Here’s a short short story that I did as an experiment.

Update; As soon as I posted I thought what that fragment needed was…. but I don’t have time right now!

I know all those stories where the hero is told he will kill his father and marry his mother, so he runs away. Then he doesn’t have the necessary knowledge to avoid fulfilling the prophecy.

So when I set off to make my fortune, and met an old crone sitting on a boulder near a fork in my road, I was wary.

(Needs more description of road…)

“Which road are you taking, young man?” She sounded tired, as if she’d said this many times.

“The right fork, ma’am, to go over the mountains. I hope for work in the city of Dalecarlia. How kind of you to ask.” Short but polite, I hoped.

She turned her hands over and spread them out. A golden glow arose and died back down. She spoke. “The left road would bring you to work much more quickly. The right road will bring enchantment and uncertainty.”

Needs more commentary and a sharper distinction of the choices…

“Thank you,” I said. “But I’m not changing my path for a randomly met stranger. Would you like an apple?” I gave her one from my backpack and marched on.

Needs way more !!!! He should discuss within himself what his choices are. We should see him debating… and worrying a bit. And leaving the old woman behind.

Much later, I rounded a curve in the road, and caught up with a girl walking along. She was dressed in simple clothes and sturdy boots. She heard me approach, turned, and smiled at me. I was absolutely enchanted.

Girl alone on the road… he should probably be either wary or upset that she’s alone?

She was beautiful. She had an apple in her hand. She took a bite of it and then offered it to me.

I took it and studied it for a moment. It might be magical, though I realized I wouldn’t be able to tell. It looked familiar. I took a bite and blinked.

“Yes,” she said. “It’s your apple. And your fate. I like people who hold to their plans.”

??I like people who know their own minds? This line might change if I had done a proper buildup above. …

We walked on together.

A picture of a trail in mountains would be better …