]

Looks like an interesting way to take a break from coding this afternoon...

From the fountain of youth I drank many years ago.

I have watched countries rise & fall, Earth reshape herself endlessly, Man rage war against Man.

Visions of living forever have been fulfilled but, here I sit, a lonely old man that is an empty husk.

No soul.

It is time for me to go.

 

[Mojo]

Nice work, Kevin!

First attempt at a 55-word science-fiction story -- really, it's more like the beginnings of a story, which is against the rules.

Anyway, this is called "The Chemical Man":

The human body is composed of over 61% oxygen, 23% carbon, and 10% hydrogen, with traces of 31 other base elements, ranging from relatively prodigious amounts of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorous, to the scantest whisper of gold, cobalt and uranium.

All I’m doing is stirring the pot, Raymond thought as he levitated off the ground.

 

[AlexM]

you provoked me: zombies, 55 words

A horseshoe of a bitemark on my forearm, I dread joining their ranks but already I feel my mind going from pink life to gray hunger. All the fear, longing and attachments are gone and my throat is dry. My finger tips are getting numb. Bye mom, bye kids. Hope I don't eat you.