Arthur C. Clarke’s 31-Word, Universe-Ending Sci-Fi Story

Blog of note Letters of Note has a bite sized treat from sci-fi legend Arthur C. Clarke: a 31-word short story called “siseneG”. As of March 1984, it was the only one he’d written in nearly 10 years. The tale, in its entirety:

And God said: DELETE lines One to Aleph. LOAD. RUN.

And the Universe ceased to exist.

Then he pondered for a few aeons, sighed, and added: ERASE.

It never had existed.

Head over to Letters of Note to see the handwritten note that accompanied the story. “I think you’ll agree,” Clarke said, “that they don’t come much shorter.” [Letters of Note, Image: Heritage Auctions]