"Flash fiction" or "short short stories" or "microfiction" goes by a number of names and definitions.

CNN: Six of the best: CNN readers tell us their stories

Consequently there has been a proliferation of "flash fiction" on the Web, with E-zines and dedicated sites like Flash Fiction Online showcasing the talents of writers like Bruce Holland Rogers.

CNN: Six of the best: CNN readers tell us their stories

Not wanting to miss out on this online phenomenon and eager to showcase some new talent, CNN's Spirit of asked readers to come up with their own examples of the form based on a "flash fiction" classic from Ernest Hemingway.

CNN: Six of the best: CNN readers tell us their stories