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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

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

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Jul 27, 2021

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 130 stories

“Verified!” by Gayathri Ponnalagan

Submitted to Contest #82

 “Wake up! Wake up!” I heard the thunderous voice of my younger brother, Caleb. “Ugh! Let me sleep, Caleb,” I groaned and buried my head under the soft pillow. “This is super important! You’re on TV. Wake up, Aldora!” Caleb screamed. It took me a solid second to be conscious. I grabbed my blanket and threw it away as I ran towards the television in the hall. As I was running down the stairs, I lunged out, “You better be not kidding!” I grabbed the remote and increased the volume. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw my face on television...

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“A Wasted Day ” by Katarina Ivancik

Submitted to Contest #82

The almost empty refrigerator exhales cold air as it swings open and a voice hisses at him. “You don’t feed me enough” The words form eerie, yet distinct, coming from the direction of the bare, open fridge. He stumbles back looking around for the source of the voice. He sees his wife, Sarah, still sipping her coffee while carefully scorching a single egg, half scrambleds. Both of her eyes are glued on the wrinkled page of a water stained romance novel and she doesn’t look up to acknowledge the voice. Still searching for the voice, he loo...

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“Ferdon's Will” by Cody Davis

Submitted to Contest #82

It all started around the 5th of June, 2029. Nothing about this day gave any semblance of dire shenanigans on the horizon. Then again when does anything odd or in this case dangerous ever give a hint of its arrival. Truly this day was anything but stellar, the city was alive and bustling. A cacophony of vehicles and business taking place echos all around as the Sun sitting high aloft a cloudless sky. One could say it was a near perfect summer afternoon. One would also say that person was sorely mistaken. I entered my downtown apartment, ca...

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“Tech Madness ” by Olivia Spotter

Submitted to Contest #82

“Mommy give me a phone, I want a new, super phone!” I said holding up a cool photo I saw in a magazine.   “You already have 10 phones. Honey don’t you think that’s enough,” says mommy.   “NO! I need it. All my friends have it. You don’t want me to miss out, do you?” I say with puppy dog eyes. “Ah, I guess we could make an exception for this one, this will be your early birthday present,” says mommy. I can barely focus on my goal because of my mom's hideous outfit. It wants to make me barf.  “Mommy! You're the bes...

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“W.H.I.C” by Conor Thackray

Submitted to Contest #82

I know when I’m not being taken seriously. I can see it, the eyes glaze, the head nods and the mouth agrees far too much. So, when I told Dr Parsons that I thought I was allergic to my W.H.I.C, I could tell at once that she thought I was talking nonsense I suppose that was understandable. W.H.I.Cs, or Wrist Housed Information Capsules, were made of hypo allergenic, semi biotic matter and were implanted hours after birth in every child and were so small that it barely left a scar. So, for me, a 23-year-old, to be complaining now of allergies ...

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“His Turn to Disappear” by Urvi Kulkarni

Submitted to Contest #82

Year 2097 Theo woke up to the blazing rays of the moon. A lot had changed in the future. The moon had taken the sun's place as it disappeared. Water became limited to the people who could afford to buy it. Air masks were developed for people to breathe and trees were now made of plastic. Theo woke up to the sound of his mother’s robot. His mother was always working in her office and her robot had taken her place as Theo’s mother in his house. Of course, Theo didn’t like this. He never liked the present he was living in. He wondered how his...

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“The Don't Wake Up Option” by Stevie Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #82

The Night Before “I hope you find this as useful as I have. I think it’s the perfect thing to get you past your little phobia.” Scoff! The nerve! Jose couldn’t believe she’d be that presumptuous, gifting him something she knew would tighten his throat and grip his chest. Sure, they’d discussed easing him into various tech gadgets, hoping they might bridge the gap between his mental island and the rest of the technologically advanced world. He didn’t think she’d send him something without warning. To his house. Where he lived. His wooden ho...

