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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#150: Machine, Learning

Computer technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, with increasingly powerful AI systems and algorithms influencing our daily lives. Many think that, soon enough, machines may become far more intelligent than humans. But what about computer consciousness?

As of today, it seems that no progress has been made in that sense, and that consciousness will stay exclusive to the human (and animal) domain. But what if, one day, robots could experience the complex sensations and emotions of humans? What would their ethics be?

Inspired by this fascinating subject, here are this week’s prompts:

This week's prompts

Write about a character who is convinced their computer is conscious.

Science Fiction – 34 stories

Write a story where an algorithm plays an important role.

Science Fiction – 27 stories

Write about a character who has access to a powerful new technology before anyone else.

Science Fiction – 25 stories

Write about a character, human or robot, who no longer wishes to obey instructions.

Kids – 56 stories

Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”

Sad – 95 stories

Stories

“Three Views of the Bridge” by Babbs Davis

Submitted to Contest #150

Three Views From the Suicide Bridge “Please, don’t do it. Don’t do it,” the gusting winds blew around his head and whipped the man’s brown, stringy hair, but the drumming of Rodney’s erratically beating heart drowned the plea roaring in his ears. His grip tightened on the low guard railing. At last! The perfect suicide bridge. Stretching further out over the side of the New River Gorge Bridge, he squinted through ghostly morning haze shrouding the steep-sided canyon—the murmuring river flowing far below enticing, the mist’s curling finger...

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“The Cruise Ship..” by Gary Bailey

Submitted to Contest #150

It was a Friday afternoon when I looked over at my old friend. I could tell by the expression on his face he was feeling sorry for himself. He had a frown on his face and was deep in thought. I had known him for a long time and could tell something was weighing on his mind. What was it? We were in a small office in downtown Syracuse N.Y. He had been a private detective for the past 10 years. “You have always liked to help people in a jam,” I said. Finally, he opened up and told me that when he first got his license to become a detective, it ...

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“Perfection- Short Story Submission ” by Lael Bell

Submitted to Contest #150

Trigger Warning: Mental health and implied self harm/suicide attempt. Not graphic. Not once in all of Her days of the concept called living, had She ever felt this way. This way, or that way? There was a right and wrong to things, so this must be wrong. It has to be or else She’s not perfect. Not once had She sank to the floor, wallowing in such grief that would rather be unspoken by communities and mothers. “My child isn't such a fool. She’s in tip-top shape, right sweetie?” Really mo...

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“Destination Unknown” by A.H Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it.” Meagan whispered the words, but as she was alone behind the wheel of her parked, twelve-year-old station wagon, no one else would hear even if she had shouted. The low car felt like it was crouching behind the hedge as she watched her husband standing on the deck of their town’s best hotel, a modern monstrosity that perched on the lake’s edge, its outside adorned with colorful wooden chairs, bulbous glass lanterns and railings made of white ropes as thick as a man’s wrist. It was a woeful mismatch for the rest of the m...

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“The Price of Progress” by Jim Wilkerson

Submitted to Contest #150

NOTE: THIS STORY CONTAINS DESCRIPTION OF A CRUDE ACT THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTASTEFUL. “It’s some kinda remote-controlled thing, Gram,” Anthony Gammaitoni explained to his grandmother at the breakfast table. “The forklifts just drive around by themselves while someone somewhere directs them. I don’t know how all it works. All’s I know is the company says it’s the only way they can stay in business, the only way to compete with the big warehouse and shipping companies around here.” Gram shoo...

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“Please, Don't Do It!” by Jelena Chiu

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please, don't do it!" Sarah jumped from her chair, almost knocking down the table and chessboard. "Ha! I beat you!" Jake stood up and rearranged the chess pieces back to the starting position. "That’s because I was going easy on you!" "Fine! Then we play one more round, no going easy." Jake sat back down. "Nope, I have to do my essay. It's due today, and you know Mom would kill me if I turned it in late." Sarah opened the door and stepped out. "That does sound like our mom. But one more won’t hurt, right?" Jake begged. "No is no! I sw...

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“Creature in a Shell” by Chelsey Blankenship

Submitted to Contest #150

“The world is your oyster! Try your luck! Buy an oyster, we’ll shuck it for a buck! Will you pick a pearl?” barked the oysterman. Could it be the world was her oyster? Hayes doubted it. But how bizarre would it be to find out on a summer Sunday in her local farmer’s market? She stepped up and felt oddly hopeful as she peered into the tub of oysters. She willed her intuition to guide her. A tiny pool of water in ...

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“The Last Straw” by Olivia Johnson

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please! Don't do it," she shouted, throwing her hands in the air "Why? Because I'm right?" Dax rebutted, still gripping the glass of water over Trina's computer. Slowly inching towards Dax with her arms stretched in front of her and palms facing out, Trina starts, "No, no, no, of course, I don't ha-" "Don't have feelings for your AI boyfriend?" Dax cuts in, "Trina, that's bullshit, and you know it. You have spent these past few months talking to the computer more than your own living and breathing husband." Dax was steaming with anger...

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“The End Of The World” by Hadley Thompson

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it. At least not on that side.” His voice shocked her against the half silence of the rooftop, splitting through the white noise of the traffic far below. She hadn't seen him sitting on the opposite edge of the roof, as still as the statutes guarding each corner. “Are you here to jump? Because if you are, I’d say this side is much better. The view is a lot nicer.” She had been standing on the concrete lip of the roof for a while now, watching the ant cars crawl. He’d come to the roof first and since she bursted t...

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“The Screaming Retreat” by Cassie Gibson

Submitted to Contest #150

Emma let herself cry for exactly 10 minutes before she hit stockpile. She knew Richard would have already offloaded everything he’d ever felt about her - except his resentment which she supposed he would be hoarding. You would think giving people more control of their emotions would stop them clinging on to the unhealthy ones. But Richard had made her realise that some people just wanted to be angry. Sure he’d be dealing with his heartbreak for about the next 50 years as he dialled it back to 1% EPR but the rage he felt at her for breaking...

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“Robot bitch” by Victoria Telford

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please, don't do it!" Laura Reedsy laughed, and rolled her eyes, both entertained and annoyed by her husband, Nathan, which was pretty standard around their house. They were getting ready to go to their midwife for her first check-up, and Nathan was trying to wear a shirt that said "I'm not pregnant, my wife's cooking just gives me gas." While Laura thought it was funny to wear around the house, she had forbid him to wear it out in public. It's bad enough being the elephant in the room, without everyone thinking you're a horrible cook, to...

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“The Tale of Kaitlyn Dormier” by K Dutta

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please, don't do it" were the last words uttered out of Kaitlyn Dormier's mouth. This is the story of how she died. We will start at the beginning, the day before she speaks those final words. Kaitlyn woke up like any other day and checked her phone. The time read 6:30am, time to get up for senior classes. Thankfully she was almost through the year and only had a few weeks left of actual courses before graduation. She got out of bed and grabbed her clothes before stumbling to the bathroom for a shower. She came down the stai...

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“The End Comes Too Soon” by Anesa Feratovic

Submitted to Contest #150

Do it.I bask in the glow radiating from the ceiling I covered in stickers of phosphorescent stars as I lie, sprawled across the bed beneath them. They represent the promise I made to myself the date of my diagnosis: that I’d always reach for the stars, and let them be my guiding light when things got bad. But things are always bad, that’s just what depression is. An altering of your brain chemistry that blatantly denies you happiness. At least that’s how I define mine. You mean nothing. You are nothing. Do it.It’s been three years since...

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“Mad Man” by Aleena Ahmed

Submitted to Contest #150

The hydrangea plants flourished a healthy bundle of pink on their stems while fluttering softly in the gentle breeze. Tuesday morning, middle of June. I sat on my porch wearing a basic white tee and dirty red Converses, hiding just the slightest bit from the fabric of my flimsy jeans. “Will!” Mom shouted from behind.“I’m on the porch! Can you bring Bobby?!” I screamed back.Mom came a minute later, and I saw a red mark around her lightly-freckled arm from carrying her heavy tote bag. The patio swing creaked as I got up hurriedly. I got h...

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“The Heir of Rinuvera” by Riley Arnett

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please, don’t do it. Don’t take him!” The young woman’s desperate pleas were ignored as she struggled to fight back. She knew from the beginning that she was no match for them. They were bigger and stronger than she. She knew, without a doubt, they were going to take what mattered most to her. And the worst par...

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$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

124

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 17, 2022 EST

Won by Sherri Moorer 🏆

Title: Free

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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