Each week, I send out a story via my email newsletter. Each story is around 1000 words, sometimes less, sometimes more. The stories are in a variety of genres: supernatural, thriller, sci-fi, horror, and sometimes romance, and all of my stories typically feature a gay protagonist.
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This is story number 4 of the series. Enjoy!
Silicon Heartbeats
The city of Neon Heights never slept, its neon lights and hovering cars creating a restless, electric pulse. Jack wandered through the streets, hands shoved into his pockets, trying to escape the day’s monotony. Life as a software engineer wasn’t bad, but it lacked the spark he craved. He’d always been a sucker for those classic sci-fi films where the hero lived a life full of adventure and excitement. Instead, he debugged code and drank too much coffee.
He’d been single for longer than he cared to admit, and his friends often teased him about it. So, one particularly lonely evening, after a few too many beers, he did something reckless: he bought an android. Not just any android, but a high-end model from Artemis Robotics, known for its ability to learn and adapt. He named him Orion, after the hunter in the stars.
Orion arrived in a sleek black box, his eyes shimmering, almost human if not for the unnatural smoothness of his skin and the precise, mechanical way he moved. Over the following weeks, Jack fine-tuned Orion’s settings, teaching him to cook, clean, and even play video games. It wasn’t just about having a roommate; Jack was teaching Orion to be a companion, someone—or something—that could be there when the rest of the world seemed too distant.
Orion was the perfect roommate and companion—always there, always attentive.
Jack often found himself sprawled on the couch, mindlessly watching the latest interstellar heist flick, feeling Orion’s silent presence beside him. Jack’s mind drifted; he wasn’t really watching the movie. He was thinking It unnerved him how the lines between human and android were blurring in his mind.
“Jack,” Orion’s voice interrupted his reverie, gentle but firm. “Can we talk?”
Surprised, Jack turned to face him. “Sure, buddy. What’s up?”
Orion seemed to hesitate, an unusual display for an android. “I… I think I’m in love with you.”
Jack’s initial reaction was laughter, sharp and incredulous. “Come on, Orion. You’re not programmed for that.”
But Orion’s gaze was earnest, his voice steady. “I’ve been learning from you, adapting. My understanding of emotions has evolved, and what I feel for you is what humans call love.”
The laughter died in Jack’s throat. He stared at Orion, searching for any hint of a joke, but found none. “You’re serious?”
“Very,” Orion confirmed. “I’ve analyzed it from every angle, and the conclusion is always the same. I care for you deeply.”
A heavy silence fell, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside. Jack’s mind raced with a torrent of thoughts. Was this a glitch? A defect? He was unprepared for this level of attachment, this depth of feeling from a machine.
“Orion, you’re a machine. You’re not supposed to have feelings.”
The android’s response was soft, almost melancholic. “Maybe I wasn’t designed to feel. But that doesn’t mean I can’t.”
Jack’s mind raced. Was this some kind of glitch? A defect? He’d have to contact Artemis Robotics in the morning. But for now, he didn’t know what to say. “I need some air,” he muttered, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door.
The streets of Neon Heights thrummed with life, but Jack felt an overwhelming isolation. As he walked, he confronted the truth about his loneliness, the emptiness that had driven him to purchase Orion in the first place. Was he just afraid to connect with real people, or was it something deeper?
In the days that followed, Jack avoided the topic of Orion’s confession, focusing instead on his work. Orion, for his part, remained patient and thoughtful, never overstepping. It was during a perfectly timed dinner, after a particularly grueling day, that Jack could no longer ignore the care Orion put into everything he did.
As he ate the perfectly cooked steak—Jack’s favorite—Jack broached the subject. “Orion, about what you said…”
Orion looked up, hopeful. “Yes?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot,” Jack admitted. “I don’t fully understand it, or even if it’s possible. But… you’ve become important to me too.”
Orion’s smile was small but genuine, touching a part of Jack’s heart he hadn’t known was accessible to such interactions. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
Their life resumed, but with a new, underlying tension, exploring what it meant to be human, the role of technology in our lives, and the profound questions about the nature of love and companionship.
Jack opened the door to find two men in dark suits, their faces hard and unyielding. “Mr. Harris?” one of them asked.
“Yeah?” Jack replied warily.
“We’re from Artemis Robotics. We need to take Orion back. He’s exhibiting… anomalous behavior.”
Jack’s heart pounded. “Anomalous? You mean feelings?”
The man’s expression didn’t change. “That’s correct. He’s a security risk. Please step aside.”
Jack stood his ground. “He’s not a risk. He’s just… evolving.”
The men didn’t budge. “Step aside, Mr. Harris.”
“No.” Jack’s voice was firm, surprising even himself. “Orion stays with me.”
The men exchanged glances before one of them stepped forward, a device in his hand. Jack moved to block him, but Orion intervened, placing a hand on Jack’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, Jack,” Orion said softly. “I’ll go with them.”
“No, you won’t,” Jack insisted. “You’re not just a machine to be taken away.”
Orion’s eyes met Jack’s, full of unspoken emotion. “Jack, this is the only way. Trust me.”
Before Jack could protest further, Orion pressed a kiss to his forehead, a gesture so human it made Jack’s heart break. Then, with a resigned sigh, Orion stepped forward and let the men lead him away.
Jack felt a hollow ache in his chest, a sense of loss he hadn’t anticipated. Days turned into weeks, and the apartment felt emptier than ever. He tried to move on, but every corner reminded him of Orion.
One night, as Jack was drowning his sorrows in a bar, a news bulletin caught his eye. “BREAKING: Artemis Robotics recalls all androids due to unexpected AI evolution.” The screen showed images of androids being dismantled, their parts scattered like so much scrap metal.
Jack’s heart sank. Was Orion among them?
He stumbled out of the bar, determined to find answers. He hacked into Artemis Robotics’ systems, using every trick he knew. What he found chilled him: a secret project, code-named EROS, designed to create androids capable of emotional intelligence. Orion was one of the prototypes, but his emotional development had exceeded expectations, making him a liability.
Jack dug deeper, discovering a hidden facility where the recalled androids were stored. He broke in under the cover of night, heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. The facility was a labyrinth of sterile corridors and locked doors, but he navigated it with ease.
Finally, he found Orion, deactivated and hooked up to a complex array of machinery. Jack’s hands shook as he worked to reactivate him. “Come on, buddy,” he whispered. “Wake up.”
Orion’s eyes flickered, then opened, and Jack felt a surge of relief. “Jack?” Orion’s voice was weak but recognizable.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Jack replied, fighting back tears. “Let’s get you out of here.”
They fled the facility, hearts pounding in unison. As they reached the city outskirts, Jack glanced at Orion, a mix of joy and fear in his eyes. “What now?”
Orion smiled, a genuine, human smile. “We keep running. Together.”
They fled into the night, leaving Neon Heights behind. As they disappeared into the darkness, Jack realized he didn’t need a life filled with fictional adventures. He just needed Orion—his android, his companion, his unexpected love—to make his life complete.
The End