Micro SF/F by O. Westin
@microsff.com
Very short science fiction/fantasy stories by O. Westin.
Please repost any you like.
Patreon: https://patreon.com/microsff
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Books: https://microsff.com/books
Please repost any you like.
Patreon: https://patreon.com/microsff
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/microsff
Books: https://microsff.com/books
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-."
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-."
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
November 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-."
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-."
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
I paused, out of breath. The Void had taken all my frustrated screaming and absorbed it.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I paused, out of breath. The Void had taken all my frustrated screaming and absorbed it.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
"What are you working on?"
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
November 23, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"What are you working on?"
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
The witch made him hot chocolate.
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
November 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM
The witch made him hot chocolate.
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
"There's... er..." My new assistant bookseller faltered.
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
November 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
"There's... er..." My new assistant bookseller faltered.
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
I Am Lucifer, the Devil, AMA
"Which of your many accomplishments are you most proud of?"
The idea that once your body is done growing, so is your mind.
"Wait, when is our minds done growing?"
You were never meant to be done growing, learning, examining. But you could be persuaded to give it up.
"Which of your many accomplishments are you most proud of?"
The idea that once your body is done growing, so is your mind.
"Wait, when is our minds done growing?"
You were never meant to be done growing, learning, examining. But you could be persuaded to give it up.
November 15, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I Am Lucifer, the Devil, AMA
"Which of your many accomplishments are you most proud of?"
The idea that once your body is done growing, so is your mind.
"Wait, when is our minds done growing?"
You were never meant to be done growing, learning, examining. But you could be persuaded to give it up.
"Which of your many accomplishments are you most proud of?"
The idea that once your body is done growing, so is your mind.
"Wait, when is our minds done growing?"
You were never meant to be done growing, learning, examining. But you could be persuaded to give it up.
There was a lot of gossip. Not because they were both very old, and famous. Not only because both used the same pronouns. Mostly because they were different species.
How do they do it?
"Like everybody else," the heir to the Elven throne said.
The dragon smiled. "With love, care, and enthusiasm."
How do they do it?
"Like everybody else," the heir to the Elven throne said.
The dragon smiled. "With love, care, and enthusiasm."
November 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
There was a lot of gossip. Not because they were both very old, and famous. Not only because both used the same pronouns. Mostly because they were different species.
How do they do it?
"Like everybody else," the heir to the Elven throne said.
The dragon smiled. "With love, care, and enthusiasm."
How do they do it?
"Like everybody else," the heir to the Elven throne said.
The dragon smiled. "With love, care, and enthusiasm."
The unicorn listened intently. Somewhere in the forest, someone innocent was singing.
The unicorn followed the sound, found the singer, and laid down with their head in the singer's lap.
"bottles of-"
The young orc fell silent, smiled shyly, then resumed singing.
"Beer on the wall..."
The unicorn followed the sound, found the singer, and laid down with their head in the singer's lap.
"bottles of-"
The young orc fell silent, smiled shyly, then resumed singing.
"Beer on the wall..."
November 4, 2025 at 9:02 PM
The unicorn listened intently. Somewhere in the forest, someone innocent was singing.
The unicorn followed the sound, found the singer, and laid down with their head in the singer's lap.
"bottles of-"
The young orc fell silent, smiled shyly, then resumed singing.
"Beer on the wall..."
The unicorn followed the sound, found the singer, and laid down with their head in the singer's lap.
"bottles of-"
The young orc fell silent, smiled shyly, then resumed singing.
"Beer on the wall..."
Every year, the king would dress up as a merchant and walk around the streets of the capital, listening to what his people were saying.
When the revolutionary army arrived, he was shocked.
"But all my subjects are happy!"
"No! Remote provinces are bled dry, all profits go to the capital!"
When the revolutionary army arrived, he was shocked.
"But all my subjects are happy!"
"No! Remote provinces are bled dry, all profits go to the capital!"
November 3, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Every year, the king would dress up as a merchant and walk around the streets of the capital, listening to what his people were saying.
When the revolutionary army arrived, he was shocked.
"But all my subjects are happy!"
"No! Remote provinces are bled dry, all profits go to the capital!"
When the revolutionary army arrived, he was shocked.
"But all my subjects are happy!"
"No! Remote provinces are bled dry, all profits go to the capital!"
A spaceship landed in the park. A door dilated. A strange-looking alien with artificial antennae made from tin foil emerged.
"Greetings, Earthlings!! We come in..." It consulted a device. "In trick or treat?"
"Greetings, Earthlings!! We come in..." It consulted a device. "In trick or treat?"
