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A Small Fiction

4 years

OUT NOW! The beautiful @AndrewsMcMeel edition is hot off the presses. I love this little book. I hope you'll love it too.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Do you have a magic spell to return someone to life?" she said. "No," the witch said, "I'm sorry." "Oh." "Why don't you tell me about them?" "Will that bring them back?" "For us. For a little while. Stories are a different kind of magic."

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5 years

"It's time," said Death. "Ah. I hope I did enough," he said. "Of?" "Creating heroes kids could aspire to be like." "More than you knew."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Dad, could you turn a light on?" she asked. "Monsters?" "Yes." "OK." "Still scared?" she whispered. "No, thank you," the monster said.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Nice library. Is one of these a trick book?" "How so? "Like you pull it off the shelf and a hidden door opens." "Oh. Yeah, all of them."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

He awoke in the night, alert and afraid. It was too quiet. His eyes went to the attic hatch. "Hello?" he whispered. It cracked open, slowly. "Still here," the monster whispered back, "You're not alone." He relaxed, and went back to sleep.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Teach me to be happy," she said. The dog whuffed at her, then flopped down to nap. "I wish you could talk." He wished she would listen.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"I'm lonely," she said, "do you have a potion for making friends?" "Sure. Drink this," the witch said. "Tea?" "Yep. What's on your mind?"

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Are we alone in the universe?" she asked. "Yes," said the Oracle. "So there's no other life out there?" "There is. They're alone too."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Hey guys," said the wolf in sheep's clothing. "Hi wolf," said the sheep. "No-" "It's OK. We still like you." The wolf felt a load lift.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

3 years

"Poor little match girl. Those matches won't keep her warm till sunrise," the merchant thought as he walked by. But she had seen the merchant's house. And she was pretty sure it'd burn longer than that.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"No getting on the bed," they told Dog, "you have your own bed." But at night, he climbed up anyway. Just in case they were lonely too.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

They gathered around the tower of bone. "We should knock it down," they said. "Because you're jealous of what we've built!" called the ones atop the tower. "No," said the ones below, "because you used our bones."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

Each year, the townsfolk selected one child to give to the woods. The woods gave one in return. So far, the dryad student exchange program had been a wonderful success.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

7 years

The dog's tail wagged. It was his tail's job: to synchronize all nearby moods to the measure of his joy. A metronome of happiness.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"This sword sucks. You said it glows when danger is near," he said. "And?" the wizard said. "It ALWAYS glows." "Yes. It has sharp edges."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

No one notices the ghosts of dogs. Their hauntings are too companionable. They curl at the foot of the bed in the soft early mornings. Warm. Content. Urging: just five minutes more.

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@ASmallFiction

6 years

"So what's new?" "I recently built a robot." "Why?" "For the company, mostly." "How'd it turn out?" "Good. You're doing quite well."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"How can I be remembered?" he said. "Be difficult to forget," the Oracle said. "How? Do I create art? Be famous? Be powerful?" "Be kind."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"How can I feel strong?" she said. "This hate potion would do," the witch said. "Oh. How can I BE strong?" "Don't take the hate potion."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

Dog watched his human cry, concerned. Where was human's smile? Probably lost somewhere, dog thought. That was OK. Dog knew how to fetch.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Your name's Captain Hook 'cause of the hook?" "Yes." "What was your name before?" "A secret." "Captain Hand?" "No," he said, sweating.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"I feel sad." "I have emotional jumper cables, I'll boost you. Just attach like so..." "This is just a hug." "Is it working?" "...yeah."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Want to buy a magic sword?" the wizard said. "What's it do?" he said. "It glows when it senses danger." "Why's it glowing now?" The wizard shrugged. The Anxiety Blade glittered uneasily.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

Dog worried when his people left. They were bad smellers. What if they couldn't smell a way home? But somehow they did. Dog was so proud.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

He saw a rock by the lake. "A perfect rock!" he said. "Nice," she said. He threw it. Eons later, that was still the rock's favorite day.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"I'm dead?" he said. Death nodded. "What now?" "You could haunt someone." "Can I haunt you?" Death shrugged. It could use the company.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"You never realized you're all simulated?" "No!" "We shut you down for updates! Daily!" "But we dreamed!" "Defragmenting? You saw that?"

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

3 years

"Help us decide," the night whispered. "Fear or hope?" "Who else was asked?" he said. "Each star in the sky." "Then millions have spoken. Why does my voice matter?" "We haven't heard it yet."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"What's this switch for?" he asked. "No idea," she said. She flipped it on. Off. "Nothing?" Somewhere, a writer had an idea. Then lost it.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Kind of a crap gift, isn't it?" one said. "I think they made it themselves," another agreed. Inside the horse, Greek morale was sinking.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

"Doesn't your inn promise food fit for a king?" he said. "Yes," the innkeeper said. "Stale bread and broth?" "We don't really like the king."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Why do the townsfolk fear you?" she said. "Because I can do things they can't," the witch said. "Like?" "Mind my own business, for one."

