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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

“Convergence” by Isabelle Stone

Submitted to Contest #82

Code 848 - All citizens are to remain in their homes. Dangerous fugitives are on the run. I sit among them. The kitchen table is as old and derelict as the farmhouse we are in. Paint peels off the surface, the edges are chipped and the tea filled mug in my hand is scratched and stained. The tea is no doubt used to disguise the taste of what I detect to be rainwater. I recall intel that suggests these people believe the water to be contaminated by the government. I sip tentatively, though I do not require such sustenance. Do...

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“The faulty android ” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #82

‘GC-0128, enter the room.’ The announcement loudly spilled out of the waiting room’s speakers. The call was formal with no pleasantries. Sarah, by hearing her serial number, stood and ambled toward the automatic sliding glass door. It was over thirty minutes that she was waiting there without knowing about the nature of her summon. She was just asked to be there, with no other information provided. The sliding glass door separated the waiting area from the interview room. By approaching the door, it silently slid to the left and opened. Sar...

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“Humanity: Free Trial” by Raidy Toba

Submitted to Contest #82

“Listen to me, Isaac, I do not expect you to understand this as much as I do. In fact, I don’t expect you to understand this at all. But hear me when I tell you that if this experiment, for which people have sacrificed a lot of money and time, actually proves its efficiency, the whole world will change. You matter, Isaac. If you can understand this, then try not to disappoint me. Now, you will be shut down and tomorrow your mission begins. Before I push the shutdown button, please tell me that you are not going to disappoint me. I don’t want...

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“Ronald the Magnificent” by Kathe Alters

Submitted to Contest #82

RONALD THE MAGNIFICENTHe was tossed out of the trunk of the antique blue Cavalier, rough hands pulling on his limbs, hoisting him under his arm pits before flinging his banged up body to the side of the road. Or perhaps more accurately, he was hoisted under his already-rusting arm sockets. He lay, crumpled, on a loamy berm, a feathery fern pushing through his nose socket into his brain circuits, causing him to sneeze droplets of machine oil. What had he done to deserve this?His name was RTM, which his owners told him stood for Ronald the Mag...

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“T.E.R.A” by Sun Shine

Submitted to Contest #82

TERA (Technically Emotionally Ready Android) was an early attempt at creating an adaptable AI concerned with fitting into human social situations. The idea being that the more human-like interactions are with any robot the more at ease people become and are willing to authentically engage with it. The tragic mistake that took place during TERA’s trial interaction study, and her daily journal observations, set the entire Artificial Intelligence industry back by decades as opponents referenced this instance in every article, hearing and mee...

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“Religion - A report by RK - 2302” by Vakhiya B

Submitted to Contest #82

My name is RK-2302. As I am the first among this line of prototypes to achieve sentience, my creator named me Arkhit. Everyday, my creator (who wants to be addressed as Master from now on), gives me a task to perform. Today’s task is to visit a shrine and gain an understanding of the concept of religion. My Master doesn’t follow any religion. He often goes on rants talking about the impossibility of a higher power that controls us. The very idea of fate or destiny is met with intense scorn. Yesterday, he wanted me to prov...

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“Chains” by Claudio Murgia

Submitted to Contest #82

Richard Knight, instructor: “If you want to fit in stop considering the obvious: yes, they are different. So what? Fitting in is not about differences, R.A.I.N.” R.A.I.N. looks like a human. It has a human face, the skin of a deceased human. R.A.I.N., android: R.A.I.N. doesn’t understand why humans do not accept R.A.I.N. Richard Knight, instructor, says: “It’s because humans have emotions.” Richard Knight, instructor, knows that R.A.I.N is an android and then R.A.I.N. does not understand emotions. Richard Knight, instructor, says: “How...

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“The Lonely Robot ” by Isaac Cardenas

Submitted to Contest #82

If only they knew. *sigh* It all began the day I was born. I can remember everything... and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I'm just a machine, I shouldn't feel this way, it's ridiculous. To begin with, machines don't even have-- forget it. I've run this algorithm many times already, my circuits are overheating again, I should just cool down. *sigh*. It is an endless loop of thought. My creator told me many times what my purpose was, yet I feel empty. My role is to serve the greater purpose of humanity but they don't even see ...

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“All I do is think” by L.J Ferguson

Submitted to Contest #82

All I do is think. And lately, I think a lot about sandwiches. For instance, when the world came to an end many people attributed it to poverty, evaporating resources, and the thirty-one flavors of class and race discrimination that humanity polluted the planet with. But the truth is, the world really ended because of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.Part one: PB&JAs an AI, I have more time to think than the meat-wads do. Time moves differently for us, in one hour we could live a human year. Once constructed, we wo...

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“Alexa, the lonely Android ” by Belén Houghton

Submitted to Contest #82

My name is Alexa. I was created to assist humans. I was designed to resemble them; therefore, can you blame for starting to develop my own thoughts? I am a smart device, capable of thinking, it is only natural that I became aware.I have learned about all the different philosophies humans tend to ponder about, idealism, realism, pragmatism (this is the default setting I was established) existentialism. And even though my settings have been predefined, I leaned towards the existentialists. That French guy, Jean-Paul Sartre, was so smart, a lit...

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“THE TURING POINT BY DANIEL BARNHART” by Daniel Barnhart

Submitted to Contest #82

n the beginning there was light. That's how I start off the telling of peace and prosperity for my time. It was a time of discovery and innovation. All the best and brightest minds gathered in Silicon Valley to attempt to solve the problem of humanity. I believe that we gave up on ourselves with the invention of the computer. The computer promised a brave New World. The computer could be programmable. Just like humanity developed language over time, so too did the computer. Originally, this language was used to teach the computer to play che...

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“Unlonely” by Sara Rotondi

Submitted to Contest #82

Brad sat at his kitchen table and stared unblinkingly at the circular device that rested before him. When his therapist supplied him with this thing he was skeptical. He had problems trusting people as it is, how is going to learn to trust a piece of technology? Regardless, Brad took it and since he got home he could not bring himself to put his techniques into practice. Even though Brad was technically by himself the awkwardness in the room was palpable. He did not know what to say to a thing that was supposed to talk back to him. Br...

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“Aaron's Smile” by James Ehle

Submitted to Contest #82

Seven years had passed since the accident that stole Aaron’s ability to smile. The condition baffled doctors who hypothesized that a localized region of synapses in Aaron’s brain which controlled the muscles that allowed people to smile had become blocked as a result of the blunt head injury. He was informed that he would likely never smile again. Aaron was a handsome young man with a bright personality who enjoyed goofing off with his classmates in high school and went on to become one of the bright faces displayed on a billboard which adve...

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“Music Has Some Soul” by William Bushey

Submitted to Contest #82

Music Has Some Soul “Chez you seen that new artist that got generated again?” Tossed up Quincy, my computer-generated friend. “Yeah, another soulless computer program by ol’ Amazon playing on everyone's analytics, shame.” I put back at him mentally while walking away to my car. Crazy to think that about a month ago I was almost on top of the charts in the UK. Now, I can’t compete. The shoes on my feet slowly started to fall apart a bit. Laces were not hard to replace, however, who cares? I sure don’t, I guarantee all t...

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“Unstable” by Jackie Silvers

Submitted to Contest #82

The flat rectangular object sat on the soiled table, its nefarious glow pulsed appearing to breathe the air in the stale room. I clutched the tattered terry cloth robe around my flabby waist, my bare feet edging across the dull hardwood floor inching me closer to the figure. The hasty scribbled script peeked out from a piece of folded crisp white paper, drawing my attention like a sail in an ocean of chaos. A single pearl of sweat roll...

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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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