STORYSTAR
Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Science Fiction
- Subject: Culture / Heritage / Lifestyles
- Published: 11/01/2025
"Turn that off."
Born 1951, M, from Wilmington NC, United States.jpeg)
“But…but…but…that is not me!”
He stared at the screen. It looked like him. It talked like him. It had the same little self satisfied smirk he almost always wore on his face. It moved exactly like he did. It even rubbed its eyebrows with its forefinger to get the unruly things to stop poking out like some sort of bizarre facial caterpillar.
But it wasn’t him.
It was an AI Avatar that his Wife of forty four years made. She used one of those Fancy AI programs, inputted every thing he ever wrote, recorded, or videoed. Added all his photos, articles he wrote, or those written about him. All the Testimonies she gathered from their children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers. Heck even his Gradeschool Teachers: Mrs Henderson, MS Palmer, and Sister Mary Gertrude, Sister May Vanita, and the Principal - Mr. Sykes.
She put in her own intimate thoughts that stay hidden in long term relationships, and the deep river of trust that time carves in couples that keep their friendship alive until the love grows to need no validation. It just is.
The result was now talking to him. And even he had to admit it was a much better him - than he was as a real person. Kinder. Gentler. More supportive. And young and strong again too.
He knew it was not really him tho. And he knew that for certain.
He gave that reason out loud:
“That isn’t me! I am dead!”
His former Brother In Law came into the room. Saw his Sister watching the screen. She was chatting away and occasionally laughing.
He watched for a while.
Then he said very gently:
“Turn that off. Mary and the kids are already in the car. We will be late to the Restaurant. “
She leaned over to kiss the screen. Gave it a little kiss.
“Gotta go, Honey. I’ll wake you up when I get back.”
She turned the scene off, set it on the coffee table.
He didn’t have any more thoughts.
He stared at the screen. It looked like him. It talked like him. It had the same little self satisfied smirk he almost always wore on his face. It moved exactly like he did. It even rubbed its eyebrows with its forefinger to get the unruly things to stop poking out like some sort of bizarre facial caterpillar.
But it wasn’t him.
It was an AI Avatar that his Wife of forty four years made. She used one of those Fancy AI programs, inputted every thing he ever wrote, recorded, or videoed. Added all his photos, articles he wrote, or those written about him. All the Testimonies she gathered from their children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers. Heck even his Gradeschool Teachers: Mrs Henderson, MS Palmer, and Sister Mary Gertrude, Sister May Vanita, and the Principal - Mr. Sykes.
She put in her own intimate thoughts that stay hidden in long term relationships, and the deep river of trust that time carves in couples that keep their friendship alive until the love grows to need no validation. It just is.
The result was now talking to him. And even he had to admit it was a much better him - than he was as a real person. Kinder. Gentler. More supportive. And young and strong again too.
He knew it was not really him tho. And he knew that for certain.
He gave that reason out loud:
“That isn’t me! I am dead!”
His former Brother In Law came into the room. Saw his Sister watching the screen. She was chatting away and occasionally laughing.
He watched for a while.
Then he said very gently:
“Turn that off. Mary and the kids are already in the car. We will be late to the Restaurant. “
She leaned over to kiss the screen. Gave it a little kiss.
“Gotta go, Honey. I’ll wake you up when I get back.”
She turned the scene off, set it on the coffee table.
He didn’t have any more thoughts.
COMMENTS (0)