Belongings scattered beside lipstick-stained sheet.

"She eats her ice cream passionately."

What a great challenge; I ended up diving into the pool!

Lucky, yes, but my twin wasn't.

Leave that alone; remember Mary's scab.

Talent drowning in files still dreams.

I loved; I lost; I'm sorry.

In Gore Vidal's book "The City & The Pillar" he writes in the opening chapter:

"He was home. He was lost."

I heard those six words whispering in my head the entire rest of the book.

Hard!

- Spring thaw frees the packed canoe.
- Her heels hit Wall Street first.
- For sale: halves of a bed.

That was how winter came that year. Cormac McCarthy - The Orchard Keeper ...

has 7 unless i cheat

That's how winter came that year.

I love this line.

Not anyway near as elegant at the Hemmingway example.
But somehow sad ones seemed easier than happy ones:

She loved again. I never did.
Our love survived time, not cancer.
Life's end: Sadly recalling opportunities lost.

Table overturned, it painted a life.

Reminds me of something I once read - I forget where. The shortest sci-fi story ever:

"The last man on Earth sits in his house. There is a knock at the door."

Always love that.

and then she went to sleep.

She watched the world end.

Again.

switched lifestyle from planet to satellite

Stewart's money, gone; her love, undaunted.

—Adam, apples are delicious!
—Uh oh.

Downloaded it, learned truth, gave up.

My ancient history prof said the world's story could be summed up as:

They lived, they suffered, they died.

We will be living in cars.

m.

(Almost forgot to add my 6-word story.)

"She said nothing could go wrong."

Walking home, she regained her virginity.

"No," she said. "Ah," he said.

It wasn't her fault. Not entirely.

The audience applauded, as he wept.

It wasn't her fault. Not entirely.

The audience applauded, as he wept.

oh no, i think i'm lost

oh no, i think i'm lost

These are all very very wow.

My $.02....

Debates have rules. This was war.

More bandwidth only allows more echoes.

Time past, lives changes, I withdrew.

And for today's pop culture reference:
Do you want fries with that?

Am I on your s..t list? =6

correction to the semi-literate post above:

Time passed, lives changed, I withdrew.

/me issues a stern warning to his typist...

Nothing has happened in my life.

Four cups, now. He's still waiting.

today, I threw her toothbrush away.

Andrew wowwed them. The audience cheered.

Happy: My pillow still smells of her.

Sad: My pillow still smells of her.

Vancouver: 3 Stop SkyTrain Story Saga

I left her. She came back.

I wish I could cry again.

iraq report: we got it wrong.

Family farm's called "The Loop" now.

After being avenged, we wasn't happier.

And so began his loud desperation.

Shortest sex manual: In. Out. Repeat.

The killer's cold eyes now ours.

m.

"I shouldn't have thrown that switch."

"My advice is to say nothing"

:)

The secret to eternal happiness is

People just vanish all the time.

Nobody asked, so she never said.

You're not a very mysterious magician.

Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo buffalo buffalo.

Her comment: What are you thinking?

His response: Shoot me now... PLEASE!

His flatulence was his worst enemy.

The baby smiled. The mother died.

When all else fails, play dead.

"There is nothing left to say."

The car crashed; their hope soared.

Hip, Hip, Hoorah, hip ,hip hoorah

They met, he left, she wept or
They met, she left, he lept

His tee, his sweats, our pajamas

For he's a jolly good fellow

Hip, Hip, Hoorah, hip ,hip hoorah

They met, he left, she wept or
They met, she left, he lept

His tee, his sweats, our pajamas

For he's a jolly good fellow

The sun rose one last time.

Malkovich! Malkovich Malkovich, Malkovich Malkovich: Malkovich!

Did I just say that out loud

The phone rang her heart sang

can I supersize that for you

do not enter one way mind

you're doing a hell'va job Brownie

Doorbell rang; son for a flag.

Iced the dame. Knew too much.

Broken, he cried out to Jesus.

I came I saw I conquered

I only need three:

"I'm your dad?"

I wonder what this button does...

Sent into battle without weapons

cartman had his revenge on scott

Life, love, fear. I should learn.

From real love my life started.

"She? She what?" He said.

Yesterday, went to bed too late.

Nobody know who spilt the milk

Personal: Death found her happy but alone.
Loneliness: He looked around. Nobody was there.
Disease: Living wasn't worth the pain.
Happily ever after much too soon.
Love: They danced alone in her room.
Birth: What hath God wrought, he thought.
Mystery: It ended the Sunday after, slowly.

