Notices by Micro SF/F stories by O Westin (microsff@mastodon.social), page 3

@jslee Thanks! I generally stick to Twitter lenght everywhere, but when I do a multi-tweet story, I will reformat it to the length allowed on the other platforms.

"Okay," I said, still blushing, "my turn. Truth or dare?"
"After your bravery? I must say truth as well."
"Are you a god?"
My date froze. "I... Yes."
"Of what?"
"No, my turn. Truth or dare?"
I hesitated. "T... dare."
"Pretend I'm not?"
It wasn't a command, so I nodded.
"Thanks."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

@itobiasgray It's on my Christmas wish list. 🙂

@pdersjant I'm here too, you know. :-) And boosting the toots makes sure your followers get the complete story.

The sign over the door said "Refuge For The Broken". Warm light spilled out of the windows; there was a smell of a hearty stew in the chill autumn air.
He sighed and turned away.
A witch opened the door.
"You one of them who can't say they're broken?"
"Um..."
"You're welcome."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

"The commonly told legend," the writer said, "is that King Arthur will return when he is needed the most."
"Indeed," said the reporter, "so-"
"Of course, that is nonsense. But his ideals of justice and equality? Maybe those can."
"So what motivated you to write your retelling?"
#MicroFiction #tootfic #SmallStories

"When we learned faster-than-light travel is possible if you make a sacrifice," the alien said, "we made a big one, to last millennia: our cultural diversity."
"Oh," said the human. "We make a sacrifice each journey."
"Of what?"
"Stories. I think of a story, and never tell it."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

The sigil was drawn, the summoning incanted. An incubus appeared, his perfect, naked form golden in the candlelight.
"How can I please you?" he asked.
"Stand like this."
He looked at the sketch.
"Looks weird."
"I know," said the artist. "Try to do it, so I can draw it right."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

I printed the sign out and stuck it up in the lab:
"You are already in the future"
Both cheesy and inspirational. Perfect for us doing temporal displacement research.
One morning I noticed someone had scribbled on it:
"Not today I'm not"
Look closely. Is that my handwriting?
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

The poet cleared her throat. The dragon turned atop the hoard and peered down.
"Yes?"
"I seek a word."
"Do you offer one?"
"Callipygian."
"Nice. Hardly used. Was it apt, when used?"
"Yes, but not appreciated."
"So it goes. Your word?"
"Experience ecstatic joy?"
"Exult."
She did.
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

"Our neighbours to the east have such a small army," the prince said. "Why don't we just invade and take over?"
"Their knights carry swords forged from moon dust."
"So? Are those sharper than the swords of our knights?"
"If they are able to go to the moon, what else can they do?"
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

"Does sex make you impure?"
The nun of the God of Morals looked at the young person.
"Have you listened to followers of the Judging God?"
"Does it?"
"It can do."
"Oh."
"If you do it selfishly, coercively, falsely, or carelessly."
"They didn't mention that part."
"They never do."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

Once I was dead, it was curiously easy to accept it.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked.
Death extended a bony finger, pointing at a tall tower in the distance.
"What is that?"
"Your unread books. Unwatched films. Unplayed games. Etcetera."
"Oh. How much time do I have?"
"All."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"Is magic more like cooking or baking?"
"How do you mean?" said the witch.
"When cooking you can change a recipe, but when baking you must follow the recipe exactly."
"I bet you cook more than you bake. The more you learn, the more you can improvise."
"So, neither?"
"Both."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

@blimix
(I don't usually comment when people mention me in passing (though while I'm here: thank you), but I wanted to let you know I enjoyed your puzzle.)

We found old letters in a metal tin, inside a plastic crate of mementos. Miraculously, they were still readable. Our poets worked on translations; the letters spoke of love, longing, and lust.
They could have been written today, by us.
Maybe they weren't so different, the Humans.
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

"Where's the necromancer?" growled the hero.
"The free hospital," said the goblin.
"Harvesting the dying?"
"No, he runs it. Heals people."
"Why?"
"He says he wants good skeletons, when he raises his army of undead."
"A-ha! When will he do that?"
"He's been healing for centuries."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The reader turned the page. The characters of the finished story gathered for a debrief.
"That was new," the Sage said.
"Nobody pictured us like that before," said the Masked Lady.
"I haven't felt that alive in ages," said the Colonel. "To be seen with new eyes..."
"A new life."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"I'm sorry," said the dragon. "Can you repeat that?"
"You were seen approaching the town. I was sent as a sacrifice," said the maiden.
"No."
"If I am not to your liking, they can send my twin brother."
"No!"
"Then what can they offer?"
"An apology. To you, your brother, and me."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

After Holmes and the doctor left, Lestrade took the young woman aside.
"Tell me," he said, "how does he do it?"
"Sir?"
"You came to us first. Yet he solved it. How?"
"I cannot say. All I know is: he listened, and gave me his full attention."
"Pah! Anyone can do that!"
"And yet."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories #FanFic