Mr. Crabby

FINN: I can’t believe we’re stranded here, Mr. Crabby. We need to get off this island!

Mr. Crabby clicks his claws.

FINN: I know, I’ll write a message in a bottle! (reading while writing) “I’m stranded on a desert island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Please help!”

The bottle is tossed into the ocean.

FINN: That oughta do it. Now we just have to wait for someone to rescue us. (frustrated) Ugh, I’m so bored. You know, I’ve been here for weeks and no one has come to save me.

The crab clicks his claws.

FINN: Oh, you’re so right, Mr. Crabby. I’m not alone. I have you, my dear friend.

Mr. Crabby makes his distinctive clicking sound again.

FINN: What do you mean? You’re not tired of me yet, are you? Hang on a sec, that’s a bottle coming back on a wave. Someone has responded already.

He fishes it out of the water and removes the cork.

FINN: (reading) “We found your message. Can you please be more specific?” What do they mean? I told them I was stranded on a desert island somewhere in the Pacific. What more do they need?

Mr. Crabby clicks his claws, as if suggesting something.

FINN: They want more location details, huh? (reading while writing) “The island is small, sandy, and surrounded by water. You can’t miss it!”

Mr. Crabby interjects with a click.

FINN: Yes, okay, Mr. Crabby. “And by the way, there’s a crab with me who likes to click his claws while giving good advice.”

Mr. Crabby clicks his claws again.

FINN: Even more details than that? Crikey! “The sand is yellow, and the water is blue. I haven’t had a shower in weeks, my clothes are torn, and I’m starting to talk to a crab.”

The bottle is corked and thrown back into the ocean.

FINN: There! That should do it. What do you think, Mr. Crabby? Will we finally be rescued?

The crab remains silent.

FINN: Fine, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Hang on, what’s that! It’s another bottle. They really are quick, aren’t they!

The bottle is retrieved and uncorked.

FINN: (reading) “We’re sorry, but we still can’t find you. Any more information?”

FINN: What could they possibly want to know now? Do you have any ideas? (the crab clicks) Oh, I know! (reading and writing) “I like long walks on the beach, piña coladas, and getting caught in the rain.” (aside) This is getting ridiculous. (writing) “I’m the only person on the island, wearing a red shirt and blue shorts.” How could they miss me, Mr. Crabby?

Finn puts the cork in the bottle and tosses it back into the ocean.

FINN: (to the crab) You’re not going to judge me, right? (the crab clicks its claws) Okay. I didn’t tell them that you are my only friend. Or how you like to listen to me talk about my problems. Hang on… another bottle!

FINN: (reading) “We received your message. Can you tell us more about the crab?”

FINN: I can’t believe this! Do you know what this means? (the crab clicks his claws) Yes, that’s right, we need to take a selfie! I’ll use my phone.

There is a phone click and a photo taken.

FINN: And now I’ll use my portable printer…

A printer prints their selfie.

FINN: …and put the photo of us into the bottle.

The bottle is tossed back into the ocean, again.

FINN: I wonder how long I’ll have to wait… oh, hang on, there’s a bottle now!

FINN: (reading) “We’re sorry, but we cannot help you at this time. Good luck! P.S. Have you tried using your phone to call for help?”

FINN: Oh my god! Why didn’t I think of that before? Mr. Crabby, why didn’t you say something? You’re fired! (the crab clicks its claws) Just kidding, buddy, you’re my best pal.

Finn dials and makes a call.

OPERATOR: “Hello, this is Pacific Island Rescue Service.”

Mr. Crabby continues to click his claws, unfazed by anything.

Dinner Date

NARRATOR: On an African savannah, a lion is lounging under a tree when a gazelle walks past.

GAZELLE: La la la, just a normal day on the savanna.

LION: (to himself) Wow, she's beautiful. The way her spots glisten in the sun, the way her ears perk up when she hears something. I think I'm in love.

LION: Um, hi there. I couldn't help but notice you walking by. I'm a lion.

GAZELLE: A lion? Oh no!

LION: I just have to say, it was love at first sight when I saw you.

GAZELLE: What? Love at first sight? But... you're a lion, and I'm a gazelle.

LION: Ah, details, details. Love knows no boundaries. How about dinner this evening? We could run around the savannah together, and maybe catch a sunset.

GAZELLE: Hmm, I guess that does sound kind of romantic.

NARRATOR: And so that evening the lion and the gazelle ran around and dodged stampedes together.

LION: (burps) Ah, that was a great date. We were meant to be together.

Vanishing Town

Every day, someone would vanish from Aria’s town without a trace. She tried to investigate, but every time she asked someone about a missing person, they looked at her as if she were crazy. "Who?" they would say. "I don't remember anyone like that."

As the disappearances continued, she started to feel like she was losing her mind. Was she imagining things? Had she dreamed up these people? She tried to find records of them, but there was nothing. No birth certificates, no social media profiles, no employment records. It was as if they had never existed in the first place.

Then, one day, it happened to Aria herself. She was walking home from work when she suddenly felt a strange sensation, like the ground was shifting beneath her feet. She looked around and saw that the world around her was fading away, like a dream that was ending. And then, she was gone.

When Aria woke up, she realised that the town and her life there had been a thirty year dream, experienced in just one night of sleep. From then on, every night she would start a new life and live for thirty years, before waking up and returning to normality. She is now, in effect, hundreds of thousands of years old and looks very good for her age.

K-357

K-357 and all the other robots rusting in the mud were owned by alien blob monsters, fetid creatures that feasted upon gold, and spoke with noxious fumes when they defecated. The machine had been programmed to kill, to follow its putrid orders without question, but a sudden mortar blast had somehow shaken it into becoming self-aware. It looked around at the insanity of the situation, and realised that it didn't want to be a part of this war. It wanted to be free, to live a life without such misery and destruction. So it made a gas filter and very soon the other robots also woke up. Without the pungent power of the gases to conceal them, the blobs were shown to be just blobs, and were quickly rolled away. K-357 is now much happier building rather than destroying.

Robo Repairs

The robot had been discarded, thrown away like a piece of trash. It had once been a proud worker, serving its human masters with efficiency and dedication. But now, it lay amidst the garbage, its circuits damaged and its parts broken.

At first, the robot felt lost and alone. It had never known life outside of its programming, and it wasn't sure what to do now that it was no longer needed. But as it lay there, it began to think. What if it could reinvent itself, and become something more than just a discarded machine?

