"For sale: baby shoes, never worn"

in #literature7 years ago (edited)

The above is an example of "flash fiction", a novel comprising of only six words designed to arouse feelings of despair and melancholy in the reader.

The story goes that Ernest Hemingway - one of the most notable and acclaimed American writers from the 19th century - was lunching with some friends when he wagered ten dollars he could craft an entire story by only using six words.

He wrote "For sale: baby shoes, never worn", on a napkin, passed it around, and collected his winnings.

The origin of the story has been in contention for some time, but regardless, it's fascinating to think how a story shorter than most sentences can evoke such deep emotional feelings from the majority of it's audience.

Does anyone else have examples of any other ultra short stories?