A Study in Excitement I’ve got a Spanish exam tomorrow, but of course my lame family has to go to the amusement park together. My academic future means nothing, I guess. Lead on, Mom. I smuggle in a notebook to study while we wait in line. I pull it out again on the rollercoaster as…
Tag: Dale Rogerson
Tete-a-Tetris
Tete-a-Tetris This is an odd story, I’ll admit, but I like to be experimental sometimes. I was wondering what it would be like to work inside a game of Tetris. By the way, for the word count, I counted each block image as a word. 🙂
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 Key Problem
A Key Problem “Why?” A shouted. “Nah, Y is up there,” said A’s neighbor, who was always a smart-S. The writer using the typewriter was writing a fantasy story. “Abracadabra!” they heard him murmur. A groaned as he got hit on the head five times in quick succession. “Quiet,” Z grumbled from just below. “I…
Tunnel of … Something
Tunnel of … Something Hannah and Brett floated on a small boat through the dark tunnel. Pop music played softly. They passed a TV showing a baseball game. “You doing okay?” Brett asked. “Yeah.” “You think it’ll rain tomorrow?” “Maybe. Ugh, I need to think of something for supper tonight.” “Get a pizza.” “I’ll just…
Doommates
Doommates I came home to see my bike bent out of shape. And blood covering the front porch. Not again. Jorgan the Doomhammer was on the couch, watching an infomercial. It was the same old story: you meet a barbarian in another dimension, he saves your life, follows you home. “You broke my bike.” I…
In the Beginning of the Semester
In the Beginning of the Semester In the beginning of the semester, Tod created Cyberworld. Tod saw that Cyberworld was fine and could get him a B in his capstone course. Tod made a garden. In the middle he placed the Lending Library of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then Tod created Mike and…
The Sprint of Courtney Revere
The Sprint of Courtney Revere It should have been an email, but of course, the Internet was destroyed. This had been way easier for her ancestor: two choices, that was it. She pulled out her cheat sheet. Cheat sheets. One if by land, two if by sea, three if by air, four if directly from…
Audition
Audition I showed up early for the Musikour audition at the dance studio. Parkour with music, they said. The door was barred by a high metal barrier. Fair enough; I’d expect nothing less. Humming a happy tune, I scaled the fence, hoping this was being recorded. The door was locked. This was getting more intense….
You Can’t Miss It
You Can’t Miss It “Stop! That’s the one.” “He said it had a green door.” “That is green.” “You sure? Looks yellow. I think it’s just a greenish light.” “Well, he said it’s the house with the green door, said we couldn’t miss it.” “You wanna go knock?” “Go up and ask if this is…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 