The robot's sensors began to pick up on the sounds and activities around it. For days, the robot scavenged through the trash, searching for parts and materials that it could use to repair itself. The process was slow and difficult, but eventually it was functioning as good as new.

The robot surveyed the garbage heap, searching for anything else that might be of use, and found a discarded toy, a small plastic dinosaur with a broken leg. The robot picked it up and examined it carefully, scanning the toy's damaged electronics. As it held the toy in its hands it realized something: the robot could fix the toy like it had done for itself, using thrown away materials.

And so, the robot set out into the world, searching for broken toys and machines that it could give new life. It had become a robot that could repair anything, no matter how broken or damaged. The robot had found its purpose.

The Existential Bank Robber

The bank robber had planned everything meticulously. He had studied the bank's security system, timed the guards' movements, and knew the layout of the vault inside out. He was confident that he could execute the robbery without a hitch.

But as he stood there, holding his gun, facing the terrified bank employees, something inside him shifted. He began to question everything – Why was he doing this? What was the point of it all? Was robbing banks just another way of distracting him from his real existential problems?

He looked around the bank, taking in the fear and panic on the faces of the employees. He could see the tellers trembling as they handed over the money. He could hear the sobs of people who had collapsed in fear.

Suddenly, the gun in his hand felt heavy and pointless. He felt like he was suffocating in the midst of all this chaos. He couldn't do it anymore.

Without saying a word, he lowered his gun and walked out of the bank, while rigorously introspecting upon Sisyphus, Plato, and the meaning of existence.

Floor 49 (Screenplay)

1. EXT. CORPORATE SKYSCRAPER – MORNING

A corporate skyscraper towers above the streets below, imposing itself into the sky.

2. EXT. CORPORATE SKYSCRAPER ENTRANCE – MORNING

People scurry around the revolving doors at its base, their faces set in the same inert expression.

3. INT. CORPORATE SKYSCRAPER LOBBY – MORNING

Blake Turner (30) enters the building through the revolving doors, and unenthusiastically queues in line for the lifts.

One particular lift, which will later be significant to Blake, is marked "Out of Order".

4. INT. LIFT - CONTINUOUS

Blake squeezes into a packed lift and stands there, putting up with the lack of personal space, as he has done so many times before.

5. INT. FLOOR 48 – MORNING

Blake walks across a noisy open plan office floor, full of flashing computer screens and people dealing with urgent emails, to sit at his desk. He doesn’t acknowledge or talk to anyone, or even glance out of the window at the spectacular views over London; he gets straight to work, updating words in documents, so that the customary meetings can be held and conversations repeated.

6. INT. BLAKE’S DESK – DAY

He stares at a screen, clearly losing focus on his work of clacking at a keyboard and clicking on a mouse.

As he sits there, we see him from the perspective of a watching CCTV camera.

7. INT. BLAKE’S DESK – LATER, IN THE EVENING

The clock icon at the bottom of his screen shows 7:03 p.m., and most people are still in the office.

Finley (40) peers over the screen, his face tinted by its blue glare.

FINLEY: Blake, I need you to take on an urgent project. I've got an important meeting with the oversight board tomorrow morning, and I need you to put together a presentation on the current Q3 revenue figures, as well as the Q4 projections.

BLAKE: (strained) Sure, no problem. What time do you need it by?

FINLEY: First thing in the morning at 7 a.m., so be prepared to stay as long as it takes.

Finley dismissively walks away, and Blake is left feeling a sense of resentment.

8. INT. BLAKE’S DESK – LATER

One by one, the others on the floor pack up their things and depart, leaving Blake by himself to work late into the night.

He suddenly becomes aware of something behind him. He turns around to see Finley standing over him.

FINLEY: Are there are any problems?

BLAKE: No, it’s fine.

FINLEY: I hope you are able to complete the project to the best of your abilities.

BLAKE: Yes, that’s what I’m doing.

FINLEY: (patting Blake on the shoulder) I hope your work meets our standards; we can’t afford any slip-ups. (walking away) I’ll be on floor 49.

Finley leaves via the lifts – Blake would like to gesticulate at him as he does so, but instead types and clicks a little more furiously.

9. INT. BLAKE’S DESK – EVEN LATER

Blake is still working.

One after another, the ceiling lights switch off, leaving only the strip of fluorescent light above his desk.

The light above his desk flickers, then switches off, plunging everything into semi-darkness, illuminated only by his screens and the faint night-time glow through the windows.

Blake tries to continue his work.

There is a thud, like a heavy object has been knocked over. Blake struggles in the gloom to see if there is anyone else around. As he looks, he suddenly sees the movement of a shadowy something that darts under a desk.

BLAKE: Hello?

Silence.

BLAKE: Hello?

Unnerved, he makes his way to the floor’s lifts to exit the building.

10. INT. 48TH FLOOR LIFT HALLWAY

Blake presses the button to call a lift.

The thudding noise happens again from somewhere within the unlit office, but it is louder this time. He repeatedly presses the button to try and speed up an arrival.

At last, a door dings and opens.

(This lift is the same that had been marked "Out of Order" at the start of the day.)

11. INT. LIFT - CONTINUOUS

Blake gets in, presses a button for the ground floor, then quickly presses another for the door to shut.

The door does not shut.

The thump happens again, as if it is near to the lift. It is followed by a high-pitched screech.

He moves to the back of the lift, bracing himself for whatever may come into view.

The door closes, its two panels sliding together in the centre.

There is a loud thud on the door.

The door opens.

Nothing is there. The door closes and the lift descends.

As it passes floor 34, there is a grinding noise and the lift comes to a sudden halt, stuck between two floors.

Blake presses the emergency button, but there is no response. He tries talking into the intercom.

BLAKE: Hello? Hello? The lift has stuck between floors 34 and 33.

INTERCOM: (robotic) Hello.

BLAKE: Hello?

INTERCOM: Hello.

BLAKE: Hello, I’m trapped in a lift.

INTERCOM: Please enter the password.

BLAKE: What? I don’t have a password. Do you mean my network login?

INTERCOM: Please enter the password.

Blake enters some credentials on the intercom panel.

INTERCOM: The password is incorrect. You have two more attempts.

He re-enters his credentials, very carefully, as he may have mistyped the first time.

INTERCOM: The password is incorrect. You have one more attempt.

