How many words do we need, really? A challenge...

I know that there are some wordsmiths out there... I have a challenge for you...

I visited the National Gallery of Victoria today to look at the photographic portraiture exhibit. There were a varied range of images taken over the last 150 years or so and they showed the development of photographic portraiture with a leaning towards roleplaying. Effectively these were set up portraits rather than candids.

I then went around a corner and found myself looking at some wonderful 16 and 17th century portraiture (when only the rich could afford it - or cared enough to commission it)... The descriptions were wordy and informative.

One of my photographic assignments is to take an image that can only mean one thing, this got me to thinking...

If a picture paints 1000 words how can it mean just one thing? No ambiguity - everyone who looks at it gets the same message? So how many words do we really need...?

The challenge: (This has been done before in a short story course somewhere)

Write a short story that includes the subjects of mystery, sex and religion. The short story must be written with as few words (in number) as possible...

I will post the best one in a few days, but I warn you... You won't beat mine for brevity!

It took much longer than a few days but the answer is here...