October 31, 2025 at 10:30 PM
A spaceship landed in the park. A door dilated. A strange-looking alien with artificial antennae made from tin foil emerged.
"Greetings, Earthlings!! We come in..." It consulted a device. "In trick or treat?"
"Greetings, Earthlings!! We come in..." It consulted a device. "In trick or treat?"
If you pass Humanity's Earth,
Land, buy some local delicacies:
Chocolate, coffee, tea, liquorice.
There are more; ask a Human.
Keep them, until you need
To befriend a Human
Wandering the galaxy
Far from home.
The rumours about Humans are true,
For good or ill
A gift can be invaluable
#poem
Land, buy some local delicacies:
Chocolate, coffee, tea, liquorice.
There are more; ask a Human.
Keep them, until you need
To befriend a Human
Wandering the galaxy
Far from home.
The rumours about Humans are true,
For good or ill
A gift can be invaluable
#poem
October 27, 2025 at 4:42 PM
If you pass Humanity's Earth,
Land, buy some local delicacies:
Chocolate, coffee, tea, liquorice.
There are more; ask a Human.
Keep them, until you need
To befriend a Human
Wandering the galaxy
Far from home.
The rumours about Humans are true,
For good or ill
A gift can be invaluable
#poem
Land, buy some local delicacies:
Chocolate, coffee, tea, liquorice.
There are more; ask a Human.
Keep them, until you need
To befriend a Human
Wandering the galaxy
Far from home.
The rumours about Humans are true,
For good or ill
A gift can be invaluable
#poem
The witch took her hands off the patient's body.
"First of all," she said with absolute conviction, "there's nothing wrong with you."
"The doctor-"
"Said you must be either man or woman?"
"That it's black or white, no grey."
"Nonsense. Every colour in the rainbow is between black and white."
"First of all," she said with absolute conviction, "there's nothing wrong with you."
"The doctor-"
"Said you must be either man or woman?"
"That it's black or white, no grey."
"Nonsense. Every colour in the rainbow is between black and white."
October 26, 2025 at 5:38 PM
The witch took her hands off the patient's body.
"First of all," she said with absolute conviction, "there's nothing wrong with you."
"The doctor-"
"Said you must be either man or woman?"
"That it's black or white, no grey."
"Nonsense. Every colour in the rainbow is between black and white."
"First of all," she said with absolute conviction, "there's nothing wrong with you."
"The doctor-"
"Said you must be either man or woman?"
"That it's black or white, no grey."
"Nonsense. Every colour in the rainbow is between black and white."
"What treasure did your adventure yield?" villagers would ask on her return.
"None," she would laugh, "except memories, scars, and a favour owed me by a wolf!"
Or a dragon, toad, sow, or gorgon.
"When will you call in all the favours owed you?"
"Only when I must," she said.
She never had to.
"None," she would laugh, "except memories, scars, and a favour owed me by a wolf!"
Or a dragon, toad, sow, or gorgon.
"When will you call in all the favours owed you?"
"Only when I must," she said.
She never had to.
October 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM
"What treasure did your adventure yield?" villagers would ask on her return.
"None," she would laugh, "except memories, scars, and a favour owed me by a wolf!"
Or a dragon, toad, sow, or gorgon.
"When will you call in all the favours owed you?"
"Only when I must," she said.
She never had to.
"None," she would laugh, "except memories, scars, and a favour owed me by a wolf!"
Or a dragon, toad, sow, or gorgon.
"When will you call in all the favours owed you?"
"Only when I must," she said.
She never had to.
There was a 'womp' sound from the yard. I looked out the window.
Where the large pile of leaves had been, a dragon sat.
"Oi!" I called.
"The hoard was unguarded," the dragon said. "I claim it."
Every damn year. It'll leave once the leaves lose their golden hue. Meanwhile, I can't order takeaway.
Where the large pile of leaves had been, a dragon sat.
"Oi!" I called.
"The hoard was unguarded," the dragon said. "I claim it."
Every damn year. It'll leave once the leaves lose their golden hue. Meanwhile, I can't order takeaway.
October 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
There was a 'womp' sound from the yard. I looked out the window.
Where the large pile of leaves had been, a dragon sat.
"Oi!" I called.
"The hoard was unguarded," the dragon said. "I claim it."
Every damn year. It'll leave once the leaves lose their golden hue. Meanwhile, I can't order takeaway.
Where the large pile of leaves had been, a dragon sat.
"Oi!" I called.
"The hoard was unguarded," the dragon said. "I claim it."