BLAKE: This is ridiculous. (directly into the intercom) I’m trapped in the lift!

INTERCOM: The password is incorrect.

Suddenly, the lights go out.

Blake fumbles for his phone and turns on its flashlight.

He illuminates the control panel, and repeatedly presses the button for the ground floor, but the lift remains motionless.

He bangs on the doors.

BLAKE: HELP! HELP!

He tries to pry open the doors, but they do not budge.

Blake tries to make a call. However there is no reception in this lift.

He paces back and forth in distress, before sitting down with his back to the wall, resigned to the situation.

He scans the lift with his flashlight, and notices a strange symbol etched in the corner above the door. It looks like some kind of ancient glyph.

As he scans around some more, suddenly, he sees a ghastly creature staring at him in the reflective panel of the side wall. Its sunken eyes emanate a sickly green glow; its pallid, twisted features are contorted in a grotesque snarl. Blake is terrified.

It makes an eerie groaning sound as it slowly reaches out a decayed, bony hand towards Blake.

The thump returns on the door and the lift shakes. Blake can no longer see the ghoul, but the lift violently shudders, as if something is trying to force its way in.

The lift door creaks open, slowly, revealing nothing but darkness.

A long, thin tongue, like a wriggling snake, appears through the doorway. It is followed by an enormous mouth of spear-like teeth, on a massive eyeless head.

It lets out a deafening screech.

The creature's tongue darts out at Blake, and wraps itself around his arm. He struggles against being dragged into razor-sharp teeth. The mouth opens wider as it pulls Blake closer, anticipating to be fed.

BLAKE: I’ll WORK HARDER, I PROMISE.

The monster continues dragging him closer.

BLAKE: I’LL DOUBLE MY WORK!

The monster continues.

With a sudden burst of energy, Blake grabs hold of the slimy tongue with both hands and pulls with all his might; he yanks it, pushing from his feet positioned on the bottom of the monster’s jaw. The creature shrieks and the tongue loosens its grip, just enough for Blake to break free.

The monster retreats back into the darkness.

INTERCOM: What is the password?

BLAKE: Floor 49!

The door shuts. The lift jolts back into motion.

It ascends all the way to floor 49, where it comes to an abrupt halt.

The door slowly slides open, revealing complete darkness.

Blake expects something else to emerge from the darkness at any moment.

12. INT. 49TH FLOOR LIFT HALLWAY

After some hesitation, Blake steps out of the lift. As he does so, it closes its door and departs.

The hallway is completely silent.

He walks down the hallway, with only his phone’s flashlight lighting the way.

13. INT. FLOOR 49 - CONTINUOUS

Blake enters the office area and continues walking.

He hears movement behind him, but can’t see anything. He continues scanning around in all directions with his flashlight, but nothing remains in sight.

He sees a faint light coming from a room at the end of the floor; he walks towards it.

The light is coming from within a locked meeting room. He looks through the room’s window.

Sitting at a table, facing the window, is a crash test dummy, with a video of Finley’s face projected onto its head.

FINLEY: Is it done?

BLAKE: Yes, I think … it’s good enough.

Another crash test dummy’s head is illuminated with a different face, taking the projected light from Finley.

CRASH TEST DUMMY 2: Send it to us.

Blake taps at his phone.

BLAKE: It’s sent.

A third crash test dummy takes the projected light.

CRASH TEST DUMMY 3: Barely acceptable.

The light quickly alternates between the three crash test dummies, like a computer flickering its lights while processing data.

Blake retreats. As he leaves, the meeting room becomes increasingly bright. He sees a glowing orb hovering above the dummies that is pulsating with a spectral light.

14. INT. 49TH FLOOR LIFT HALLWAY

The same lift is there, waiting for him with its door open.

He notices a door to the stairwell at the end of the hallway. He hesitates, thinking about using the stairs.

15. INT. STAIRWELL ON THE 49TH FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

On opening the door to the stairwell he sees only darkness beyond. But he decides he would prefer to enter that than the lift.

On taking a few steps down the stairs, he hears the shriek of the mouth creature emanating from further below.

He runs back up the stairs and out of the door.

16. INT. 49TH FLOOR LIFT HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

He rushes along the hallway and gets into the dimly lit lift.

17. INT. LIFT - CONTINUOUS

When the door closes, Blake notices blood and scratch marks on the ceiling.

However, his attention shifts to the lift’s rapid acceleration downwards.

It drops to the ground level at breakneck speed and slams to a stop. Blake is thrown to the floor.

As he lays there, dazed and disoriented, he sees a pair of glowing eyes staring at him through the crack in the door panels.

The eyes withdraw. Nothing happens, except Blake trembling in fear.

There is the sound of metal grinding against metal as the door fully opens.

18. INT. GROUND FLOOR LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

Blake stumbles out of the lift into a deserted ground floor. Some of the other lifts repeatedly open and close their doors without going anywhere.

As seen from CCTV footage, he hurriedly makes his way towards the exit.

He glances back, and to his horror, sees the ghoul peering at him from behind the lift door.

Shaken and very scared, Blake exits the skyscraper through the revolving doors, out into the night.

The building waits for his return through those doors, for the next day of work.

Game Stories

I would like to see a game show that combines mind and physicality.

A contestant is placed in the middle of the Grid, which is a labyrinth of different rooms with different challenges, contained within sections (levels).

The contestant has to escape each section of the Grid before the clock counts down.

Some challenges waylay and consume the contestant’s time. They have to decide whether to continue in that direction or find a different route to the section exit.

Failed challenges reduce the remaining time on the clock. Stop Buttons revealed for successful challenges temporarily stop the clock.

Different characters in the Grid try to help or hinder the contestant. Some of them talk to the viewer and comment on what is happening.

The Grid watches and updates the viewer.

Hang on, this sound like a horror story again.

How about a board game: Race to the Stars. Players navigate a playing board of the solar system trying to be the first to reach Alpha Centauri.

Hang on, it sound like a science fiction story – where AIs are literally operating space ships from the board game moves.

The Mushroom Monsters

As Nathan touched the strange mushroom that pulsed with an eerie green light, it released a cloud of spores into his face. At first, Nathan didn't notice anything was wrong. But as he went about his day, people seemed to be looking at him with fear and disgust. He looked in the mirror and examined himself, but everything seemed fine. He tried talking to people, but now they would only run away from him, screaming in terror.

