Write a story from the POV of a now-defunct piece of technology.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 10, 2025

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✍️ 80 stories

“Rewind, Rant, Repeat” by Elizabeta Zargi

Submitted to Contest #285

You could say I’ve got a front-row seat to the drama of modern life. The faint hum of the fridge keeps me company, joined by the occasional buzz of a fruit fly orbiting an overripe banana in the fruit bowl. Perched here on the kitchen counter, nestled between a stained kettle and a pile of takeaway menus, I see and hear it all—every hurried breakfast, every muttered complaint about the weather, every clatter of misplaced keys. It’s a modest existence, but not without its perks. I get to witness the rhythm of this household, th...

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“The Chronicles of the Neuralizer: A Flash in Time” by Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #285

“The Chronicles of the Neuralizer: A Flash in Time” By Edward J McCoulI remember the first time I was activated. The year was 1997, and Agent J had just joined the Men in Black. I was sleek, shiny, and ready to erase memories with a single flash. My purpose was clear: protect humanity from the knowledge of extraterrestrial life. I was the Neutralizer, a device about the size of a cigar tube, capable of erasing memories from hours to years, depending on the settings.One of my most memorable uses was during the Great Bug Incident of ‘97. Agent...

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“Lamentations of the Perfect Mixtape” by D Gorman

Submitted to Contest #285

I came into this world with two reels, 90 minutes of unspoiled magnetic tape, and the hope that one day I would be the demo tape that heralded the arrival of the next great American rock band. I had no interest in pop confections, nor did I want to be just another talentless garage band’s fleeting hopes of escaping an ordinary suburban life. I wanted to be the first chapter of a history book yet to be written. To watch the next rock legends come together in a perfect union of talent, trauma, and sheer determination and, like a pinecone openi...

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“The Echo of Songs” by David Mcarthur

Submitted to Contest #285

I used to hum with purpose. My circuits buzzed with the thrill of potential, and my plastic casing gleamed with the promise of a brighter future. Now, I sit forgotten in the corner of a dusty garage, a relic of an era that has long moved on. I am an MP3 player—sleek, compact, and revolutionary in my prime. My body is black and chrome, scratched but resilient. My screen, once vibrant, is now marred with cracks that distort the memory of the songs I once held so dearly. Yet, even in this state, I remember.I remember the first time my owner hel...

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“A Mosaic of Forgotten Frames” by Fabio Basilone

Submitted to Contest #285

First of all, allow me to introduce myself. I’m not very good with words; I’m more about images. So, I might appear to be a bit verbose or confusing. Force of habit from my line of work. I apologize in advance for that. But I also kindly ask you to read through to the end. It’s important to me. And, I believe, to you as well. We’ve shared so much over the decades! I don’t think it’s fair to leave without a little farewell. And a request, if it’s not too much to ask.First of all; oh wait, did I already say that? I did, didn’t I? My goodness, ...

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“The Last Frequency” by Maria Golino

Submitted to Contest #285

I was born for secrets.Not just to hold them, but to carry them, to keep them alive.Secret whispers between soldiers on moonless nights. Voices cracking with urgency as they coordinated rescues, called for backup, or delivered words no one wanted to hear. Fall back. They’re gone.I was a walkie-talkie. I mattered.My earliest memory is chaos, metallic clangs, the stench of gunpowder, sweat-soaked hands gripping my sides like a lifeline. I was strapped to a soldier’s chest, my antenna trembling as he shouted into me. His words sliced through th...

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“Keeper of voices” by Catalina Felix

Submitted to Contest #285

I sat in quiet gloom in the corner of a dimly lit hallway between an ancient lamp and a dust-covered bookshelf. My once-bright red casing had dulled hue, and I had long since lost my pristine shine. I was an answering machine, a faithful companion in the age of voice messages and missed calls. But now, I felt forgotten. I still remember the beautiful song of the phone singing with the chirp that announced an incoming message and the excitement of the recordings. I was the keeper of voices, silently witnessing the joys and endlessly w...

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“Dialed Out” by Niveadita Razdan

Submitted to Contest #285

You know what's weird? Being a phone that can't make calls anymore. Not that I'm complaining - at least I didn't end up in some landfill like most of my friends from the store window. God, that feels like forever ago. 1962. Kennedy was president. Beatles hadn't even made it big yet. Vietnam was just something in the newspaper nobody really talked about. Funny how memory works. Or whatever you'd call it for a phone. Can't remember what I cost or what day of the month it was, but I remember Harold whistling "Return to Sender" when he walked in...