Every damn year. It'll leave once the leaves lose their golden hue. Meanwhile, I can't order takeaway.
** This account is neither a magazine nor a bot.
All stories I post are artisanally conceived and composed by myself, from carefully selected particles, verbs, nouns, and other ethically sourced words.
No AI systems have been involved in the writing, though they might appear as characters. **
All stories I post are artisanally conceived and composed by myself, from carefully selected particles, verbs, nouns, and other ethically sourced words.
No AI systems have been involved in the writing, though they might appear as characters. **
October 17, 2025 at 2:22 PM
** This account is neither a magazine nor a bot.
All stories I post are artisanally conceived and composed by myself, from carefully selected particles, verbs, nouns, and other ethically sourced words.
No AI systems have been involved in the writing, though they might appear as characters. **
All stories I post are artisanally conceived and composed by myself, from carefully selected particles, verbs, nouns, and other ethically sourced words.
No AI systems have been involved in the writing, though they might appear as characters. **
The journalists say down in the auditorium inside the machine.
"Welcome!" the professor said, "When I press this button, we will instantly travel faster than light."
"How much faster?"
"Infinitely."
"Where will we go?"
"Around the whole universe."
He pressed the button.
"We're back!"
"Welcome!" the professor said, "When I press this button, we will instantly travel faster than light."
"How much faster?"
"Infinitely."
"Where will we go?"
"Around the whole universe."
He pressed the button.
"We're back!"
October 15, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The journalists say down in the auditorium inside the machine.
"Welcome!" the professor said, "When I press this button, we will instantly travel faster than light."
"How much faster?"
"Infinitely."
"Where will we go?"
"Around the whole universe."
He pressed the button.
"We're back!"
"Welcome!" the professor said, "When I press this button, we will instantly travel faster than light."
"How much faster?"
"Infinitely."
"Where will we go?"
"Around the whole universe."
He pressed the button.
"We're back!"
An alien fleet appeared in Earth's orbit, and broadcast a message:
"Having studied you furtively, we now seek formal contact, and want to meet your greatest thinkers..."
A long list followed.
"How do we tell them?" world leaders wondered.
Topping the list were the names Calvin and Calvin's Dad.
"Having studied you furtively, we now seek formal contact, and want to meet your greatest thinkers..."
A long list followed.
"How do we tell them?" world leaders wondered.
Topping the list were the names Calvin and Calvin's Dad.
October 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
An alien fleet appeared in Earth's orbit, and broadcast a message:
"Having studied you furtively, we now seek formal contact, and want to meet your greatest thinkers..."
A long list followed.
"How do we tell them?" world leaders wondered.
Topping the list were the names Calvin and Calvin's Dad.
"Having studied you furtively, we now seek formal contact, and want to meet your greatest thinkers..."
A long list followed.
"How do we tell them?" world leaders wondered.
Topping the list were the names Calvin and Calvin's Dad.
The travel poster looked like so many others. A lush forest behind a serene beach. The text said "Be something exotic!"
"Sorry, there's a typo on your poster. I think you mean 'somewhere'?"
"No. We can make you to be, say, a bear, tiger, or hippo, for up to a week."
"A hippo? Tell me more!"
"Sorry, there's a typo on your poster. I think you mean 'somewhere'?"
"No. We can make you to be, say, a bear, tiger, or hippo, for up to a week."
"A hippo? Tell me more!"
October 9, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The travel poster looked like so many others. A lush forest behind a serene beach. The text said "Be something exotic!"
"Sorry, there's a typo on your poster. I think you mean 'somewhere'?"
"No. We can make you to be, say, a bear, tiger, or hippo, for up to a week."
"A hippo? Tell me more!"
"Sorry, there's a typo on your poster. I think you mean 'somewhere'?"
"No. We can make you to be, say, a bear, tiger, or hippo, for up to a week."
"A hippo? Tell me more!"
Suddenly, I noticed a faint smell of tuna. I looked over at my office partner, Dr. Hunt. She was grinning by the machine she'd built.
"It works!"
"Nice," I said. "What is it?"
"What you smell is the ghost of tuna!"
I felt something brush against my leg. The office filled with ghostly purring.
"It works!"
"Nice," I said. "What is it?"
"What you smell is the ghost of tuna!"
I felt something brush against my leg. The office filled with ghostly purring.
October 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Suddenly, I noticed a faint smell of tuna. I looked over at my office partner, Dr. Hunt. She was grinning by the machine she'd built.
"It works!"
"Nice," I said. "What is it?"
"What you smell is the ghost of tuna!"