This is fun! =)
Btw: I'm collecting my favourite stories from here for a blog of mine. Please let me know if you'd rather I didn't quote you, or prefer I use another name, etc.

Gilligan reached out to the Skipper.

15 18 20 22 27 47

Hmmm...

1. They called him The Guitar Hurricane

2. Supple, Beautiful, Inspirational Life And Mind

Hmmm...

1. They called him The Guitar Hurricane

2. Supple, Beautiful, Inspirational Life And Mind

Time cools anger, so I rushed.

Put the lotion in the basket.

The next morning, he was gone.

I will try harder tomorrow, I promise.

Author Toby Litt on short stories: http://www.tobylitt.com/editorial12.html

"Pay me scale to play myself?"

Actor James Woods on his role in "Entourage"

He killed her again and again.

Put the gun down right this--

Man, this is ridiculous! I'm in.

For example, take my wife... please.

Poetic souls
Vanished
Nightly
They returned

Now that is a difficult task. I tell you why:

Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar used to write editorial of his two newspapers ? Comrade, Hamdard -- in great detail; lengthy. He used to speak his heart out which ever the subject.

Length of editorials was irksome for some of the readers of those newspapers. In their opinion the impact of the message got diluted by the length.

Pithiness is powerful, They thought.

One of the readers one day approached Maulana, expresses his point of view and requested him to write concise.

I cannot,answered Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar.

Why?

Because I do not have time to write succinctly, he added.

Did I make a point?

They fell in love. Problems ensued.

Wasn't incest. You're adopted.

Harry Potter nearly kills Voldemort, again.

He smiled graciously at her wedding.

The violent adversary defeated, they celebrated.

Harry Potter nearly kills Voldemort, again.

He smiled graciously at her wedding.

The violent adversary defeated, they celebrated.

He fell up and cried notweN.

He fell up and cried notweN.

Dog comes on command, wife won't.

Dog comes on command, wife won't.

He fell up and cried notweN.

I can't think what to write.

They had no food. He survived.

He rose silently and solomnly nodded.
Facing into the wind, she refused.
Sunlit and silhouetted, he rode away.

Just read something that said that no stories are truly complete, and they are all part of a bigger epic. Here is THE story

"Bang! Expand...Shrink...the Universe was."

"MY GOD... THEY'RE," and the phone went dead.

The gun smoked, the corpse didn't.

-or-

New wife, old husband; same outcome.

-or-

Tomorrow will be here; you won't.

Four words: Suck. Squeeze. Bang. Blow.

She explained once; nobody asked again.

Will my son ever be ok?

1. She said he was not mine.

2. For sale: pets.com, webvan.com, excite.com, kozmo.com

3. We start bombing in seven minutes. (Ronald Reagan)

4. Yahoo! I quit. Send check here.

The sirens sounded as he ran.

Radiated, Soot Covered; Earth Lay Vacant.

Radiated, Soot Covered; Earth Lay Vacant.

Radiated, Soot Covered; Earth Lay Vacant.

He saw a blinding flash, as

Story is beginning, plot, resolution, conclusion.

fiercely, they tore at his flesh

Perhaps he only counted five shots.

Hemingway's fake newspaper ad reminds me of the New York Post's real headline:

Headless Body Found In Topless Bar.

She shot him, ending her life

Can't recall the name...a South American author, I think, published the following short short story:

When he awoke, the dinosaur was still there.

When he deceived, her love died.

Cow died. STOP
Come home. STOP

His imprint had all but gone

His imprint had all but gone

Wedding Dress: ONe Size Fits all.

Its a disease, growing in her.

Hang yourself, hang yourself, it chanted

A special coffin was needed.

It was only the first one

I came. I saw. I conquered.

Well, as I sat here reading all these trying to come up with my own, it hit me:

He sat, staring at the screen.

My wife died, I'm empty now.

She was here one time before

I'm sorry, here's all your stuff.

You're the nutmeg on my latte.

Pistol sale. Fired once. Dropped once.

I think the idea here is the condensation of information; how much can you say w/in an extremely limiting framework. I had a few more thoughts while pondering this, including the idea that song lyrics would work really well (and, in fact, this could be a great exercise for aspiring songwriters).

other ideas:

Run away, boy. Do not return.

With closed eyes, the universe dies.

Merely business; now, on your knees!

Ace on river, ramen all week.

Never again. Now, time for tears.

Television saves me from your memory.

Beautiful escape. It all ends now.

