Teeny Tiny Tales #1
Fun and mayhem in the 'Stacks! 10.23.24 through 10.29.24
I've always been interested in writing, but time is a precious commodity. I found that writing these little stories to be both pleasurable and stimulating to my aging brain. I've decided to write a microfiction piece every day and post all of them here: The few I think are good, the embarrassingly silly, and the indifferent. I hope my efforts might inspire others to let their creativity out to play.
If you're interested in trying out microfiction, check out
ās Substack (link below). He's created an amazing community where you'll find a lot of wonderful stories and supportive, friendly writers.See you next week!
October 23, 2024
Microdosing - 70 mg of Suffocation
Featured in The Batch of Micro-Spooks #4! š¤
I lay on the hospital bed, in constant pain. I frantically pushed the PCA button, but the well was dry.
She appeared and I begged for help. She smiled, revealing teeth I'd broken during a drunken rage. I'd written her for amends, but she never responded.
She injected me with morphine. "70 mg. That's enough. You can make your amends now." No more pain, no more breathing, no more life.
October 24, 2024
Microdosing - 100 mg of a Remnant
John and Mark completed their night's evil work: Murdering the Witch Woman and scattering her ashes to the four winds. She and her spells were gone forever.
Later, John noticed Mark toying with a mystical pendant. Mark said, "It was too beautiful to burn."
"But we were told if even a remnant remains..."
Suddenly, Mark smiled, completing the sentence, "...the Witch will live on. Your brother's greed has given my spirit entry into his body. Life as a man will be interesting. But first..."
As the newborn Witch began the incantation, John fell,Ā his brother's voice intoning the Killing Spell.
October 25, 2024
Microdosing - 50 mg of Blood
I was hopelessly lost. Sitting to rest, I felt tickles on my leg. Ticks, furiouly sucking my blood! I climbed a tree to escape, but soon the whining of hundreds of mosquitoes chased me into the pond. I thought myself safe... until I looked down and saw the leeches.
October 26, 2024
Microdosing - 100 mg of a Carnivore
The sun set. Hens slept, tightly clutching the perches with their tiny, sharp claws, while the donkeys calmly munched hay. All wasĀ safe, the barn doors securely latched. I turned out the lights, and headed up towards the house.
That's when I saw the coyote at the edge of the woods. Something large hung limply from his jaws, but it was too dark to identify. His eyes stared briefly, then he turned and loped back to his lair.
Later I dreamed the carnivore ran through the house. I awoke to a killing frost, herald of the season of death.
October 27, 2024
Microdosing - 50 mg of a Poltergeist
She pouted at the broken window. "Wasn't me, Mommy! Screamy did it!"
"Fine, no TV for a week," I replied, unplugging the television.
"No fair! Screamy, help!" Suddenly Elmo danced on the screen. I stared at the cord in my hand. What if your child's imaginary friend is a poltergeist?
October 28, 2024
Microdosing - 100 mg of a Torment
A guaranteed cure for tinnitus! How could I resist? They locked me into the soundproofed room and music began to play.
First a boy bellowing, "Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weiner," followed by an infinite loop of other purile jingles advertising hamburgers, antacids, soda... more and faster and louder, until my head was ready to explode!
Suddenly, there was silence. COMPLETE silence. The tinnitus was gone!
Until I got home and my cat's greeting triggered the cats in my head, meowing their joy for cat chow. Then I realized I'd merely exchanged one torment for one much worse.
October 29, 2024
Microdosing- 60 mg of a Nightmare
The nightmare begins with me wandering a woodland path, which slowly morphs into a lonely highway. A car slows next to me as I walk. Nobody is inside. Suddenly I am somehow inside the car, in the backseat. It's driving by itself. It barrels along erratically, out of control,Ā faster and faster. I almost always awaken just before the crash...
Note: This really used to be one of my recurrent nightmares. I have an anxiety disorder, so I was 46 years old before I finally got my driving license. The nightmare morphed into a regular dream shortly after I learned how to drive... when the nightmare got to the point where the car was going crazy, I would climb into the front seat and take over the controls... I eventually stopped having the dream altogether. It's funny how the subconscious works.
Another note - Thank you, , for introducing me to āThe Fiction Dealer" - you can read about her other tips and suggestions in āA loser's guide to conquer Substack.ā
This is a fantastic idea. Please forgive as I sift through 30 weeks of posts...
Hello Jeannine -- what a nice lead to a thoughtful and different Substack. I could not help but partake.