Literary Challenge: Six-Word Short Stories

Let's keep our creative juices flowing this summer!

While the usual dose of short stories compose of lengthy paragraphs and chapters that never seem to end, the real challenge lies in achieving extremes:  the longest and the shortest.

Ernest Hemmingway was challenged to write a short story using only six words.  This is what he came up with:  "For sale: baby shoes, never used."  Now you can see how a few powerful words can create a world of stories.

The challenge is this:  think up of six words that can be weaved into one such story.  Remember, it should communicate a central thought and should be understood by the reader.  Now, that's a challenge!

Here're some more examples to keep you thinking:

• Irvine Welsh: "Eyeballed me, killed him. Slight exaggeration."
• Robert Olen Butler: "Saigon hotel. Decades later. He weeps."
• Norman Mailer: "Satan--Jehovah--fifteen rounds. A draw."
• Tobias Wolff: "She gave. He took. He forgot."
• David Lodge: "I saw. I conquered. Couldn't come."
• Augusten Burroughs: "Oh, that? It's nothing. Not contagious."

Here's my first try:  Upstairs Room.  Footsteps.  Screams.  Sixth Sense.