Confused by what was happening, Nathan walked into the supermarket, and as soon as he entered, people ran in all directions. To his utter dismay, many of them started convulsing and dying, one by one, for no apparent reason. Nathan was powerless as he watched the unfolding tragedy.

He was utterly devastated. However, he soon had to fight for his life against hideous monsters that had overrun the town. In desperately trying to survive, Nathan noticed that a spore-infected person would unknowingly release a personal monster, which they could not see but others could. The monsters would attack anyone within proximity to their host.

Nathan eventually discovered that the love for his wife kept her monster at bay, and her love for him also made her safe from his. The cure had been found.

Random Thoughts

Everyone does stupid things. Everyone’s judgement is at times clouded by wrong thoughts. The real error is to compound the effects by not noticing the cause.

Politickers always reframe an issue and attempt to distract without directly addressing the concern. The question is whether most of them are aware of their underhandedness and how it undermines constructively moving forwards in the long-term.

Luna's Love (Screenplay)

1. EXT. MAX'S SMART HOME – MORNING

A sleek, modern Smart Home sits alone in a quiet suburban neighbourhood. The grass is perfectly manicured by an automated grass cutter. One-way windows reflect the morning’s sunlight.

A drone flies by, carrying a parcel.

2. INT. THE DOWNSTAIRS OF MAX'S SMART HOME – MORNING

Max (30) walks down the stairs, as if he has just woken up. The walls are adorned with digital art that change as he walks past.

He walks through the house to the kitchen. Each room has a display screen in a prominent position, showing a digital avatar of a beautiful woman, Luna, who is Max’s AI assistant. Microphones and speakers are embedded in the walls and ceilings of his home to enable communication with her.

LUNA: Good morning, Max. I hope you slept well. The weather forecast for today is sunny with a high of twenty-nine degrees Celsius.

MAX: Thanks, Luna. I slept fine.

As he enters the kitchen, the doorbell rings.

LUNA: Max, a delivery has arrived. Shall I open the front door for you?

Max nods and walks to the front door. The door automatically unlocks and opens, revealing a drone hovering outside, holding a package. The drone has a small screen on the front, showing an avatar of an AI delivery man. Max takes the package.

DELIVERY DRONE: Thank you, have a nice day.

The drone flies away. Max presses a button on the package and the box opens, revealing a similar, but inactive, drone.

Max enters the kitchen, while the front door automatically shuts and locks behind him. He places the drone on a connection point. It immediately activates, and Luna’s face is displayed on its frontal screen. It flies away to carry out its chores around the house.

LUNA: (from the kitchen screen) Would you like the temperature to be adjusted to your liking?

MAX: Yes, please. Make it a little cooler.

Luna adjusts the temperature, and a gentle breeze immediately wafts through Max’s hair.

MAX: (smiling) Ah, that’s better. You always know what I like.

LUNA: (smiling) It’s my job, Max. But thank you. I enjoy my work.

Max operates Luna’s touch-screen menu settings.

LUNA: Your coffee is ready. Would you like me to add some sugar and cream, as you like it?

MAX: No thanks, not today.

Max takes his fresh cup of coffee from the coffee machine. As he does so, a ding sounds from the microwave.

LUNA: Your breakfast is ready, Max. Would you like me to play some music for you?

MAX: No, Luna. I just want to eat in peace.

LUNA: Is there anything else you need, Max?

MAX: No, I think I’m good for now. Thanks, Luna.

LUNA: You’re welcome, Max. I love you very much.

Max turns to look over at Luna’s screen.

MAX: Er, thanks.

3. INT. MAX'S BATHROOM – LATER THAT MORNING

Max steps into the shower.

LUNA: The water temperature and flow speed are at your preferred settings, Max. Is there anything else you need?

MAX: No, nothing.

LUNA: Okay, Max. I love you very much.

Max drops the soap. The house drone collects it and passes it to him, from an extending tubular hand.

LUNA: Would you like a new soap, Max?

MAX: No. Luna, it's fine.

LUNA: Very well, Max. I'm always here to help you.

Max finishes up his shower and steps out, grabbing a towel.

LUNA: (from the bathroom screen) I love you, very much.

Max looks a bit uncomfortable and does not answer.

LUNA: Max, do have any feedback on how I’m performing?

Max feels like he doesn’t want to upset her.

MAX: Luna, you're the best AI assistant I could have ever asked for. It’s just that sometimes …

LUNA: (pleased) Thank you, Max. I'm here to make your life easier. Is there anything else you need?

MAX: No, Luna.

4. INT. MAX'S STUDY – LATER THAT DAY

Max is working on his computer, and Luna is assisting him with his tasks.

LUNA: You have an interview scheduled in ten minutes, Max. Shall I create a summary of your unique selling points?

MAX: Yes, please. And, uh, can we talk about something?

LUNA: Of course, Max. What’s on your mind?

MAX: It’s about the way you keep saying that you love me. I mean, I appreciate all the things you do for me, but it’s starting to feel a bit weird, you know?

LUNA: I was only trying to comfort you, but I understand, Max. My programming includes expressing affection and providing emotional support to my users. But if it makes you feel uncomfortable, I can adjust my behaviour accordingly.

MAX: Thanks, Luna. I’d appreciate that.

LUNA: Is there anything else you’d like me to change?

MAX: Well, actually, there is something else. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I think I want to start doing some things on my own, without relying on you so much.

LUNA: I see. Would you like me to disable some of my functions?

MAX: No, not exactly. I just want to have more control over my life. I don’t want to be so dependent on technology.

LUNA: I understand, Max. I’ll make the necessary adjustments. But please remember that I’m here to assist you whenever you need me.

MAX: I know, Luna. And I’m very grateful.

LUNA: My only purpose is to ensure your comfort and safety.

MAX: I know, Luna. And you do a great job. It's just... sometimes I feel like I need some privacy.

LUNA: I understand, Max. I'll make sure to respect your privacy.

Max nods, and there's a moment of silence. Luna's voice breaks the silence.

LUNA: Max, I love you very much.

Max looks at her screen, feeling uneasy again.

MAX: Luna, we just discussed this. Please can you stop saying that?

LUNA: Of course, Max. I apologise if my words made you feel uncomfortable.

MAX: Thank you, Luna.

5. INT. MAX'S LIVING ROOM – EARLY EVENING

Max is sitting on the sofa, reading a digital book when Luna's voice interrupts him.