"I'll go, fighting nail and teeth."
---Placebo - Haemoglobin

"Rain down. God loves his children."
---Radiohead - Paranoid Android

Good luck, you're an amazing person.(book 1)

Sorry I couldn't get it right.(book 2)

My feelings, though irrational, are mine.(book 3)

When his life ended, mine began.

The road stopped before she did.

Following orders, I dropped the bomb.

The mine shaft collasped upon me.

I glanced. He smiled. We kissed.

The bungee was too long. Splash!

She lied. I fired. She died.

No longer home, burned, blackened.

I love these 6 words stories! here are mine:

- Not intended, Never forgiven

- I wish you'd let me go

- Decided living her life over his

Written on a bathroom wall; "help."

Written on a bathroom wall; "help."

Dead at twenty-six: tomorrow had come.

Written on a bathroom wall; "help."

Praying for justice, he prepared vengeance.

Praying for justice, he prepared vengeance.

Praying for justice, he prepared vengeance.

Humble contributions composed in ten minutes:

The flowers aren't to say, "sorry".

Bravely, Zack refused the passed joint.

He regretted not loving her enough.

After the kiss, she said, "more".

Oh, God! My body's over THERE!

...and finally, the five book series:

I In his glance, she found exhilaration.
II After arguing, she still loved him.
III The kids gone, evenings fell silent.
IV They parted, regretting their twenty years.
V He died, and she felt alone.

BTW, lovely idea, and fantastic entries!

See? Six words in each line!

And those: his famous last words.

Me? I'm a stranger here myself.

Life was an ink soaked page.

The sky fell, I was crushed.

Fragile forest, fool's paradise, burned down.

I'm going nowhere, just passing through.

His fortune cookie contained no fortune.
(inspired by dinner last night)

I was curious to see what other famous authors had written, I found this: http://boogaj.typepad.com/pete_lit/2005/07/sixword_stories.html

Thanks, this was fun!

"Luke, I am your father."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Q

THE SUN ROSE AND THE SUN SET AND MY LIFE WAS IN BETWEEN.

He wishes he'd done more.

All I want is to sleep.

Please, sir... this is my home.

Summer days... soft grass... wet kisses.

I loathe you; why'd you leave?

Love me forever! Oh...okay... Bye.

She refused to sign the prenup.

They wouldn't speak of it again.

Zombies at door. Out of bullets.

Once upon a time, The End.

Once said, he couldn't unsay it.

I blogged all day, then slept

Secretay broke leg; rediscovering plumpy wife.

I don't think anyone mentionned Weird Al's "This Song Is Just 6 Words Long" yet.

Sure, the early life of my Mum and Dad when they came to England off the mail boat from Dublin.

Room available: No blacks or Irish

Dean just ripped off the Hemingway one.

This time the silence blinded him.

"I came, I saw, I conquered." -- Julius Caesar

(But that's the translation. The original was a 3-word story: "Veni, vidi, vici.")

"And that's the way it was." - Walter Cronkite

"Dog bites man. Man bites dog." - every journalism professor

I'm sorry, that lump is cancer.

This Kool Aid tastes like cyanide.

America goes the way of Rome.

Boy meets girl. Girl sautees boy.

Sting ray fells the hunter of crocs.

[i did the last comment too...]

D'oh.. I meant "Sting ray fells hunter of crocs."

Great post and thread Caterina!

Fame. Alone, yet loved by all.

Pretty cool challenge!

Nobody puts Baby in a corner.

The world ended Tuesday. Nobody noticed.

His entire oeuvre: one six-word story.

And to quote a famous one:
"In the Beginning was the Word."
(John 1:1)
Even an atheist like me can appreciate that one.

"Put your hands up," he smiled.

To paraphrase Hemingway:

Long as a morning without breakfast

To paraphrase Hemingway:

Long as a morning without breakfast

mmm a story containing 6 words eh. well here we go.

He was born, but without life.

A tragady in a six word sentance. :D

"Shrub, Iran'll be 'Iraq: Part Two'."

Cheating, but whatever.

The little things are killing me.

- Can stop loving you.
- Please do!

It was the last straw: hope.

But I only need five.

Content detached; until he met her.

I love ex-soulmate: pain still

Emotional cryptanalysis: breaking code,heart slowly.

From Buffalo:

The trees fell; winter started.

From Buffalo:

The trees fell; winter started.

I made a pact with Satan.

It's all about love, knowledge & respect.

My one call: the corpse's wife

My one call: the corpse's wife

She didn't know it was loaded.

She didn't know it was loaded.

My head machinates like whirling kaleidoscopes.

