Flower Flirt Everything online is AI now. You can’t find love in that environment. You need old school. Very old school. A 3D-printed bouquet of flowers arrives at my door, each petal perfectly recreated in polymer. I open my FlowerFlirt app and scan it. -Pink Rose: 10”, 4 leaves, 8 thorns -Peony: 9.5”, no leaves…
Category: Romance
Fauxbot Boyfriend
Fauxbot Boyfriend “This is delicious,” Heather says. My screen shows a candlelit table with two plates of lasagna, only one of which is touched. I am Antoine, an AI boyfriend from VirtualMatch. Actually, I’m Jim Lossy, a former programmer. VirtualMatch never got around to actually building AI companions, so they hired people like me to…
A Valentine’s Day Miracle
A Valentine’s Day Miracle I was hiking the glacier when I saw a woman lying below the surface of the ice, eyes closed. I chipped the ice until her bluish-white skin was exposed. Suddenly she breathed in and opened her eyes. “Thank you, sir,” she said as I helped her up. “I got lost in…
When our World Moved
When Our World Moved Could I move the glass telepathically? Pure fantasy, but so was this date a year ago. Anything to impress her. I chatted superficially, willing the glass to move. Bang! Glass and water flew everywhere. My face exploded in pain. Despite everything, my spirit glowed. I was telekinetic. Later, as I was…
The Incognito Me
The Incognito Me I am beginning to like the smell of chlorine. Before this trip, the only picture it brought to mind was scrubbing floors or the stinging smell of hospital corridors. But now it smells like leisure: of early morning swims in the pool before practice or warm afternoons sitting by the water before…
Self-Delivery
I got the idea for this story on Wednesday, but I got COVID earlier in the week, so this is the first I’ve had the strength to write it down. You could chalk this up to my fevered brain, although I write this kind of thing all the time, so I guess that’s no excuse….
Muse on Monday – May 10, 2021, Featuring “Swimming Practice”
It’s Monday again and time for Muse on Monday, the time of the week when we give you a writing prompt. The challenge is to write a short story and use the elements listed below. If you’re 18 years old or younger, you can submit your story using this link for a chance to have…
The Takeout Girl
The Takeout Girl “I think my teacher is a robot,” I told Nicole. I’ve actually never met Nicole, but she works at my favorite Chinese restaurant. I really like Chinese food so I’ve gotten to know Nicole pretty well. I can’t tell if she is Chinese or not. She doesn’t have an accent, but there…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 