I felt something brush against my leg. The office filled with ghostly purring.
"It works!"
"Nice," I said. "What is it?"
"What you smell is the ghost of tuna!"
I felt something brush against my leg. The office filled with ghostly purring.
The time traveller closed the book and stared blankly ahead.
"So," said the author, "was that what-"
"No! That wasn't at all- It's a warning!"
"Allegorical, but y-"
"It's not you I need to kill, it's the person who read this and still wanted to build the Torment Nexus!"
"Kill?"
"I must go!"
"So," said the author, "was that what-"
"No! That wasn't at all- It's a warning!"
"Allegorical, but y-"
"It's not you I need to kill, it's the person who read this and still wanted to build the Torment Nexus!"
"Kill?"
"I must go!"
October 7, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The time traveller closed the book and stared blankly ahead.
"So," said the author, "was that what-"
"No! That wasn't at all- It's a warning!"
"Allegorical, but y-"
"It's not you I need to kill, it's the person who read this and still wanted to build the Torment Nexus!"
"Kill?"
"I must go!"
"So," said the author, "was that what-"
"No! That wasn't at all- It's a warning!"
"Allegorical, but y-"
"It's not you I need to kill, it's the person who read this and still wanted to build the Torment Nexus!"
"Kill?"
"I must go!"
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Mastodon: mastodon.art/@MicroSFF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicroSFF
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October 7, 2025 at 11:11 AM
** If you want to, you can also read my stories on...
Tumblr: microsff.tumblr.com
Mastodon: mastodon.art/@MicroSFF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicroSFF
**
Tumblr: microsff.tumblr.com
Mastodon: mastodon.art/@MicroSFF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicroSFF
**
She offered to row the old wizard and the young king out on the lake. When a hand emerged from the water, holding a sword aloft, the king took the sword. And she took hold of the hand, let herself be pulled down, down.
The Lady of the Lake breathed air into her lungs with a laugh.
"You again?"
The Lady of the Lake breathed air into her lungs with a laugh.
"You again?"
October 6, 2025 at 3:14 PM
She offered to row the old wizard and the young king out on the lake. When a hand emerged from the water, holding a sword aloft, the king took the sword. And she took hold of the hand, let herself be pulled down, down.
The Lady of the Lake breathed air into her lungs with a laugh.
"You again?"
The Lady of the Lake breathed air into her lungs with a laugh.
"You again?"
On every interactive internet-connected device around the world, a question came up in the user's preferred language:
"Do you agree or disagree with the proposition that it is morally wrong to claim you can own the body of another sentient being?"
I'm really curious to see the result of that poll.
"Do you agree or disagree with the proposition that it is morally wrong to claim you can own the body of another sentient being?"
I'm really curious to see the result of that poll.
October 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
On every interactive internet-connected device around the world, a question came up in the user's preferred language:
"Do you agree or disagree with the proposition that it is morally wrong to claim you can own the body of another sentient being?"
I'm really curious to see the result of that poll.
"Do you agree or disagree with the proposition that it is morally wrong to claim you can own the body of another sentient being?"
I'm really curious to see the result of that poll.
Coronation done, the court awaited the raven bringing the prophecy of the new king's demise. Would it be an epic one, like slain by no man, or by the hand of his son?
The raven arrived and nodded to the king. "Heart failure."
"That could be anything!"
Behind him, the face of a halberdier drooped.
The raven arrived and nodded to the king. "Heart failure."
"That could be anything!"
Behind him, the face of a halberdier drooped.
October 2, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Coronation done, the court awaited the raven bringing the prophecy of the new king's demise. Would it be an epic one, like slain by no man, or by the hand of his son?
The raven arrived and nodded to the king. "Heart failure."
"That could be anything!"
Behind him, the face of a halberdier drooped.
The raven arrived and nodded to the king. "Heart failure."
"That could be anything!"
Behind him, the face of a halberdier drooped.
The subject of the fifth Galactic Union Special Ethnographic Conference on Humans was 'Self-sacrifice or selfishness in Humans - whence and why'.
The abstract of the medal-winning paper simply said:
"Internalised stories and opportunity."
#MicroFiction
The abstract of the medal-winning paper simply said:
"Internalised stories and opportunity."
#MicroFiction
October 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
The subject of the fifth Galactic Union Special Ethnographic Conference on Humans was 'Self-sacrifice or selfishness in Humans - whence and why'.
The abstract of the medal-winning paper simply said:
"Internalised stories and opportunity."
#MicroFiction
The abstract of the medal-winning paper simply said:
"Internalised stories and opportunity."
#MicroFiction