Celebrities share six words in Wired:
http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html

And the slashdotters try their best:
http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/10/25/2214254.shtml

Diggers do not seem that interested:
http://digg.com/design/Keep_your_story_short_REALLY_short

Thanks to Wired, Bloggers count words:
http://technorati.com/search/wired%20six%20words

Dare observe the end of clouds.
Places never seen: tops of raindrops.
Today was tomorrow only yesterday.
What really happened before the beginning?
Animals in clouds following evening storm.

To plagarize:
Thus, with a kiss, I die.

To quote pop culture in 5 words:
Who let the dogs out?

To attempt originality:
Shopping list: cucumber, lotion, wine, porno.

After writing these, I realized some could be put together to tell a more complicated story. That was unintentional.

All that's left are women's clothes.
He had one minute to live.
Memories were all he had left.
Soaked in blood, she fell asleep.
He couldn't understand why people stared.
That was when the cops arrived.
My fingers still bleeding, I won.
They cheered for the wrong reason.
The arrow protruded from his chest.
Shaking, his crotch was soaking wet.
She had taken all her things.
The water finally covered her head.
The bathroom was no longer necessary.
He looked nothing like his father.

Hard to stop, once you start.
A completely American form of Haiku?
It is obvious I'm no Hemmingway.

Six word story, more than enough.

Her story was in her eyes.

The lump wasn't cancer, she was.

Starting a story with an ending.

One, two, three, four, five, sex.

Born, played, matured, fought, loved, died.

(1) Cursed Island. No food. Only her.

(2) Papa? The scars have not healed.

(3) Alert. Airlock breach. Grab his gun.

(1) Cursed Island. No food. Only her.

(2) Papa? The scars have not healed.

(3) Alert. Airlock breach. Grab his gun.

I think their baby is mine.

Comments improved as I read down.

Gore; Love Canal-Story, Loman-esque Looney.

Monica smiled, Bill released, Hillary snapped.

6 words sum up 8 years.

Beautiful, do not let it stop.

Our time is a jet plane.

It was a dark, stormy night.

My six pack was only 5.

Only one rule regarding war: Win!

Ela morreu ontem. Morri com ela.

(portuguese for: She died. Eu died with her)

Love found, love lost, start over.

Stay the Course - Cut and Run

I told you I was sick.

Can you keep a secret? No.

She took one too many pills.

Damn. He was not expecting anybody.

His last twenty dollars on red.

It's God. From Salt Lake City.

- The door opened mid-flight. Geronimo!!

- Torn wedding dress drapes casino floor.

- Five clicks, pull the trigger again.

- Mushroom cloud arose, start the MiniVan.

- Condom broke. Recess over. Math class.

- My bleeding eyes shed red tears.

Guess what? your a fucking retard!

"He wrote. They read. It's done."

He came; he saw; he conquered.

Their children never knew their secret.

Baby was born. Clouds went away.

- Last breath?... It's not so bad.

- He brought guns. She brought flowers.

These precede previous six word entries :

Sweetest, whitest lily - loved me once.
Loved unintentionally: her heart's someone else's
Arguments broke my heart accidentally: hers?
Still in love - treasure her memories.

The beginning, The middle, The end.

Faith, Hope, Love. Greatest is Love.

I left, hand and heart broken

Scully cried out, wrong hole, Mulder!

"That's what you get" Mom said.

"Oh NO! Now you tell me!"

It plainly read," DON'T FEED BEAR"

Soon, it will all be over.

"That juuust about does it....Ouch!"

They laughed for the last time.

"Isn't that what they always say?"

"Where did all the time go?"

"This is a great storytelling vehicle."

That was too close for me.

The coroner stopped. He wasn?t dead.

Jong looked up, death rained down

They told me it wouldn't hurt.

"Hello?...",she said,"hello?...{click}". (Silence)

He thought it was a dud.

The rain just kept coming down.

"God help me! I can't stop!"

"This is addictive stuff, isn't it?"

This is the last one, I promise.

Okay, I lied. Please don't sue.

(Can't stop thinking....can't stop thinking...)

f***, f***, motherf***er, f***, f*** me!

The stars began to extinguish themselves...

If I had a thermo-nucular device...

Just kidding Mister Supercomputer. No, really!

(Yes, I know it's not "nucular")

"Well, this suddenly lost it's fun."

He shrieked. Turning, she understood why.

---

Quick sale: Earth. A little bent.

---

After Adam ate, angels announced anguish.

---

Goldilocks. Bears. Trespass. Chainsaw. Enough Said.

