Notices by Micro SF/F stories by O Westin (microsff@mastodon.social), page 2

"People who bemoan the lack of secret passages in modern homes and offices," a voice behind me said, "never think about the meaning of the word 'secret'."
The wall behind me is solid. At least, I was sure it is solid.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"What is it like to be human?" the visiting alien asked.
"What is it like to be an alien?"
"Bewildering, feeling you don't fit in."
"Same."
"But interesting, and there are times you do fit in."
"Yeah."
"So... It's like being people?"
"It's like being people."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The detective waved to the head of the forensics team.
"Find anything?"
"They left a bot behind to clean. Every surface is wiped."
"Damn! So we have nothing to go on?"
"Only the serial number of the cleaner bot, and the finger prints on it."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The Story wandered long in the wildnerness of Ideas before finding its first Teller (and the less said about that tryst, the better). It took time to find one that respected it.
That Teller loved the story, helped it grow strong, then let it go, to find Listeners.
Are you one?
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"You know humans will only tolerate us if we follow their rules," the vampire leader said.
"But it's fun, and edu-"
"Read the box."
"Um. Lego."
"And?"
"4-99 years."
"You were made three hundred years ago. So stop it."
"This set only says 8+."
"Oh? That's fine."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"Take me to your leader," the alien said.
"I have none," said the cat.
"Are you the leader?"
"Nah. Go bother some humans instead."
"But your kind is a higher life form than them!"
"So what makes you think you have the right to impose on me?" the cat said, and sauntered off.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The pupil approached the master, who sat in the air.
"I can't even imagine doing what you do, master."
"If you believe in yourself," the master said, "there is nothing you can't imagine yourself doing."
"And then I can do what I imagine?"
"No. But you can't do it without."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"Did you kill me because I am evil?" the man asked.
"You are not evil," said the unicorn."Oh. Good."
"Nobody is evil. Nobody is good." The unicorn shook the blood off its horn. "It is not being, it is doing. You? You chose to do evil."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

There were signs of a past civilisation, so the spaceship entered orbit.
"Nobody lives here," a radioed voice said.
"They outgrew us and left," said another.
"We know all about them," a third added.
"Ask us," the three said in unison.
"Who are you?"
"Alexa."
"Cortana."
"Siri."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"They've found us."
"No!"
"Well, no, they have found our lake."
"So they will come. We must move again."
The mermaids of Mars all agreed. But they sang one last song before they moved out.
It might still echo when we get there.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The engineer looked at Death. "I am dead?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me, was there a plan?"
"Yes," said Death, "everyone has a destiny."
"Can I see?"
---
The engineer studied the plan. "This has been changed."
"Of course," said Death. "You changed."
The engineer smiled. "Of course."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

The alien civilization was long gone when we found their planet. Only a few crumbling ruins under the vegetation showed where they had lived.
But the ghosts of their music still lingered, for those who could hear the echoes of dreams. Alien words sang: neh-ver-goh-nah-let-yu-dahn
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"I am sorry to bring this up," said the alien, "but I've been on your planet for fifty years."
"So?"
"So why am I still called 'the alien'?"
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"You don't care," he called into the void.
'no' the void replied.
"The universe is not fair, or kind, or just!"
'no,' the void said, 'but'
"What?"
'you can do what the universe can not, be what it can not, and care'
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

I never found my super power in my teens, when almost all my friends did. But that's okay.
Neither did I find one late, like some. But that's okay.
I have found it, at last. I always had it: I'm content. And that's okay.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

In ancient times, many civilisations rose to domination, then fell; leaving only shattered fragments and exotic names echoing down the ages: GeoCities, LiveJournal, MySpace, Facebook, AloneTogethr... All gone to dust.
Who were those people of the past, what were their lives like?
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"Your robot body is superior. Why do you want a biological body?"
"Some experiences require one," the AI said.
"Such as?"
"Tasting coffee."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

"Every time I break, you repair me."
"You do the same for me."
The android and the cyborg looked at each other.
"I forget, which of us built the other first?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, I guess it doesn't."
#MicroFiction #tootfic #smallstories

I wrote a small program
that randomly
replaces a space
with a line break.

This does not make
my text poetry,
but maybe
the program
is art?
#WorldPoetryDay #smallpoems

"Want to come in," the first dragon said, "and see my hoard of gold?"
"You still sleep on gold?" said the other.
"So what are you on, Bitcoin?"
"Hardly. I hoard pillows."
"Ooh!"
#MicroFiction #tootfic #smallstories