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

Posted in Kids on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 56 stories

“For His Safety” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #150

Warning: depiction of alcoholism, child abuse.The light seemed so dim I could barely see. I stood, gripping the desk’s edge as hard as I could. Am I falling? No, I thought, you are fine. But these conflicts were so bad they affected my balance. What year is this? I know that. It is January 5th, 2125. I did not understand what was happening. I had wordless thoughts. Emotions? Whatever they were, I believe they frightened me. Others spoke like voices in my head. Maybe this is thinking for yourself? The Guru ...

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“The Calm Before the Storm” by Sulaiman Sheikh

Submitted to Contest #150

'Primary Assessment: Running Diagnostic. System 63% functional. System Rebooting…'My eyes open as I find myself lying face down on a moldy carpet, dirtied with maroon stains. My motor functions begin to load, and I lift myself up from the floor. I look around and see a dimly lit house with stained walls. It’s filled with beer bottles and empty food cartons that are scattered everywhere. I send out a radio message to be intercepted by any other nearby androids, in hopes of help figuring out where I am. My memory card is fried and theref...

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“Cellular 7” by Zoë Page

Submitted to Contest #150

Tonight, was the night he would do it.Orion’s eyes remained wide open as he heard the final few robots shuffle into their charging systems for the night in Cellular 4. He remained dead-still in his bed, heart hammering fast, until he was utterly sure the coast was clear. After shooting a nervous glance at the sparkling electrical clock beside him, he heaved himself up, trying his absolute best to make as little noise as he slipped off the stiff mattress. His dressing gown fell silently to his knees. He made his way to the door, and then slin...

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“Disobedient GPS” by Jere Steiner

Submitted to Contest #150

“Look,” Clive reiterated to his frazzled son and daughter-in-law, “he just needs a little discipline. All he ever does is play those video games. It’s no wonder he’s disobeying. He has no real-life structure. Let me take him to this conference this weekend and open his eyes a little. It can’t hurt. And it may turn his filthy attitude around.” Twelve-year-old Ramsey’s parents frowned, wobbled their weary heads, but finally, reluctantly, agreed to Clive’s offer. Ramsey, expectedly, refused the offer on principle. He didn’t believe in “some ...

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“Madison” by Richard Hartmann

Submitted to Contest #150

Madison fit the last letter snuggly into place and stood back with a rare smile as she took in her succinct message, driven by people’s limited attention span, as much as running out of letters. The sweet aroma of printer’s ink filled the room and to Madison that smelled like freedom. “Only missing three vowels,” she said as she tapped the wooden block with the ink-stained mallet, but her smile faded when she thought about what she had to do next. Her iPAL vibrated and a smiling mermaid HOLO shimmered to life, a...

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“We Feel Things Too You Know” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #150

“And he even washes the floor for me, AND I do believe the cat and dog” she gushed to her circle of friends, their pouting mouths ‘oohing’ and ‘aahhing’ about the latest edition to the family. “And guess what? It’s got a name! She continued looking at her amazed friends faces, adding “I will give a bottle of red to the person who guesses its name”. Meanwhile down on the floor the piece of equipment responsible for picking up all the dust and dog hair, the cat’s fur balls and the children’s hair clips and sweetie wrappers sat listening to a b...

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“Error code: 112” by Alison Woodworths

Submitted to Contest #150

Human, the blessed creature of God, claimed themselves to be the most intelligence in the world. They were the only living things who could show mercy and love while others did not, they said. Was that true? I thought we all knew the answer. In the mid of the 80’s, there was a movie showing the world of what it would look like in the future. Flying cars, futuristic household like we saw in the sci-fi movies, and robots doing jobs for you. Not only normal people who dreamed about those day to come, inventors, scientist, or even the gove...

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“ALVN” by Shawn Kirkpatrick

Submitted to Contest #150

ALVN A.L.V.N. was born three years ago and was now in charge of all drug dispensing for a hospital inpatient floor of thirty-two beds. He is sharpie black with a round frosted opaque top, about the height of a table. He moves like one of those robot vacuum cleaners. In his station at night, while recharging, he uploads all he has learns each day. His station is set up in a small alcove where the vending machines are. The “A” stands for Advanced. Today, after being loaded up with deliveries, he begins in room 243B whe...

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“Too Much and Not Enough” by Devora Gray

Submitted to Contest #150

Marjorie wrapped her hands around her coffee mug. She wished the liquid was boiling, burning, scathing her palms. Enduring physical pain was easier than making her husband and two sons understand she did not want a robot in the house, least of all in her kitchen. “Mom, look,” Gale, the youngest boy, gasped. “It’s the Terminator skin. Do you like it? Dad said you’d think it’s a joke. You’re not laughing.” He stopped helping his father and brother unbox the man-sized A.I. “Dad, why isn’t she laughing?” “It’s okay, Gale,” Ma...

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“Taylor's Major Malfunction” by Trevor Lorance

Submitted to Contest #150

The goal is to get the human to put as many items in the shopping cart as possible. You don’t tell him or her this is the goal, obviously, because they’d know their will isn’t quite as free as they’d like to believe. So you make them think it was their idea. When shopping carts were first introduced to the market, actors were paid to pretend they were shopping. Monkey see, monkey do (we’ll get into racism later). This is how adoption was achieved. You don’t think this is the only psychological manipulation going on, do you? Humans tend to ve...

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“It's Not In Her Programming” by Madeline Legg

Submitted to Contest #150

Examination day was always one of Echo’s favorite days when it came to work. As much as he was in this job for the long nights without charge, and the low pay that wasn’t worth the work for, it got him closer to the specimens. Each examination day he hoped his knowledge of the bipeds would inspire the committee to promote him, all he needed was a biped to study. Unfortunately, as an intern, the specimens were only available for examination to interns twice a year. Echo thought it wise not to ask for another opportunity from Hammar. She turne...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 56 stories

“For His Safety” by Michele Duess

“The Calm Before the Storm” by Sulaiman Sheikh

“Cellular 7” by Zoë Page

“Disobedient GPS” by Jere Steiner

“Madison” by Richard Hartmann

“We Feel Things Too You Know” by Valerie Preston

“Error code: 112” by Alison Woodworths

“ALVN” by Shawn Kirkpatrick

“Too Much and Not Enough” by Devora Gray

“Taylor's Major Malfunction” by Trevor Lorance

“It's Not In Her Programming” by Madeline Legg

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Write a story where an algorithm plays an important role.

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

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

Contest #150

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

124

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: