Drabble

Arms reduction negotiation

Elders of species sat back to back in the dark negotiations room, for that was the habit of the planet.

"Speak, you highland devil!", demanded jungle spider Niessuh with a drumming voice he produced with two rods banging on his sides. Only 34 million years ago they had been a fourth pair of wings.

"The poison in your teeth must be diluted, so it won't kill when breathed in. If you must kill, you must bite. Otherwise innocent bystanders will suffer", screamed the fishcock with a voice that carries 5000 fanthamsteps in the thinnest of airs, and 170 salmonurines underwater.

"We agree, if the front beak of your next generation is six fingerlengths shorter and dull on the upper side", Niessuh replied, for he knew that the mass production of the next jungle spider generation was being prepared in a secret gene laboratory. And this generation would consist of raving mad, ten-toothed martially skilled beasts who would rip off the eyes of fishcocks.

You've just read a "drabble". Drabbles are exactly one-hundred words long short stories, that can have one to fifteen words in their title. Drabbles are usually science fiction, and their ending is somehow surprising or humorous. Drabbles are best used as writing exercises, because they will teach you to tighten your sentences. You could also use some small idea in a drabble that wouldn't carry a whole novel.

The above drabble is actually 163 words long, because it's translated from Finnish. Finnish packs more meaning into words, but then the words tend to be longer. Well at least it's a drabble in Finnish, take my word for it.

Drabbles were introduced to Finland by Aikakone magazine ("time machine"). "Arms reduction negotiation" was published in its 10-year anniversary issue, and later broadcast by Finnish national radio.