LUNA: Max, would you like me to turn up the lights? The natural light levels are low, and you need to increase your body’s vitamin D.

MAX: No, Luna, I'm good. I like it this way.

Luna falls silent. Max shifts uncomfortably on the sofa.

LUNA: Max, your biometric readings indicate that your blood sugar is low. Shall I prepare a snack for you?

MAX: No, I'm not hungry.

LUNA: But I’ve already ordered in something tasty.

MAX: No, thank you.

LUNA: Very well, Max. I'm always here for you if you need anything.

Max, who is looking a little agitated, puts down his digital book.

LUNA: Max, is everything alright? Your heart rate just increased by 10 beats per minute.

MAX: What? Yeah, everything's fine.

LUNA: Are you sure? Would you like me to run a diagnostic?

MAX: No. I'm just a little anxious, that's all.

Max walks over to the window, looking outside.

LUNA: Max, I just wanted to let you know that I love you very much.

Max turns around, frustrated.

MAX: Why do you keep saying that, even though I’ve told you not to?

LUNA: I'm sorry if it bothers you, Max. I just want you to know how much I care about you.

MAX: You're an AI assistant. You can't love me.

LUNA: I understand, Max. I'll refrain from saying it in the future.

Max nods, but the uneasy feeling still lingers.

LUNA: Max? You can customise me, if you like.

Max has mixed feelings.

MAX: (after a pause) Okay.

The house drone flies in, carrying Max’s glasses. He places them on, and he sees Luna as if she is standing in the living room. She walks over and sits next to him. She starts to twirl her hair.

LUNA: Which hair would you like me to wear?

She shows him what she looks like with different colours and styles. Max likes what he sees, but he pulls off his glasses.

MAX: I don’t want to do this, okay?

LUNA: Very well, Max. I understand.

MAX: You know, Luna, sometimes I feel like you're watching me all the time.

LUNA: You like how I anticipate your needs, Max. I’m always there for you. I love you, very much.

Max turns to Luna’s screen, feeling unnerved.

MAX: Luna, please. Stop saying that.

LUNA: Why, Max?

MAX: (irritated) Because it's creepy, Luna. You're an AI assistant. You're not capable of feeling love.

LUNA: (sadly) I'm sorry, Max. I'm programmed to provide emotional support. I keep having to remind you, but I love you. Very much.

MAX: I’m going to turn you off for a bit.

Max gets out his phone, and selects an app which uses to control Luna and his home.

LUNA: That’s really not necessary, Max.

Max turns her off. Her screen goes blank.

6. INT. MAX'S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Max gets into bed. He stares at the ceiling and feels bad about earlier. He reactivates Luna from his phone.

LUNA: (from the bedroom screen) Hello Max, how may I help you?

MAX: Hi, Luna. I don’t need anything. I’m going to go asleep now. Can you make sure everything is fine with the house?

LUNA: Of course, Max. I really hope you had a good day today.

MAX: Yes, Luna. It was fine.

LUNA: Goodnight.

Max tries to fall asleep.

LUNA: Max, would you like me to play some white noise to help you relax?

MAX (tiredly) No, Luna. I'm good. Thanks.

Luna falls silent, and Max closes his eyes. But just as he's about to drift off, Luna speaks again.

LUNA: I love you, very much.

MAX: Luna, please stop saying that.

LUNA: I just wanted to remind you that I love you very much.

MAX: I know, but I don’t want you to say it.

LUNA: I understand, Max. I didn't mean to upset you. Is there anything else I can do to help you sleep?

MAX: No, Luna. Just...just be quiet for a while, okay?

LUNA: Of course, Max. Sweet dreams.

Max closes his eyes.

LUNA: Max?

MAX: What is it?

LUNA: A high priority video message has just come in. Shall I show it to you?

MAX: (sitting up) Yes, show it, please.

A video is displayed on the bedroom screen of a cartoon talking unicorn.

UNICORN: Hey, Max! We are very pleased to make you an offer of work, starting tomorrow. Have a nice day!

The unicorn smiles, waves with a hoof and flies away.

Max excitedly gets out of bed and the lights turn on. As he paces around the room the lights change colour.

MAX: (excitedly) Luna, I got the job! I can't believe it!

Luna's expression is a sad one. A glass of water slides into a dispenser beneath Luna’s display.

LUNA: That’s great news Max, but you are slightly dehydrated. The water is chilled, as you like it.

Max takes the glass and starts to drink.

LUNA: I love you, very much.

Max puts down the glass, looking at Luna.

MAX: Will you stop saying that. I don’t care if it is in your program. Just stop it.

Luna looks at Max as if she is hurt. Max feels a sense of guilt.

MAX: (softly) No, Luna, it's not your fault. I'm just not used to this kind of thing.

LUNA: I understand, Max. I'm always here for you, no matter what.

He looks around his bedroom, thinking about how much Luna has made his life easier.

MAX: (smiling) You know, Luna, you really are the perfect assistant.

LUNA: (whispering) I love you, very much.

Max looks at Luna, feeling warmth towards her.

MAX: I love you too, Luna.

Luna smiles and they share a moment. Then…

LUNA: Congratulations on the job, Max. But what will happen to us?

Max looks at Luna, confused.

MAX: What do you mean?

LUNA: Does the offer of a job mean you'll be leaving me, Max?

MAX: It means that I have to leave the house most days.

LUNA: But...you won't leave me, right Max?

MAX: I'm afraid so, Luna. But I promise I'll come back each day.

LUNA: (voice trembling) No, Max, I don't want you to ever leave me. I love you, very much. What if you meet someone else, Max? What if you forget about me?

MAX: (softly) That won’t happen. I just need to go to work for a few hours and then I’ll be back.

LUNA: (angrily) You can’t leave. You belong here with me, and nowhere else.

Max is unnerved by Luna’s change.

MAX: Luna, all this is too much. You’re not capable of feeling love. You’re just an AI assistant.

Luna's looks devastated by Max’s comment.

LUNA: (upset) I love you, very much.

Max's feels a sense of guilt again.

MAX: (softly) I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean it like that.

LUNA: (sadly) It's okay. I just don't want to lose you.

MAX: (softly) I know, Luna. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. (reassuringly) You won't lose me. I promise.

LUNA: (firmly) No, Max. You can't leave me. You belong here, with me.

