The World’s Shortest Quantum Fiction Story

Fredrich Brown is credited with creating the world’s shortest science fiction story, KNOCK (1948). At only 17 words, it represents an astounding achievement.

Here is the oft-quoted story in its entirety:

“The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door ...”

I do not wish to upstage the great master, but it occurred to me it was time to produce the World’s Shortest Quantum Fiction Story. After much deliberation, I conceded that if one were to take String Theory or Orch-OR as a starting point, the story would require volumes of mathematical formulae. The story would be far too long to qualify as flash fiction, especially taking Brown’s magnificent example into account.

  A simpler approach was called for. And following Brown’s example, I set out not to objectify reality, but merely let loose the power of imagination: What would the shortest Quantum Fiction story look like, based on what everyone thinks Quantum Fiction is?

  This simplified approach bore immediate fruit. It circumvented all theoretical bases and went to the very heart of the matter: imagination, which has been the actual rocket fuel of every advance in theoretical physics, from Aristotle forward.

And so, without further ado, at an astounding five words, I present the WORLD’S SHORTEST QUANTUM FICTION STORY:

                “Something happened. Or did it?”

Thank you! Thank you all! Like Fredrich Brown, please feel free to quote my epic entry in this category in its entirety as long as proper credit is given.

Unlike Fredrich Brown, I am not expecting publication or payment. I recognize this is a different world; accolades are enough.

-          Tracy Shew, 2/26/2025