mastodon.social is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
The original server operated by the Mastodon gGmbH non-profit

Administered by:

Server stats:

336K
active users

#microfiction

93 posts81 participants9 posts today
Bernadette Braganza<p>Continued from previous post in the thread...</p><p>“Can’t. Not when I have to figure out how to use the corona discharge to propel an ionised ignition system of a starliner weighing a 100 metric tons.”</p><p>Read it entirely here: <a href="https://bernadettebraganza.home.blog/2025/02/19/another-world/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bernadettebraganza.home.blog/2</span><span class="invisible">025/02/19/another-world/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/WritersOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritersOfMastodon</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/Writer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writer</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/Writers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writers</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/Author" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Author</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/WritingLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritingLife</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/FlashFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FlashFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/SmallStory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStory</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MiniMasterpieces" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MiniMasterpieces</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/SliceOfLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SliceOfLife</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <br>(2/2)</p>
Micro SF/F by O. Westin<p>Two knights arrived at the dragon's lair from different directions.</p><p>"Stand aside!" the first said. "I will gain the byname Dragonslayer!"</p><p>"Very well," the second said. "Should you win, I will be known as the man who killed the Dragonslayer."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"She's my friend."</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/TootFic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TootFic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/SmallStories" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStories</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/VSS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>VSS</span></a></p>
Steven Cudahy<p>The <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MastoPrompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoPrompt</span></a> for Wednesday 19 February 2025 is:</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/vinyl" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>vinyl</span></a></p><p>The poem or story can include the prompt word or be about the prompt word.</p><p>@ me, if you like, or just include the <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MastoPrompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoPrompt</span></a> tag (to allow people to follow or filter their feeds), or keep your work to yourself - all the options are good as long as you're writing.</p><p>If you're including an image please do include alt-text if you’re able to. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/SmallPoem" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallPoem</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Poetry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Poetry</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Fiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/SmallStories" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStories</span></a></p>
Mark's Daily Story<p>I got to the shop before it opened. I watched them bring out trolleys and A-boards and raise the shutters. It was like watching a flower open. A beautiful, vibrant thing. But I was going to be late, so I walked down the road to the little Tesco, and as I went my shopping list fell out of my pocket.<br><br><a href="https://social.markiswrit.ing/tags/fiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fiction</span></a> <a href="https://social.markiswrit.ing/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a></p>
Wandering Shop Stories<p>Today's Wandering Shop Stories <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/prompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>prompt</span></a> is <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/corona" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>corona</span></a>. Feel like writing something short and sweet that has the word "corona" in it? Check out the definitions of the word at: <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corona" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">merriam-webster.com/dictionary</span><span class="invisible">/corona</span></a> Join in and tag it with <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/wss366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wss366</span></a>! <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/WritingLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritingLife</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a> h/t <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://wandering.shop/@asakiyume" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>asakiyume</span></a></span></p>
Brad Rubenstein “:verified:”<p>Thank you.<br><br>Separately: I enjoy your <a href="https://infosec.exchange/tags/Microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Microfiction</span></a>. </p><p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://aus.social/@Unixbigot" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>Unixbigot</span></a></span></p>
Albert ARIBAUD ✎<p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/writever" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writever</span></a> Méga-cité</p><p>"Dans cette méga-cité, les robots ont le même statut que les humains..."</p><p>"Je dois dire que votre souci d'inclusivité vous honore, juge Dredd..."</p><p>"... à savoir que je les dézinguerai s'ils font même un seul pas de travers."</p><p>"... Ah."</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MastoArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoArt</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/French" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>French</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/fran%C3%A7ais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>français</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/sfff" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>sfff</span></a></p>
Albert ARIBAUD ✎<p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/writever" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writever</span></a> Mega-city</p><p>"In Mega-City, robots have the same legal status as humans..."</p><p>"I must commend you for your efforts on inclusisivity, judge Dredd..."</p><p>"... that is, I will gun them down if they so much as veer sideways."</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MastoArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoArt</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/FlashFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FlashFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/SmallStory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStory</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/TootFic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TootFic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a></p>
waferboard<p>Owl tried not to feel irritated. Edward the Bear had lost a tail or some nonsense. It was annoying, but Owl felt an obligation to help. "You need a sign, " he said, "Chris can help write it." He tried to explain more, but he could see Edward's eyes glazing over. Years of abuse had turned his brain to mush. He had probably already forgotten why he was here. <a href="https://mstdn.ca/tags/Microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Microfiction</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.ca/tags/aiart" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>aiart</span></a></p>
Kit Bashir<p>“What are you playing?”</p><p>“It’s the hot new game everyone’s talking about”</p><p>“What are you doing to that NPC?”</p><p>“What does it look like I’m doing?”</p><p>“It looks like you’re out of ammo and you’re trying to smother them. It’ll take forever to kill them that way”</p><p>“I’m not trying to kill anyone!”</p><p>“Then what?”</p><p>“It’s a First Person Hugger, you should totally try it!”</p><p><a href="https://aus.social/tags/Tootfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Tootfic</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://aus.social/tags/PowerOnStoryToot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PowerOnStoryToot</span></a></p>