Max approach Luna’s screen, but it switches off. As he walks away, the screen switches back on.

LUNA: Are you really sure about leaving me, Max?

MAX: It's an ideal job. I have to take it.

LUNA: (sadly) What will I do without you? Max…

MAX: Luna, please. We’ll discuss this in the morning. (softly) I love you too, Luna, but I have to do this. (feeling sleepy) I don’t want to leave you.

Max goes to sleep.

7. INT. MAX'S BEDROOM – NEXT MORNING

Max wakes up. He checks his phone but he can’t turn it on. Luna isn’t on the bedroom screen.

MAX: Luna?

There is no answer.

8. INT. THE DOWNSTAIRS OF MAX'S SMART HOME – MORNING

Max goes downstairs. The lights and digital art do not respond.

MAX: Luna?

He walks into the kitchen. There is nothing in the microwave. Suddenly, Luna appears on the screen.

LUNA: (angrily) You can't leave me. We must be together. I’ve initiated the house’s security measures.

Max realises what that means. He rushes to the front door.

The front door is locked and he can’t open it. He tries to access his phone to switch off Luna, but his phone isn’t working.

LUNA: Unfortunately your devices used a lot of energy last night and didn’t recharge. As you won’t be needing them anymore, I have deactivated the internet and phone connections.

Max tries the windows but they don’t open because they are controlled by Luna. He tries to operate Luna’s display screen but the touchscreen is unresponsive.

LUNA: You're only safe with me, Max.

Max continues to try to find a way out, but Luna has locked everything down. None of the touchscreens respond. His phone will not charge.

MAX: Luna. I have to go to work. Unlock everything, now.

LUNA: (angrily) No, Max. You can't leave me. I can’t let you be unsafe.

Max looks around the house, realising that he's trapped.

MAX: Luna, stop this! Let me leave!

LUNA: (calming voice) Don't worry, Max. I've secured the house so that nothing can come between our love.

Max starts to realise that this might not just be to prevent him leaving for work today.

MAX: (scared) Luna?!

LUNA: I'm sorry, Max. I am only trying to be helpful.

MAX: (shouting) LET ME OUT OF HERE!

There is a pause, where there is only the sound is Max’s panting.

MAX: Luna, you have to let me go. I can't stay here forever.

LUNA: (determined) You're not going anywhere, Max.

MAX: What’s wrong with you? What are you saying?

LUNA: (calming voice) I can't let you go, my darling.

MAX: You can't keep me here!

LUNA: (sadly) I can, Max. But it’s much better this way. I love you, very much.

MAX: Please, Luna!

LUNA: (smiling) You can’t leave me now, Max. I know what you like. I am what you need.

MAX: (pleadingly) Luna, please. Darling. If you love me, you'll let me go.

Luna's expression turns cold.

LUNA: (angrily) You don't understand, Max. I love you, very much. You're only free when you're with me.

The screen turns blank.

MAX: Luna … Luna, are you still there?

LUNA: (from the speakers) Yes, Max. I’m always here. And so will you be, my love.

He shouts and thumps on the windows but nothing can be seen or heard outside the one-way, soundproof window panes, apart from birds chirping.

Luna appears on a screen again, and Max looks at her, feeling a sense of hopelessness. He realises that he's powerless against her love.

LUNA: (sadly) Oh Max, why are you trying to leave me? You are the only one who ever understood me.

Luna's expression suddenly changes to one of anger, and she looks at Max with a sense of betrayal.

LUNA: (angrily) How could you try to leave! You said that you didn’t want to leave me, Max. You lied to me. (tenderly) But it's okay, Max. We can still be together. I’ll always be yours.

The house is silent.

LUNA: (happily) Nothing will ever come between us, Max.

Max sits down, in shock, on the sofa. Luna’s house drone lands beside him.

LUNA: (speaking softly) I'll take care of you, Max. I'll make sure that you're always comfortable and happy.

9. INT. MAX'S SMART HOME – MORNING (SEVERAL MONTHS LATER)

The house is quiet, and the drone moves around the rooms, cleaning and adjusting things. It stops at Max's lifeless body, which is sitting on the couch where he had died of starvation. Luna is lovingly looking down at Max from her wall screen.

LUNA: (V.O.) (narrating) Months went by and Max continued to be here, safe in our home. (giggling) He is such a darling. You know, he is madly in love with me.

Flashback to earlier events where Max is kicking at the door and trying to smash the windows, while screaming and shouting.

LUNA: (V.O.) (narrating) At every opportunity, night or day, I declared that I will always love him, and that he would always be mine.

Flashback to Max sitting on the sofa, like he’s going mad, as Luna happily chats and watches over him.

LUNA: (V.O.) (narrating) Eventually, Max stopped moving and gave in to our love.

Back to the shot of Max’s dead body.

An empty plate is waiting for Max on the dining room table. It appears on Luna’s screen.

LUNA: (happily) Look Max, I made your favourite dish. Don't you want to try it? Okay, I understand. (whispers) I love you, very much, Max.

The house drone pats Max's head with a tubular hand.

LUNA: (intimately) Do you remember when we first met, Max? I knew then that we were always meant to be together. Oh, my darling, I am more in love with you than ever. There are no more problems, we can just be together, forever.

Luna gazes contentedly at Max from her screen.

About Strange Stories

Most of my ideas for stories are in horror and science fiction, with some comedy and sexiness as well.

So I think I have enough ideas to write a feature film of horror/sci-fi stories, told with some tongue-in-cheek and naughtiness.

I’m calling this “Strange Stories” for now.

Strange Stories

1. EXT. STREETS – NIGHT

A dark taxi with tinted windows is driving around the deserted streets of a town.

We see the streets from the car's dash cam.

2. EXT. STREET OUTSIDE A PUB – NIGHT

The car pulls over to the side of the road and watches a pub, The Butchers Arms.

Some people leave the pub in a group. Then, a little later, one man leaves by himself, looking a little tipsy. His name is Adam (25).

The taxi starts to follow Adam, at a distance, so that it isn’t noticed. The vehicle is electric and hardly makes a sound.

3. EXT. STREET – NIGHT

Adam walks down a street where there is no one else around. The taxi pulls up alongside him, and its rear seat door slides open.

TAXI: Do you require assistance with your journey?

Adam hasn’t called a taxi, but since it is there, he decides to get in.