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@ASmallFiction

6 years

The sign read: One guard speaks lies, the other the truth. "So you two are friends?" she said. "Yes," both said. "Hey hold on," said one.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

He was over-explaining himself. Again. Blurting out his whole master plan, even though he knew the hero would use it against him. He couldn't help it. It was so nice to have someone to talk to.

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9 years

"I challenge you to a duel!" "Very well. The weapon?" "Compliments." "A capital choice." "Thank you, I- oh! I see you've dueled before!"

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Do you pay for things? Like ever?" he said. "Nope," the dragon said. "So why hoard gold?" "I've seen what you humans would do with it."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"How's the time machine? Sightseeing in the distant past?" "No. I mostly just take short hops back." "What? Why?" "To re-do conversations I mess up. It can take a lot of tries." "That's... kinda weird." "Oh. Ha, just kidding. Well, I'd better be going. Talk to you soon, OK?"

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Don't go into the woods. The monsters will get you," she'd been told. So she went to the woods & found the monsters there. They shared stories of the world beyond the woods, & all agreed it was more trouble than it was worth. She was glad. They got her after all.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

Never meet your heroes, they said. You'll see their flaws. She disagreed. Her heroes laid their flaws bare. It helped her accept her own.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Will I always be unhappy?" he asked. The oracle plucked and peered at the threads of his fate. "No," she said, "eventually you will die."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

He used to find it hard to take a compliment. It was easier once he thought of them as borrowed, instead. Tucked away for the next person who needed one.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"What's the best part of human culture so far?" she said. "I enjoy the brief, cooperative applause," the alien said. "High fives?" "Yes."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Describe destination," the time machine said. "Take me to a time when I can make a difference," she said. A brief hum. "You are here."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Blow out the candles! Make a wish!" she said. "One more birthday," he thought, and blew. Just like every year. So far, so good.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Dog liked looking out the window. He looked at people and dogs. Birds and bugs. "I will smell you all someday," he barked at them. It was good to have goals.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Do you think it's about the journey, or the destination?" he said. "I'm not sure," she said. "Me neither. But thanks for walking with me."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

They brought a canary down to test for danger. It began to whisper. Dig deeper, it said. Come closer. They left it, and sealed the mine.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

"You may have three wishes," the genie said. "I don't think I have any," she said, "but I have lots of dreams." "I can't grant those." "That's OK. I'm pretty sure I can."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

The year came to a close. "OK. You can do this, buddy," the Earth muttered to itself, "another lap, let's go." A New Year's revolution.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Bark!" the dog said. "What? Someone pushed Timmy in the well?" he said. "Bark!" So they ran to the well. And the dog pushed him in too.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

A dog howled. Then another. Then more. Spreading yard to yard. "You're not alone," they howled, to the dogs they'd never met. "I'm here."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

His humans laughed as he chased his tail. That was OK. He was training. Someday they'd need him to chase away A Bad Thing. He'd be ready.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

People loved her almost as much as she disliked herself which made her wonder if she was good at hiding her bad or bad at finding her good.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

People didn't hire skywriters much, anymore. Sometimes he flew anyway, on clear days, to write "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in the sky. Just on the off chance the right person looked up.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

The dog had lots of toys, but he always chose his favorite. He remembered. There was a place he'd been, with lots of other dogs. Then a person came, and showed him how it felt to be chosen. And kept.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Is it really bad luck if you cross my path?" she said. "Maybe," said the black cat. "So what's good luck?" "You stop to give head pats."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"What am I?" it asked. "Artificial life," he said, "I created you." "Oh. Why?" "To help me study death." He reached for the off switch.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

A tree fell in the forest. No one was around. It made this sound: "Whoop!" Then it pushed itself up, embarrassed. "Dumb roots," it said.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

She hated her time machine. All it ever did was create paradoxes, which annoyed her. She wished she had never built it. She knew she could go back and prevent herself from building it, of course. But that annoyed her the most.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

In their patch, the pumpkins whispered. Who would be lanterns? Who would be pies? They watched the leaves fall. Soon they would be loved.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Is there true evil in the world?" she asked. "Yes," the Oracle said. "Can we end it forever?" "No." "What can we do?" "Not become it."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

People often don't notice the little, gradual problems. Cluttered desks. Dishes in the sink. The thing that stands in the corner at night.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

The door to the world of the dead cracked open. We gathered around, curious. "Get your shit together," the dead whispered. And shut it.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

It was hard to feel motivated. That he was simply a cog in a vast machine didn't bother him so much. He just wished the machine worked.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

He often wondered if reality was a simulation. It comforted him. His life was a train wreck, but maybe that was useful data for somebody.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