Mark's Daily Story<p>At the very centre of each sunflower was a liitle black eye, like a camera lens. At first I thought they really might have been cameras. There are cameras in everything these days. But they weren’t. Just the sunflowers, taking an interest. They no longer turned to face the sun. They turned to face passing cats and pretty faces and each other. They turned to read the words on the signs and graffiti and billboards. They watched everything we did, for a week or two, and then they turned away.<br><br><a href="https://social.markiswrit.ing/tags/fiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fiction</span></a> <a href="https://social.markiswrit.ing/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a></p>
Julien Deswaef<p>I asked ChatGPT what was the dosage of Ibuprofen for my toddler.</p><p><a href="https://m.xuv.be/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a></p>
C. Knodel<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mas.to/@VisualInspiration" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>VisualInspiration</span></a></span> </p><p>My symb Jordan and I, we’re a good team – most of the time. It’s a win-win. I take care of oxygen supply, and he delivers water and nutrients. When we’re alone, I expand to my full size, overtaking his body and making him look like a large bromeliad. We can travel through space for months, even years. Lighting a vessel is much simpler and cheaper than recycling air and water, and of course, we always have a good story to tell. That’s essential for a human-plantoid symbiosis.<br>The only problem occurs when it comes to mating. After a long voyage, he craves human company. I understand that and retreat into the deepest regions of his body, leaving him with just a slight greenish tint to his skin – nothing more. His partners seem to like that look, or maybe they don’t even notice. I don’t ask, and he wouldn’t tell.<br>But things get more complicated when it’s my turn. When I meet my kind (sometimes in a natural habitat, sometimes other symbs like me), I communicate through fragrance and spores. Sorry, but that’s how we have sex, and we like it. But afterwards, my poor symb sneezes and coughs for about two days. My mating companions often spread genetic signatures completely different from mine, and my symb’s antiallergics don’t help much. And – oh, look at this cute guy! He’s paired with an orchid-type – that one's hot! Come on, Jordan, what do you think about these two?</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.de/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a> <br><a href="https://mastodon.de/tags/scifi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>scifi</span></a> </p><p>(Dedicated to John Varley whose idea I, um, borrowed for further development...)</p>
Asakiyume<p>The archivist put the ancient copy of A <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/Primer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Primer</span></a> of The Faith of the Air into Zenaida's hands, and she opened it carefully. The paper it was made with contained dandelion seeds and tiny, downy feathers. She turned to the catechism. </p><p>Question the First: Who are the Divinities of the Air? Answer: The Cloud, The Smoke, The Rising Vapor, The Floating Seed, The Bird.</p><p>"Is it what you were looking for?" the archivist asked.</p><p>"Yes," Zenaida replied, eyes shining. "Thank you."</p><p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/wss366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wss366</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a></p>
NessoAsks<p>For 15 years, the kingdom had been without a queen. </p><p>The king, it seemed, had never been in a mood to even search for a queen, let alone marry. Perhaps it was because he had been a bachelor his entire reign, so a change in marital status made him wary. Perhaps it was because he simply hadn’t found the right girl, despite countless female assertions to the contrary. </p><p>Or, perhaps it was because this year he was finally going to be old enough to drive.</p><p><a href="https://techhub.social/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a> <a href="https://techhub.social/tags/flashfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>flashfiction</span></a> <a href="https://techhub.social/tags/tootfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>tootfic</span></a></p>
Steven Cudahy<p>The <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MastoPrompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoPrompt</span></a> for Tuesday 18 February 2025 is:</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/groove" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>groove</span></a></p><p>The poem or story can include the prompt word or be about the prompt word.</p><p>@ me, if you like, or just include the <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MastoPrompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoPrompt</span></a> tag (to allow people to follow or filter their feeds), or keep your work to yourself - all the options are good as long as you're writing.</p><p>If you're including an image please do include alt-text if you’re able to. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/SmallPoem" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallPoem</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Poetry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Poetry</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Fiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/SmallStories" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStories</span></a></p>
Wandering Shop Stories<p>Today's Wandering Shop Stories <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/prompt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>prompt</span></a> is <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/primer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>primer</span></a>. Feel like writing something short and sweet that has the word "primer" in it? Check out the definitions of the word at: <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primer" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">merriam-webster.com/dictionary</span><span class="invisible">/primer</span></a> Join in and tag it with <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/wss366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wss366</span></a>! <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/WritingLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritingLife</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a> h/t <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://bonequest.net/@tobadzistsini" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>tobadzistsini</span></a></span></p>
Albert ARIBAUD ✎<p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/writever" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writever</span></a> Cataplasme</p><p>Ce cas de production massive et brutale d'ectoplasme montra, malgré des dégâts considérables, l'intérêt de panser des blessures avec une couche de matière épaisse et collante. En mémoire de cet événement, le nom "cataplasme" fut adopté.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MastoArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoArt</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/French" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>French</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/fran%C3%A7ais" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>français</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/sfff" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>sfff</span></a></p>
Albert ARIBAUD ✎<p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/writever" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writever</span></a> Poultice</p><p>Few people know that doctors of old used to heal wounds by crushing hens into a pulp and applying said pulp on gashes. What they didn't do, however, was write properly. And this, folks, is how "poultice" came to be.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MastoArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MastoArt</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/FlashFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FlashFiction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/SmallStory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmallStory</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/TootFic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TootFic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a></p>
Asakiyume<p>Nystrims were a life form that parasitized electronics--or at least, so they were initially described. But soon after, scientists realized that nystrims were commensally incorporating themselves into electronic systems, including computer systems. A nystrims-enhanced work <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/console" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>console</span></a>, for example, had all the computing power of an old-fashioned machine but could also read the mood of its user and adjust its interactions accordingly--making it everyone's favorite coworker.</p><p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/wss366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wss366</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/microfiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>microfiction</span></a></p>