If you write flash fiction, I suspect you already know the six-word story famously attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

As disconcerting micros go, it’s pretty powerful. It popped into my head when I saw these child’s shoes on a wall in my neighbourhood. With Hemingway’s ultra-micro in mind, can you devise an unsettling tale that explains why these cute blue t-bar toddler-sized shoes are no longer needed? And why are they in such pristine condition?

How low can you keep the word-count without losing the impact and heart of your tale?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley (at) iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.