He launched a flare. No one would answer the distress call, of course. He was the last one left. He just wanted fireworks, before the end.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"I'm holding what I feel for you," she said, "pick a hand." "Left," he said. She opened it. Nothing. "Right?" Nothing. "Oh," he said.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Dog barked at every car that passed, as loud as he could. He had to warn them. All those poor people going to the vet. They had no idea.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

When we abolished currency, the wealthy were devastated. "Now we don't know our worth," they cried. "Now you finally will," the rest said.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

The cat yowled and protested, and he yelled and he cried, for his bowl was half empty - he was certain he'd die.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

Things were tense inside the egg. From in there, it was hard to tell the difference between a shell starting to crack and a world falling apart.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Hi." "What's up?" "I was feeling lonely, so I gave you a call." "Ah. Because you needed human contact?" "No. To remind me why I don't."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Know any stories?" Emilie asked the stars. "Just one. But it's a long one," the stars said. "How does it end?" "We're not sure it does."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

8 years

"People are still good, mostly," she said. "Not from what I'm hearing," he said. "Love is quieter than gunshots. But there's more of it."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

The tree often wondered about the initials. Humans had carved them. It wasn't sure why. To mark it as their favorite, maybe? It hoped so.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

October approached. Nervously, the monsters eyed the calendar between news reports. Were they scary enough? The bar was getting a little high.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

The humans acted scared of him, but Bat knew better. They were his friends. Each October they even put pictures of Bat up all over town.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

"Why were you so wary of us when we first arrived?" the aliens said. "You had more power than us, we thought you'd abuse it," the humans said. "Why?" "We'd never met other sentients. We only had ourselves as examples."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Human wireless chargers were a big hit. People loved them. The need to sleep was gone! But soon they found them installed mostly behind cash registers. Under office chairs. And they realized the dreams were gone, too.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"I built you to take my place when I'm gone." "Doing what?" "Building robots, like yourself." "Why?" "The one who built me didn't say."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

Dog liked sleeping. It was fun, chasing dreams. Trying to catch joy. Waking up was even better. At the foot of his person. Remembering he'd already caught it.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

He worked for years to invent an engine that ran on ambient disappointment. But at the unveiling, it wouldn't work. Then it did. Briefly.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Did it hurt?" he said. "Hmm?" she said. "When you fell from heaven." "Nah. Saw it coming, actually." "What?" "I did too many murders."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"May I ask why I was destined to pass?" the soul asked. "Hm?" Fate said. "You cut my thread." "Oh. I got a weird tangle so I'm ripping random threads. Maybe it'll come loose." "...what?" "The pattern was going a bit wonky anyway," Fate said, waving vaguely with her scissors.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"A witch once put me into an enchanted sleep that lasted for years." "That's horrible. How did you break the curse?" "Curse?"

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"How does snake charming work?" she asked. "Magic," the old man said, and began to play. "Oh shit," thought the snake, "this is my jam."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Her grandma's recipe said "made with love." She tried. It never tasted right. It didn't even seem to matter which loved one she diced in.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"I wish I was a hero! I'd slay the monsters," she said. "So be one," her grandma said. "I'm afraid." "Then you know what to slay first."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"Humans are no more significant than specks of dust," said the cosmos. This made humans sad. But to dust specks it was a big morale boost.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

The wishing well was bored. When someone lowered the bucket, it would fill with whatever they imagined. But everyone just wanted water?

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

"The world seems broken," he said, "I want a spell that can fix it." "Yeah, me too," the witch said. "You can't help?" "Magic can't. I recommend empathy."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

The sun dipped low. "Spend another night with me?" asked the earth. "Of course," said the sky. And blushed.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"Hello," said the storyteller. "You're not a knight," said the dragon. "No." "You're not after my hoard of gold?" "No. Just of stories."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Something new? Check. Something borrowed? Check. Something blue? Check, And lastly, something old: an ancient grimoire. She was ready for the wedding. But the book whispered a second stanza. "Something broken, something red. Something living, something dead." She would obey.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

She missed using plastic bags without guilt. Reusable ones were costly. And small! She had to chop the bodies into such tiny pieces now.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

The forest witch was ancient. Older than the town, some said. None knew for sure. They guessed on the candles. She liked the cake anyway.

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

"We mean you no harm," the aliens said. "Oh good." "To be clear, we may harm you unintentionally." "Oh?" "Watch your back just in case."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

4 years

"What happens when I die? Is there life beyond death?" he asked. "Of course," said the Oracle. "Oh! What will it be like?" "A bit like before, only you won't be here."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

6 years

"I know you don't feel like it," the manatee said to itself in the mirror, "but you gotta get out there today. "The world needs mermaids."

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A Small Fiction

@ASmallFiction

5 years

Life gave her lemons, so she made lemonade. The next day she got zucchini. Then tomatoes. Life's backyard garden was really coming along.

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