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“Bionic Roots” by Beetle Bopjun

Submitted to Contest #285

I woke to the sound of a plastic propeller slowly starting to go fast then stop at a steady pace of speed. Power from my brain, it surges through my body. I slowly open my eyes—it makes sense that my mind comes first, then my actions—the sky was grey, the sun bright in my peripheral vision.I move my eyes slightly.Oh, that’s a ceiling, I’m in a building, and the "sun" was a light on an arm—46 watts. But of what building? It was unfamiliar. But also, who am I? I feel as if I know everything except for who I am. All these facts and statistics s...

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“VCR Blues” by Mary Kaufman

Submitted to Contest #285

My mouth is stuck open. I look like I’m screaming, but I’m not, not really. I’m anguishing inside because no one looks at me anymore. The last time anyone even glanced my way was when baby Gary forced his piggy little fist into my now-gaping mouth and crammed a grape inside my delicate jaw hinge, breaking it. Now it’s stuck open. I can feel dust and other prickly things in my throat. My drum and my rollers are sticky. No one notices or even cares. There was once a time when I was the center of attention. My shiny black body was dusted off, t...

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“D-fect” by Reilly Stuber

Submitted to Contest #285

DISCLAIMER: For clarification purposes and a smoother reading experience, the italic paragraphs below are flashbacks! The italic and shifting POV is intentional. With that in mind, enjoy reading!The storm incoming was thick. Which is an odd thing for me to be worried about: but I was. Dense clouds of swirling fog turning gray and tan loomed above, desperately reaching across a canvas of the sky to reach me before nightfall. They had gotten worse over time: I could only provide so much, and droplets the size of cannonballs and lollipops are t...

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“A Commodore 64’s Last Stand” by Daniel P. Douglas

Submitted to Contest #285

The fluorescent lights of the National Technology Museum’s acquisitions room buzzed like a chorus of judgmental crickets. I’d been sitting there for three hours and seventeen minutes. Being a computer, counting—like hours and minutes—was just something I did. Like breathing, except I didn’t breathe. And at that moment, I was trying very hard not to count the number of times this alleged “tech expert” had checked his ridiculous smartwatch. Twenty-seven! He had checked it twenty-seven times! “Next candidate,” Professor Plug-and-Play called out...

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“The TV - Reflected. ” by Gloryvee Ortiz

Submitted to Contest #285

The TV – Reflected. I sat long ago at the center of the world, in all my glory. I was a force to be reckoned with, heavy, wooden, and beautiful. My body was polished weekly, leaving me shiny and smelling of pine. My front was wiped so clean everyone in the family could see themselves in my window, and my knobs were polished to capture the afternoon sun as she crept in the window, allowing me to sparkle along the walls until someone came and touched them. The touch from one of them is what would bring me to life, and I loved to be touche...

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“I Am Mac SE/30” by Doux Ancolie

Submitted to Contest #285

Thirty-six years ago this month, I came to life in an Apple factory in Fremont, California. They call me the Macintosh SE/30, simply known as “Mac.” Our reign of power began in 1989 and lasted until 1991. Through the early years, my colony and I were Apple strong, and we numbered in the thousands. Many of us grouped together in colonies and shipped by our Creator to strange and unknown domains. We were unexperienced in this new format of presence, it was a strange and unknown area full of darkness.All was silent until I experienced an awaken...

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“Commodore” by Joe Miller

Submitted to Contest #285

As the last flicker of my screen dimmed to black, I couldn't help but reminisce about the countless hours I spent connecting with friends and families, sharing laughter and memories through pixelated images and chirping notifications. Once the centerpiece of a bustling living room, I now sit forgotten in a dusty corner, overshadowed by sleek smartphones and smart TVs that replaced me. I remember the joy of being picked up for late-night chats and the excitement of new updates that kept me relevant, but now I’m just a relic of the past. If on...

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Write a story from the POV of a now-defunct piece of technology.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“Rewind, Rant, Repeat” by Elizabeta Zargi

“The Chronicles of the Neuralizer: A Flash in Time” by Edward J. McCoul

“Lamentations of the Perfect Mixtape” by D Gorman

“The Echo of Songs” by David Mcarthur

“A Mosaic of Forgotten Frames” by Fabio Basilone

“The Last Frequency” by Maria Golino

“Keeper of voices” by Catalina Felix

“Dialed Out” by Niveadita Razdan

“Bionic Roots” by Beetle Bopjun

“VCR Blues” by Mary Kaufman

“D-fect” by Reilly Stuber

“A Commodore 64’s Last Stand” by Daniel P. Douglas

“The TV - Reflected. ” by Gloryvee Ortiz

“I Am Mac SE/30” by Doux Ancolie

“Commodore” by Joe Miller

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of a landline phone conversation.

Write a story in which someone time-travels 25 years or more into the past.

Write a story about people preparing for Y2K.

Write a story with a character or the narrator saying “I remember…”

Contest #285

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

430

Contest entries

147

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: