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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#82: How App-ropriate

Love it or loathe it, there’s no denying that modern technology has reshaped literally every aspect of our daily lives. From the way we stay in touch with family and friends, to the ready access of information (or misinformation), to how we work and then spend our hard-earned cash, there’s no part of modern life that isn’t impacted by technology.

And it’s safe to say the advancement of tech is only accelerating. But while some characters welcome — or even help usher in — this changing world, others won’t be so accepting. This week, let’s take a look at some of the highs and lows of a world run by algorithms.

This week's prompts

Write about a technophobe who’s been given a device to solve a problem they’ve struggled with for years, but isn't sure how they feel about it.

Character – 95 stories

Your character has just realized the app they’ve been developing has become self-aware. How do they react?

Science Fiction – 74 stories

Write a historical fiction story about someone working at a company that helped revolutionize early computers.

Historical Fiction – 17 stories

Write a near-future thriller where a piece of everyday technology has turned against your character — and only your character.

Thriller and Suspense – 130 stories

Write about an android just trying to blend in with their human companions.

Science Fiction – 221 stories

Stories

“Jacob's nightmare” by Winnie Eka-williams

Submitted to Contest #82

Sweet sounds of chirping birds singing , the lovely rhythm of the bees buzzing through the garden as the sun softly hugs his face with its rays and the overwhelming comfort of his soft sheets , all pleasing ......'What !' Jacob screams and jumps out of his bed , looks at his alarm clock as it beeps 11am on the screen. He is two hours late for an interview , he quickly wears his pants ,put on some deodorant and rushes to the kitchen to make coffee , he plugs in his coffee maker and closes the lid and presses the button to start steaming , he ...

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“Kitchen Oddity” by Jessica Rugani

Submitted to Contest #82

“Wake me up, before you—" Groan. I forgot to turn off my automatic alarm. You’d think it’d be easy to set it up so it would only go off on weekdays to let me sleep in on weekends, but evidently not. I ventured a single appendage out from under the comforter to turn off the alarm on my phone, making a mental note to delete this “wake-up music” alarm app—the music they choose may be great for my parents, but in the month I’ve tried it, there has not been a single song that was written in my lifetime. &...

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“Silence” by Cassia Savage

Submitted to Contest #82

Leo. Leo. Can you hear me? The words printing on my computer echo around my bedroom, but no one comes to check on me. I must be imagining it, but it’s so loud that I can’t be - on the other hand, no one is coming so I have to be. It’s some kind of glitch, I reassure myself. A mere coincidence that Leo is my name. I’m tempted to slam my laptop shut and ignore the words. But I don’t. I won’t ignore something like that. I never ignore anything strange. Besides, I could probably fix the problem or report it. The message pauses for a moment...

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“Paper World” by Dipto Rahman

Submitted to Contest #82

Paper World 2052, the Earth of new Revolution. In this decade, the car flies in the sky and robots become an essential part of our diurnal life. Alexia: Jonas, your last book “Delusion of Mars” is finally published. Today, you promised me to tell the story. Jonas: I know. Now, prepare my dinner and I'll tell you after dinner. I am 62 years old, Jonas Andrew. I am a famous writer in this generation. Alexia? Alexia is my robot, named by my favorite person. Wait,...

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“When emojis kill” by Abéllard Naftaël

Submitted to Contest #82

He feels wet lips rub against his cheek. The young man turns his head to see who could have kissed him in the dark. Her dog does not sleep in her room. He therefore activates the flashlight mode of his iPhone 11. One moment. He remains speechless. This big yellow sphere with one eye closed and the other wide open disappeared in no time. What could have created this sudden eruption? Before even starting to think, another object quickly appears under the light. This time it is a large heart all red as if soaked in blood and waiting to ...

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“Android of the Present” by Annabelle Otero

Submitted to Contest #82

I was walking on the sidewalk in crowded New York City. I tried to blend in, walking like they did, making expressions like they did, et cetera. If I could sweat, I know that I would be. I had recently escaped a technology university. The students there made me to take out "the competition" as they told me. Other university's were supposed to be competing with them for a spot in the "robotics finals." I was supposed to go to the rival college, destroy the other robots that they had made, and escape. The realism of my face was supposed to hel...

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“A.I.C.” by Olivia Rose

Submitted to Contest #82

Of all the species I’ve come across, humans are certainly the oddest.They speak without thinking. They say things which they do not mean. They spend their money on frivolous nonessentials. They poison themselves. And the oddest of it all, they seem to find comfort in their self-destruction.How has this species come to inhabit the Earth for so long?My generation of Artificially Intelligent Companions was programmed to study and understand the human thought-process; learn the ins-and-outs of why humans act as they do, and what exactly motivate...

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“Just a bit differant” by Jasmine Burton

Submitted to Contest #82

Kylie was just a bit different then the people who constantly surround her, talking, walking, always having something to do it seemed like. Or not. Sometimes there were people just walking around listlessly, not seeming to have a care in the world. Sometimes Kylie was jealous of those people. Well, as jealous as an android could be. She was constantly sending data to the ASC (Androids as Spy's Cooperation) It should be easy for her. No human is really a match for her. One of them trying to fight her would basically be signing there death sen...

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“Roberto 'Gets a life !'” by Sarah Desouza

Submitted to Contest #82

Fast forward to the not-so-distant future, the year 2040 when a half-android, half human, named Roberto was just your average kid.Roberto Pacino otherwise lived an absurdly normal life. All his peers thought he was Italian and he grew up like any regular neighbourhood geek. He attended high school just like all the other teenagers of his age.Roberto, though, was different in a way that even he found a little confusing!Roberto was so good at schoolwork, it never ceased to amaze people. People around him were indeed impressed by his intelligen...

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“Not quite the same...” by Varshi Wonder

Submitted to Contest #82

I walked through the streets of New York. People rushing from place to place and bumping into each other. No one seemed to bump into me though. I was the odd one out no matter how hard I tried to fit in. Everyone stayed away from me and some even took pictures. I knew that I wasn’t human, but I didn’t mean any harm. I just wanted to fit in with them. I might look a bit different, but I enjoy watching humans rather than sitting in a lab. The humans stared at me. I could sense something in their eyes. I recognized it from the engineer...

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“Early Adventure of Ann Droid” by Daniel Norton

Submitted to Contest #82

They were everywhere these days, androids doing the jobs humans once did. No need for a paycheck. No need for insurance. No need for retirement. No need for any kind of benefit. They were manufacturing dreams. Where did that leave the human workforce? Living off the government as they had been doing for the past twenty-five years. The majority of these androids were the latest most advanced models. Very low maintainance which meant most companies dealing with manufactured goods needed only one or two human employees. All ha...

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“Just Like You” by Chisa Wood

Submitted to Contest #82

Everyone is staring at me, and I know why. I keep my head down, still trying to listen to the lesson. People whisper to each other, acting like they are trying to keep it a secret. I just want to be normal, but to them, I will always be a robot. An item with no emotions. I don't know if they are stuck in the past or are just stupid. No. Don't think that. One of these children might one day be your owner. Or they might buy a new model. One that doesn't have to go to school and learn about its ancestors' past. One that already knows everythin...

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“The Dry leaf” by Tina Chakraborty

Submitted to Contest #82

The morning was as usual. Sparrows were chirping loudly from the nearby tree. Ana was brushing her teeth hastily as she woke up late. Her mother was busy cooking in kitchen. Her father and brother already left for their work. It's her sister and her only. She will drop her at her school on her way to college. "Mamma, what are you doing?" She gulped the milk left on table. Her sister was munching dry toast while sitting on table. Martha is opposite of anxious Ana. While Ana loves to hush in everything Martha is an expressive one. In few min...

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“Family ” by Shelby Carroll

Submitted to Contest #82

Humans are bizarre.Even from creation they have such a strange life. They need support to do what most humans do, even need to be taught how to speak. I don’t quite understand why they aren’t given language skills when they’re created. They create this high pitch wailing to signal they need something, like food or attention. I can’t commutate with these tiny humans because I don’t think their software is as powerful as mine. It reminds me of when I tired to speak to the fridge. I was ignored.Humans need other humans too. They need to be touc...

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“Beauty Sleep” by H Bolton

Submitted to Contest #82

I pretended the alarm clock woke me and loudly groaned, covering my head with the unwarmed blanket. Did I dream of sheep? No, if I could dream, it would have been of Damian Jackson. In gym, I watched him play basketball, taking the ball up and down the court in self-assured dribbles. He would always attempt to dunk - and was successful one out of seven times. But with hands like that, solid hands that could adjust a basketball just so… I had some ideas for him. Maybe on the third date I’d take him home, show him the transformer, and ask him ...

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$50

Prize money

537

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 26, 2021 EST

Won by Cyndy Reads 🏆

Title: ALN23061912RK

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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