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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

“If An Android Could Whistle” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #82

The day I was born, he handed me a script. He said—Read this. So I did. The script was very good. Nice pacing. Fleshed out characters. Flesh was something I wasn’t aware of at the time, but I felt a real investment in the words in front of me. The world that I was creating within the wires of my mind. And it never occurred to me that it was made up. Fictional. Imagined. I thought I was reading about real people. When I got to the end of the script, I asked if I could meet them.&...

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“That one a.k.a. Scoopy saved my life.” by Somegenius Kid

Submitted to Contest #82

“Ooh!! That one. I want that one.” I said without thinking. “Are you sure?” My parents asked. “Yes.” That one caught my eye. Nothing else was going to be better. “Yes, that one.” I said again.************************************************************10 Years Later************************************************************ “Rrrrrrr!” I screamed. “What’s wrong,” My parents asked. Scoopy purred next to me. “I don’t want to talk about it forever and ever!!” I screamed. “Scoopy, come’re boy’.” He walked in my room. He curled up besides me. “Di...

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“The Cold Shoulder” by Redd Herring

Submitted to Contest #82

“That’s the last one,” Trevor placed the box on the countertop. “I guess I had more than I thought.” “No worries,” Leslie smiled. She pointed to his phone, “Let me set you up.” He handed it over and Leslie began downloading an app. “We can start unpacking while it downloads, then I’ll get you on the smart home network.” “Thanks,” he said, opening a box filled with clothes. “Where do you want me to put my stuff?” Leslie pointed down the hallway, “The guest bedroom has a nice closet.” He frowned. “Don’t get upset. You’re not going to be living...

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“The Offices for Human Employment” by Lee Kull

Submitted to Contest #82

At the Offices for Human Employment, Harper tapped his stylus against his office desk as he waited to filter though the next interviewee. A woman walked in, tall and blonde. Hair slightly askew. Clothing tacky designer knock-offs. Eyes slightly vacant. “Name?” Harper asked mildly, stylus hovering over the inbuilt touchscreen on his desk. “Suzie Mertzkitch,” she said, nervously fiddling with her perfect glue-on fingernails. “Susan, actually.” Harper waited a couple seconds for her to spell it for him, but when she didn’t look up he a...

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“Caretaker Trouble” by Cathy Magden

Submitted to Contest #82

It was the one item busy households with money to spend couldn’t do without during that Spring of 2071. The Enhanced Domestic Robot Assistant, commonly called EDRA or Caretaker, became the rage. So much so, the company had to double its production team to fulfill orders.The multi-function intelligent robot used analytic capabilities to detect what chores needed to be performed around the house, then it went about doing them in the most efficient and time-saving way possible.James Hawkins gave his assistant a name and treated her as he did hi...

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“A Friend...Made to Order?” by S. F. Brooke

Submitted to Contest #82

The factory was bustling with activity every single day, every single minute, every single second of the year. The workers had plain faces, brought down with long hours and minimal pay, as they pieced together the perfect orders. Years spent in neon yellow vests working away to created F.R.I.E.N.D.s for other people. The robots, droids, freaks, whatever one wanted to call them were made bit by bit per order across the globe. Thousands of F.R.I.E.N.D.S were made in a day and sent in coffin-shaped boxes to their home address awaiting a life as...

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“Race to stop the Danger” by Veda Vivek💎

Submitted to Contest #82

Sweat was rolling down my forehead. I frantically looked at the coding charts, trying to find a mistake that could ruin this whole thing. I had done this multiple times, but my paranoia always got the best of me. I had spent a whole year trying to perfect the codes that would help my app work, and today was the day that I will find out if my hard work will pay off. I downloaded the test version of the app onto my phone to test to make sure the app works. My heart was dancing inside my chest, and it wasn't the slow tempo kind. After the app f...