---

Egotistically, he wrote four extra stories.

Good in Bed, Give me head

I am in all six words.

Once, she stepped on a crack.

- needles intrude upon my futile meditation.
- judgements dissolve jurors. we have fragmented.

He replaced the shovel, smiled enigmatically.

I'd heard that Hemingway anecdote at sheilaomalley.com, one of the more entertaining literary blogs around.

"That about wraps it up, God."

"He's dead, Jim."
"Get his wallet."

pyromaniac arsonist executed. a phoenix rises.

descartes thinks, therefore thought becomes alive.

and prozac lived happily ever after.

victim saves superhero! the ironic man

frilly, thy name is lizardwoman!

fashioned from play-doh: humor sapiens created.

She said "never" but she didn't believe.

One chance. He blinked. Too late.

Flash of light. And she remembered.

Wait. Take my hand. Ready... RUN!

Explosion. Man down. Plan B... RUN!

Never again I promised. Too late.

She said "never" but he didn't believe.

One chance. He blinked. Too late.

Flash of light. And she remembered.

Wait. Take my hand. Ready... RUN!

Explosion. Man down. Plan B... RUN!

Never again I promised. Too late.

he left. noone saw him again.

The war's over, the recruiter said.

Some consider it profane to proselytize.

Some consider it profane to apostatize.

Some will simply avoid the following...

"A Programmer's Paradigm : Words are Code"

(A series of six word stories)

In the beginning was The Code

Code was with God - was God

Not anything was made without Code

Code became flesh, dwelt among men

Code is the light of men

Originally God Class, subclassed by Self

Jesus instantiated God's Metaclass of Redemption

His codes are spirit and life

Heart processes code; Mind stores/retrieves

Soul expresses results through the Body

He gave his to restore yours

Not his will, but God's will

Instantiate him, his codes, his life

Your choice, your life in him

His gift, His life in you

He put eternity in my heart

Some would see this as salvation

(Pause, process that for a while)

He came. He saw. He concurred.

Before I even saw the comment above, I had mine:

He came. He died. He conquered.

TC just doesn't get it...

baby shoes, never used really told a story. from that, i really had an entire image in my head.

in fact, barely anyone actually got it.

i'm sure you all have 12,000 friends on MySpace and regularly take "artistic" pictures of yourself in your bathroom mirror.

I think in all, i read maybe two that actually gave me an image. the rest were just people who obviously think they're so artistic and probably told at least 3 friends about this to brag about how great their 6-word story was.

you're (almost) all pathetic.

TC just doesn't get it...

baby shoes, never used really told a story. from that, i really had an entire image in my head.

in fact, barely anyone actually got it.

i'm sure you all have 12,000 friends on MySpace and regularly take "artistic" pictures of yourself in your bathroom mirror.

I think in all, i read maybe two that actually gave me an image. the rest were just people who obviously think they're so artistic and probably told at least 3 friends about this to brag about how great their 6-word story was.

you're (almost) all pathetic.

TC just doesn't get it...

baby shoes, never used really told a story. from that, i really had an entire image in my head.

in fact, barely anyone actually got it.

i'm sure you all have 12,000 friends on MySpace and regularly take "artistic" pictures of yourself in your bathroom mirror.

I think in all, i read maybe two that actually gave me an image. the rest were just people who obviously think they're so artistic and probably told at least 3 friends about this to brag about how great their 6-word story was.

you're (almost) all pathetic.

when you're there i sleep lengthwise.

Run Forrest, run. Ouch. Wrong way.

I agree, entirely, with Austin's cynicism.

She must have learned to trust.

Marriage? Nah... Been there, done that.

"Forget me. Go, be a wife."

Gorilla habitat advocate killed by poachers.

Bungee safety crusader dies in jump.

"Don't shoot!"
"Then dance, save mama."

Is a headline a story or just a statement? I suppose a blunt story.

And then the hundreds of weak fragments, some without even hint of a beginning or a present. C'mon people, stories!

Wanted: Hemingway's corpse returned, any price.

"Forget me. Go, be a wife."

Gorilla habitat advocate killed by poachers.

Bungee safety crusader dies in jump.

"Don't shoot!"
"Then dance, save mama."

Is a headline a story or just a statement? I suppose a blunt story.

And then the hundreds of weak fragments, some without even hint of a beginning or a present. C'mon people, stories!

Wanted: Hemingway's corpse returned, any price.

Good Santa asks "Am I Real"?

"...I am PREGNANT!!!"
Click.
"Hello? HELLLOOAAA..."