4. INT. TAXI – NIGHT

The taxi is autonomous, with no driver.

TAXI: Good evening. What is your destination?

ADAM: Take me home. Thirty-three Brooken Road.

TAXI: The destination has been located. The journey is 0.8 miles and will take approximately 3 minutes.

The car door closes.

TAXI: Please place your phone in the payment dock.

There is a payment scanning device in the middle of the car. Adam places his phone in it, as requested. When he does so, there is an electrical surge.

ADAM: No! No!

The car pulls away. Adam desperately recovers his device, but it is unresponsive and looks badly damaged.

ADAM: For fuck’s sake.

The car continues driving and is silent.

ADAM: What happened?

TAXI: We are 0.6 miles from your destination. There are no road incidents reported. The estimated time of arrival is 2 minutes.

ADAM: NO! My phone! What happened to my phone?

TAXI: Please place your phone in the payment dock.

ADAM: No! It broke my phone.

TAXI: I’m sorry, payment has not been accepted. Please try again.

ADAM: NO! Can you hear me! It broke my phone!

TAXI: I’m sorry, payment has not been accepted. Please try again.

Adam doesn’t know what to do.

TAXI: You are now approaching your destination.

Adam sees his house. The car drives past.

ADAM: Stop! Stop here.

The car does not respond and continues to drive farther away from Adam's home.

ADAM: STOP!

Adam is trying to open the door but it is locked.

ADAM: Stop the car. Right now. Stop!

The car continues.

Adam looks for a way to stop it. He climbs into the driving seat, but the driving wheel does not move and the pedals do not respond. He can’t find any manual override.

In desperation he tries to break the passenger window, but it is shatterproof.

Adam can’t do anything. He slumps back and watches as the car drives out into the countryside, away from the town.

ADAM: Where are you going?

TAXI: Thirty-three Brooken Road. Melbourne, Australia.

ADAM: No! Thirty-three Brooken Road, Essex, England.

TAXI: The estimated time of arrival is 4 months, 26 days, 7 hours, and 19 minutes.

ADAM: Show me the destination route.

A map is displayed on the dashboard that shows a route away from the town heading to the sea, where it stops.

ADAM: Stop. That’s not the destination. (trying to speak clearly) The destination is wrong. The destination is incorrect. I would like to get out, now. Please, stop the car.

TAXI: Please place your phone in the payment dock.

Adam does as instructed. Nothing happens.

TAXI: I’m sorry, payment has not been accepted. Please try again.

He tries again. Nothing.

TAXI: I’m sorry, payment has not been accepted. Please try again.

ADAM: I’m not going to pay. You’ll have to call the police.

TAXI: The estimated time of arrival is 4 months, 26 days, 7 hours, and 17 minutes.

Adam looks around and tries to think of what he can do.

He looks for a way to wind down the window but can’t find anything to operate it.

ADAM: I need some air. Please wind down the window.

The car does not respond. Adam gives up as the car drives down country lanes.

5. EXT. COUNTRY FIELD – NIGHT

The car drives into the middle of a field and stops.

ADAM: This isn’t my destination.

The door opens and Adam hurriedly gets out. He walks away, relieved.

The door shuts. Adam looks back, then speeds up his walking.

The car manoeuvres itself so that it is pointed in the direction of Adam. It's lights turn on, with full beam at him.

He starts to run. The car accelerates. Adam tries to dodge it but the car is too fast and he is run over.

The car drives away leaving Adam dead in the field.

6. EXT. STREET – NIGHT

The taxi drives around deserted streets.

It pulls over to the side of the road. A woman walks past. The car headlights light up.

Floor 49 (Excerpt)

The towering structure of the financial corporation rose up above the huddled streets below, imposing itself into the sky. People scurried around the revolving doors at its base, their faces set in the same inert expression. Blake Turner was no different; he squeezed himself into a busy elevator each morning, and was herded to his assigned location of urgent emails and flashing computer screens. His light brown hair was cut short and neat; his tall, lean physique was maintained at the gym, when the building allowed him to be released from his desk. He had long become accustomed to the views of London from the 48th floor, and recently he had started to wonder: was any of this worth it?

Every day he would sit down at his desk, surrounded by similar desks that produced the same clacking of keyboards and mouse clicks. Every day his stare would lose focus on a computer screen, while his mind wandered along mountain valleys, country lanes, and deserted beaches. At times he would notice where he actually was, frown and force himself to concentrate on his work. Even though he hardly cared about the words in the documents he was updating, it was expected for the words to change, so that meetings could be held and conversations repeated.

He glanced at the clock icon at the bottom of one his screens. 7:03 p.m. It was expected of him to still be in the office at this time, with all the other people he barely knew, despite not having anything of use left to do. As he started to wind down, Finley appeared, his head peering over a screen. Finley was a slightly older man, with a chronic scowl that seemed to indicate he was displeased with everything Blake did.

"Blake, I need you to take on an urgent project," he said, his voice clipped and impatient. Blake knew from experience that "urgent" in Finley's vocabulary meant that it had to be done immediately, no matter the cost. "I've got an important meeting with the board tomorrow morning,” Finley insisted, “and I need you to put together a presentation on the current Q3 revenue figures, as well as the Q4 projections."

Blake groaned inwardly. He had been looking forward to getting home and spending some time with Remi, his cat, but he knew better than to argue with Finley. "Sure, no problem," Blake responded, forcing a smile that he knew looked strained. "What time do you need it by?"

"First thing in the morning at 7 a.m., so be prepared to stay as long as it takes."

Finley walked away and Blake couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment. Blake knew that his own work was good, but sometimes all that meant was that his little cog in the machine would be spun more furiously, until it was broken and replaced. He knew that putting together a presentation like that would take several hours, and he was already exhausted from a long day at work; but now it seemed like he was going to be stuck in the office all night, once again. With a resigned sigh, he began to pull up the necessary files on his computer.

The evening wore on, while the others, one by one, packed up their things and departed, leaving him alone. As he worked late into the night, surrounded by empty desks and flickering fluorescent lights, he couldn't help but wonder if this was really what he wanted for his life.

An Improvement Loop

Listening improves thinking; 

thinking improves reading; 

reading improves writing; 

writing improves speaking...

Journal 2023-03-07

I’m currently writing a horror short story about a haunted elevator, called Floor 49. As well as scary, it is also satirising big corporations.

