Fantasy and Fellowship is a newsletter sharing weekly micro-fantasies, filled with deep and expansive lore, that deliver a 1,000-page “adventure high” in under 60 seconds—no novel-length commitment required. If you want to read, write, and learn more about the business of short-form fantasy fiction, this is for you.
Twelve Seconds
By J. Louis
Malachai wiped condensation off the surface of the preservation tank and peered into its depths.
The tank bathed the room in a hideous green glow that crawled up the walls like slime. Inside, his daughter’s tiny frame floated, suspended as if in midair. Bubbles mingled with her curly hair. So long, so beautiful—just like her mother’s. Everything he did, he did for her.
That’s what he told himself, at least—as if that made it right.
The snarling and rattling of chains snapped him back to reality. Atop a bloodstained dais stood a man-sized skeleton, dangling from the ceiling with bony wrists shackled overhead. It writhed like a fish, hissing and spitting, its empty eye-sockets fixed on the iron-barbed cudgel in his hands.
“Don’t worry, Skelly.” Malachai cracked his neck. “I’ll be quick.”
Malachai gripped the weapon with both hands, its weight pulling against his shoulder blades, and swung.
The skeleton shrieked as the weapon collided with its ribcage, shattering it like broken glass. Bones rolled across the cobblestone floor, disappearing beneath cabinets and bookshelves. The top half of its body went limp, its jaw agape, its empty stare fixed to the floor.
Malachai pulled out his pocket watch and leaned against the table, drumming his fingers on the cold surface, the silence broken only by a soft bubbling.
Ten, eleven, twelve…
The top half of Skelly’s body stirred, humming with a low frequency that rattled the glass of the tank. Bones scraped along the floor, skittering back to their master. The spine always reattached itself first. Then came the ribs, the broken ones stitching themselves back together and snapping into place with a sickening pop.
Twelve seconds to reassemble.
He fumbled with his stack of notes, scribbling the results on a leaf of faded, ink-smeared parchment. Cursing, Malachai crumpled up the parchment and fed it to the fireplace. Months of testing, and for what? Nothing but a grotesque marionette. And a broken puppet wouldn’t cure his daughter.
He cupped his face in his hands and screamed.
When Malachai lifted his head, he found Skelly staring at him, the shadows of its empty eye-sockets boring into him. What horrors had those eyes seen? And how many of them had been at his own hands?
He could stomach it no longer.
With a sweep of his arm, Malachai swept six months of notes off the table, scattering the writings all over the lab. He walked up to Skelly, placed an open palm on its forehead, and muttered an incantation. The skeleton shook, then collapsed into a pile of loose bones.
He swept the remains aside before daring another glance at his daughter.
Reflection questions
Let’s get the conversation going in the comments based on these questions (straight from The Microfiction Method):
How can you use the tactile senses (touch, taste, and smell) to create more vivid settings or emotional situations?
Are there any loose ends in your story that need to be wrapped up? Is it worth expanding the story to resolve them, or are you better off cutting them out?
What does a character’s actions tell you about who they are as a person?
Go ahead and use these questions to analyze this story in the comments. And be sure to keep your answers to these questions in mind as you continue with your own writing.
From the prompt vault
Next, it’s your turn!
Write a short story based on the word: bones.
My story this week uses bones in the literal sense. It features a reassembling skeleton who simply refuses to stay broken. But you can use bones in a more abstract way to describe how something is built or structured. How will you use this prompt in your storytelling?
If you use this prompt, be sure to share it in the comments and restack this post so more writers can get in on the fun.
In case you missed it…
Like this story? Check out my last one here:
For a neat world-building exercise, check out this post here:
And if you’re curious about the business of fiction writing, you can check out this latest (paid) post here:
That’s all for how. Stay tuned for more updates, stories, and more.
And above all else… keep it fantastic.
Cheers all, and happy writing.
— Josh
🚨 P.S. Did you know I wrote a book?🚨
The Microfiction Method is now available for your reading and writing pleasure! It’s full of resources to help you achieve your most productive writing year yet.
There’s so much packed into this book, including daily writing prompts, a habit tracker, reflective questions, short stories, essays… You name it, it’s probably here. If you pick it up, I’d love to hear your thoughts.