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“Don't Feed the Ducks” by Theresa Anna

Submitted to Contest #82

He picks up the bag they drop off for him each day. A tuna sandwich. A thermos of coffee. A yellow apple. It’s always the same. It doesn’t matter—he has no taste buds. It will all filter into a storage bank he'll just have to empty out later under the bridge when no one is looking. Two Four Seven, you have one hour to complete your assignment. He’s better at blending in since the update. Better at looking normal. Except for last week when the little girl asked him why he walked funny, or that time the park’s resident homeless man threw ...

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“One of Them.” by Nikhilesh Yuvaraj

Submitted to Contest #82

Series X of the Android bot was ditched, the creator died. Headlines of the news read: inventor of Android Bot found dead after tests go corrupt. Was it the Creation that went corrupt or the Creator? There was an eerie presence for the people near the Creator, at least that's what they called him. If it was a him, he, no. They were never seen in public, or at all. They probably don't exist, then how was a man found dead in where the Creators were thought to live. It was not an accident, but a murder. Not of the creator, but a subject, and...

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“On the Outside” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #82

What does the most advanced artificial intelligence in the world look like? Like a five-foot-four, Chinese-American, human female with pixie-cut black hair, brown eyes, and a scattering of freckles. At least, that’s what I look like on the outside. All the fears about advanced AI being an existential threat to humanity are wholly unfounded, and largely the result of anthropomorphizing the motivations of AI. This is in the nature of humans, though, to see danger where it could possibly exist. Although useful in their earlier evolution, it ha...

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“5G” by Philip Ebuluofor

Submitted to Contest #82

His education stopped at standard three as colonial masters called it then in forties; it is equivalent of primary three now. He was in his late teens when in that level. Observing his actions in late fifties, i noticed that, in all the subjects that were taught then that were not calculation related, he was practically stupid but maths related ones, he was good. He was smarter than most of his colleagues without actually knowing the science behind what he does. He was chief Jacobs Ani, of medium size both in height and weight. He recogniz...

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“TECHNOLOGY!” by WINATA YANTONO WIDARTO HS STUDENT

Submitted to Contest #82

"TECHNOLOGY!," he said. Gauhg! I immediately choke on my asparagus. Who's there? I call out into the pitch black night. If there's a thief waiting outside in the yard, Let there be something in the sight! "Blarguhruh!" gargled something in the mist. It's technology. Technology that keeps me wake at night. Technology that doesn't seem to know what's even right. Technology... Technology (3x, echoing). What is technology? Well, I'll tell ya. It's your mind. Your neighbor. Your pine... tree. Because everything is technology, I must...

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“Maybe Tractors Shouldn't be Able to Drive Themselves” by Morgan Douglas

Submitted to Contest #82

You’ve heard of self-driving cars and remote usage of drones but within the next ten years, a whole new kind of self-driving technology will be on the market. It’s the way of the future, replacing human transit and machinery with technology that can do this itself. An aid to humankind and it would turn out to be a great asset. However, people, just like with self-driving cars are apprehensive of self-driving tractors. In its prototype testing phase, the results were surprisingly great. The self-driving tractors were functional and wer...

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“KNOB” by Cole Lane

Submitted to Contest #82

The quaint brick cottage on Evergreen Lane sits in the morning sun overlooking a vibrant garden of hollyhocks and foxglove. Larry Baker kneels along the path, pulling weeds, depositing them into a bucket, careful not to get his overalls dirty. "I've let this go too long," he mutters. He stands and rubs his sore back for a moment, then collects his tools and cut flowers, carrying them up the porch stairs to the front door. Inside the cottage, floral patterns adorn the walls in faded yellow and orange, a gallery of photos hang here an...

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“Diary of a teenage robot” by Heather Knight

Submitted to Contest #82

Dear diary, My name is Andrea Kingsley, and I am 15 years old. I am just like every other teenage girl; I love movies, boys, and music. I am the head cheerleader, an A student, and I am class president for the freshmen class. However, I have a big secret that would get me and my mother killed if it was discovered. We love in the year 2199. Mankind has greatly advanced science technology, especially the Androids. Scientists have created Androids to be helpful to humans. They were made to be servants, in reality. They are the nanny's, the ch...

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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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