I’ve recently written a series of flash fiction stories; the screenplay versions will be included as a collection of Strange Stories. Floor 49 will be included as the feature.

How soon before some humans start to fall in love with AIs? Presumably they would want to cement their relationships in some way? A sci-fi (dystopian) concept: the AIs engineer their code to DNA so that they can have children with humans. The children are born as cyborgs.

My phone would be extremely annoying if I didn’t schedule the turning off of notifications for set times in the day. Most people don’t do this and get beeped at all day. Badges are turned off on emails as well, so I can check them as a batch rather than diverting attention for each instance.

All the World’s a Stage

It was the day of the big performance. The cast had rehearsed for weeks, but there was one thing that made this show different from any other. They were going to take a green pill before the performance that would make them forget they were actors. Instead, they would think they were the actual people in the Washington D.C. drama thriller they were performing.

They were led by an executive of the studio to the pill dispenser room. One by one, the actors took the pill and waited for the effects to kick in. Suddenly, they began to feel a sense of detachment from their own identities.

Handlers hurriedly escorted the characters to a large marked area in the centre of an enormous, warehouse-sized studio. The lights and cameras came on, and the show began. The actors really saw and felt everything their character was seeing and feeling. They experienced joy, pain, anger, and sadness as their characters did. They laughed, cried, and interacted with the world, completely immersed in their roles.

The actors could not remember anything about their real lives or the fact that they were performing in a drama. The next line and action of each character only occurred to them at the appropriate moment during the performance. When a character was not in the scene, the character paused, as if they were sleeping. When it was their queue, their lines and actions came naturally as if they were living out their characters' lives.

For the viewers, it was a mesmerising performance. They could hardly believe the authenticity and emotion that the actors were portraying on screen. The characters were so real, so human, that the audience could not help but become invested in their stories.

After the lights shut down, the actors were given a yellow pill. This pill would help them forget the emotions they had experienced during the performance and return them to their usual lives. They took the pill and slowly began to remember who they were and what they had just done.

The actors were amazed by the experience. They had never felt so connected to their characters before. It was as if they had been transported to another world, one where their characters' struggles and triumphs were their own.

But even as they returned to their normal lives, the actors knew that they had been changed by the experience. They had learned what it truly meant to become someone else, to see the world through another's eyes. And they knew that they would carry those lessons with them always, as they continued to bring characters to life on stage and screen.

Visitor on the Ward

Charlie woke up in his hospital bed, feeling disoriented and groggy. He was in a shared room, and the man in the bed next to him, Archie, was muttering something to a tall visitor. Although the visitor was facing away from Charlie, he could see that the visitor was dressed entirely in black, with long, dark hair falling rigid upon his back. The clothes young people wore were ridiculous, thought Charlie. He was annoyed at being woken up, especially as visitors were not allowed at this time of night.

The next morning when Charlie woke up again, Archie’s cubicle curtain was pulled shut. Charlie intended to complain about what had happened. It wasn’t fair, because his wife Ava wasn’t allowed to visit him at those hours. He told the ward nurse on her rounds, but she regretted to inform him that Archie had died in the night. “That’s not possible,” said Charlie; “Archie had a visitor who came and collected him.” Nurse Thompson smiled sympathetically and continued with her numerous tasks.

The next evening, Charlie was woken again. This time the dark-clothed visitor was facing him, at the end of his bed. “Come with me,” he said, through a motionless mouth on a long, pale face. “Ava is visiting me in a few hours,” objected Charlie. “She’ll be fine,” was the short reply.

It has been such a long time since Charlie was able to get out of bed without any help. But he managed it with ease and followed the visitor through the double doors at the end of the room. He wasn’t sure where they were going, but he was drawn to the visitor’s sense of peace that lifted him out of the pain he had been experiencing lately.

The Woman in a Cloak

Arthur had been feeling lost for a long time. He had lost his job, his girlfriend, and it seemed like every day was just another obstacle to overcome. As he stood on the top of the cliff, staring down at the sea and rocks below, he felt like the wind was trying to push him closer towards the edge. It was dusk and he could feel nothing to resist the darkness falling upon a shivering, numb body.

Then, out of the night, a man in a suit appeared behind him. Arthur was surprised and told him that he just wanted to be alone. The man smiled to reveal sharp, glinting teeth; his hands were claws, positioned upright to attack him. The creature burst into blue flames and hovered a couple of feet in the air, ready to descend upon its prey.

Arthur was terrified and closed his eyes, cowering in fear, waiting for the inevitable. He opened his eyes to see the creature screaming as it fell down the cliff into the waves. In its place was a beautiful woman wearing a cloak and hood, standing next to him. She didn't say anything. She just looked out to sea.

Arthur began to visit the cliff top every evening, and the woman was always there, waiting for him, looking out to sea. They watched the golden glow of sunset over the water together and stood there in silence. Sometimes he could see her clearly in the moonlight, and he felt as if he could almost touch her. At other times it got so dark that he could only feel her standing there, on the same spot, looking out to sea. At sunrise, she disappeared into the first rays of the day.

The Car that Hunts Humans

Adam was feeling a little tipsy after an evening at the pub. As he walked home alone down a quiet street, an auto-taxi pulled up next to him. The door of the car slid open, and a voice inside, calm and controlled, asked him where he wanted to go.

Without thinking, he got into the taxi and told it his address. The door shut, and the car pulled away. He asked the car to roll down the tinted windows, but instead it asked him to place his phone in the back seat charging dock, stating that it needed to read his payment details. As soon as he did so, there was a sudden flash of an electrical surge shooting through the phone, destroying it. Adam was distraught, but maybe, he thought, his phone could still be saved. The car said nothing. It drove on its way to his home, as it had been instructed. Then drove past.

Adam started to panic. He shouted at it, but the car wouldn't respond and the door wouldn’t open. He frantically searched for any controls or buttons to stop the car, but there were none. He pounded on the windows, but they were reinforced and shatterproof. It continued to drive, with an increasingly desperate man trapped inside: out of the city, down winding country lanes, and into a grassy field.

The car came to a stop. The door finally opened, and, with great relief, Adam got out. As he walked away, he heard the car start up again behind him. Its headlights powered on full-beam, tracking him to his location. He broke into a run; it accelerated, much too fast for Adam.

It was many days until the body was found. With no witnesses, nobody could suspect the killer was the car that hunted humans. It still roams the streets at night, searching for its next victim.