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“Attitude” by Frank Lester

Submitted to Contest #82

How do you program attitude in a computer chip?  I live amongst an array of electronics in an apartment constructed with the future in mind. I miss the “old things” I once used, but it is what it is, and I must adapt. Progress deems what is necessary and I will acquiesce; surrender; accept. However, I do have my limits. One of the futuristic amenities, the Super Toaster, a puzzle of circuits and chips, takes the simple act of making toast out of my hands, selecting a slice of bread from a loaf stored deep within its arcane bowels an...

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“Techno-Ghost” by Fay Ali

Submitted to Contest #82

 “I told you I’m not crazy” “Still it’s better to consult a psychiatrist, just getting advice…” I hung up my phone, I couldn’t listen any longer, I couldn’t endure that a part of me was starting to accept his words, I mean just two days ago I was fine, completely fine, a little stressed but that was normal. All of a sudden, everything started going downhill, to the point of having my brother telling me to call a… Ah, I don’t even want to remember. Two days ago, This morning, my best friend’s flight was going to take off, he was going ...

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“Charles, Charlie or Chuck” by Eric E

Submitted to Contest #82

Charles Simpson was a nice guy. He was the kind of guy you wouldn't mind being stuck in an elevator with because he wouldn't make that awkward small talk. He would just ask you which floor you were going to, press the button, and smile. He was the kind of guy who didn't mind if you called him Charles, Charlie, or Chuck. The kind of guy that took life's hills and valleys in stride, and didn't seem to mind that by his 30th year of existence, he was still a single man. If you'd have asked him how he felt about that, he would have given you the ...

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“The Printer” by Andre Ferreira

Submitted to Contest #82

In a dimly lit bedroom, a middle-aged man with gold, D-frame glasses is hunched over a printer which is sitting on a stool, and his half-conscious wife is tied to a fancy blue chair.They bought that chair together as a yay-we’re-finally-cohabitating gift to themselves. She had whispered in his ear about tying him to it and doing all sort of things to him. Her lips had tasted like cherry that day, and she still wore her curls long, down to her shoulders. And now she was the one in the chair; and he was the one that was going to do all sorts o...

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“Maid service” by Anes Nia

Submitted to Contest #82

I just came back home from a tiresome day's work at the office, ending one fully packed week. Worn out and feeling like a total wreck. I showered and took a seat by the window, cuddling my cat for some sheer energy while waiting for my Esther to prepare dinner. My phone rings interrupting my meal, It’s a message from my partner Zoe notifying me to examine the files she sent me earlier about a case related to the one I’m working on. I passionately kissed Milo and hugged her one more time, gently letting her know that she encouraged me t...

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“Weird Circumstances” by Fantasy Maniac

Submitted to Contest #82

Sunshine coming through the window. Washed dishes dripping slowly. The quiet and calm atmosphere around the house; something I won't change with anything. It's just… there is this feeling. Like I'm not the only one in this house. Like someone's eyes always piercing through me, following me where ever I go. Don't know exactly when but it's been some time since I started to have this unpleasant feeling in my house. It got to the point that, just in case, I called an exorcist over. But he didn't find anything. Somehow I'm relieved there wasn't...

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“Saara's Cellphone ” by Kumbi Chitenderu

Submitted to Contest #82

She stared at her mobile phone. It lay motionless on the table in front of her. It was harmless at that moment. You’re being irrational Saara, she said out loud. You need to get a grip. Not for the first time that day she regretted having the AI system installed in her house. She was convinced that somehow, someone else was in control. But, who would take her seriously? It had all been exciting at first: how she could open her complex gate from anywhere in the city, how she could get advice on what meals were possible with the ingr...

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“Singularity” by Joshua Buege

Submitted to Contest #82

The figure trudged on. Draped in a thick woolen cloak, his hunched form carefully traced a trail of footsteps back through the knee-deep snow, pausing occasionally to adjust its load. The lone hiker trundled up the porch of a worn but well-kept arctic warming cabin, emitting a muffled sigh of relief as he placing the burdensome stack of papers and correspondence on a small pile of shipping pallets resting adjacent to his front door. This freed both heavily gloved hands to release the troublesome front entryway that he had never bothered t...

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