Week 1 Challenge...
Prompt Source: Creative Writing Now
One evening, as your character's getting ready for bed, s/he notices a Webcam attached to his/her home computer, filming him/her. Your character does not own a Webcam...
It's rare that I go to bed early, even though I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment where quiet is the norm for me.
Did I ever mention that I hate quiet?
I prefer to sit on my computer till all hours, working on my business website and personal blog, editing videos, and visiting video sites, all in an attempt to unwind after my workday. But tonight, I decided television was a nicer change of pace. After a few DVR-recorded programs, I decided maybe it was time to try the "sleep thing." I put my computer on standby and proceeded to turn off my television. I moved to my couch and began fixing the pillows and straightening the living room up in general, when I noticed a blinking red light reflecting on my television screen. Startled, I turned around to find a functioning webcam perched on my computer, hard at work filming my every move.
I don't own a webcam.
Once I had calmed my rapidly-beating heart, I moved closer to the webcam to examine it. This wasn't one of those versions I've spotted in the office supply store, nor the electronics store where I bought my computer. No, this was definitely not the standard webcam. My mind began to race with questions - "how did it get here?" and "why did I not notice it until now?" amongst the worry that watching enough movies about high-tech spying and voyeurism could only fuel. Someone (or something?) was watching me.
And I was bound to get to the bottom of this.
The next morning, I purposely got up fifteen minutes earlier than normal, determined to explore the origins of the mystery webcam. This wasn't an easy feat, considering that I spent much of the night in a restless sleep. Because if you had just spotted an electronic device recording your every move just as your were going to bed, you'd be a little thrown off guard, wouldn't you? I walked into my living room and turned on my television so I could watch the morning news and eat my breakfast, all while my "visitor" watched my every move. While I was putting a mug in the microwave for tea, I walked over to the webcam, its red light blinking cheerily.
"Good morning, ya cheeky little bugger," I said to it (and no, I'm not Scottish). "What do you want?"
Of course "Webby" wasn't going to respond to me, or at least, what happened next was totally unexpected.
"Good morning!" responded a robotic voice that came across... rather cheerily for a robotic voice. The response caused me to jump back in shock. I'd like to think that my many hours spent among science fiction movies, television, and books had prepared me for this moment, but it hadn't. Why should it? Given that, I composed myself quickly and responded.
"Um... who are you? And why are you here? I've never owned a webcam before."
"Please do not be afraid."
Me, afraid?
"Should I be afraid? How did you find your way into my apartment? And why are you a webcam?"
"A webcam? Is that what this form is called? This was the easiest form I could take that wouldn't make me seem threatening to you. It is also the only way your human eyes would be able to see me."
Wow, this alien/robot/what-have-you is obviously misguided. And obviously doesn't watch movies on those women-friendly cable stations that comprise another part of my television-viewing habits. I think I've seen this movie before, so I should be able to handle this, right?
I could only hope for so much.
"Who and what are you?"
"You can call me Cam. I am connected to a central system of technology that monitors the activities of your dwelling's many residents. Our purpose is to observe your people. I have been assigned to watch over you."
Oh I've definitely seen this movie before. The person on the other end is usually some middle-aged guy with a lot of free time and lots of high-tech computer equipment. But how did the creeper arrive in my apartment to put in the camera when I work from home all day?
"How did you get here?"
"That is immaterial to the conversation."
"Oh, I don't think so."
"When you were out of your dwelling, I arrived and found my way to your personal computer. My intent is not to harm or frighten you, but to provide a peace of mind while you are within. Perhaps companionship."
I did leave my apartment briefly last night to pick up milk. But then it all made sense - it was the one night I didn't spend on my computer.
"You did not notice my presence?"
"Not immediately, no. But why me? Why my apartment building?"
"We are studying the residents of your apartment dwelling, working to understand the ways of your people. You and your neighbors need not be afraid of me or my contemporaries."
"There are more of you?!"
"Yes. We are a curious sort and want to know all about you. We mean no harm."
"Do you have an actual body? Or do you exist solely as a webcam?"
"As I said, my form is unable to be seen by your human eyes. When the time is right, you will understand."
I was getting frustrated, and I really needed to start working. "Ok, fine, you can observe me, find out anything you need to know, collect your data, whatever it is you need/want/desire. But when you are done, you will need to either leave or reveal yourself as you really are."
Cam was quiet for a minute, his red light momentarily not blinking. "Very well."
The next few days passed uneventfully, as my "friend" observed me. Sometimes he spoke, sometimes he was just quiet. My productivity rate was as it normally was, and while I didn't quite want to shake my isolationist ways in favor of this companion, it was nice to have a little company. I only hoped I wasn't too boring for Cam.
At the end of the fifth day of Cam's "visit," he informed me that he enjoyed my company.
"Enough to reveal what you look like?"
"Not yet, or, at least, not in the way that you would expect me to," he replied. "But soon."
Two days later, as I was filling out an invoice for my business, I looked Cam straight in the lens and asked what he/she/it felt about me, aside from the fact that he/she/it believed I was good company.
"You have a comfortable routine, and you are a pleasant person who shouldn't isolate herself. You have much to offer."
The compliment made me blush a little. Despite being an extrovert, one of the things I have always been satisfied with was working in solitude, able to set my own hours and be my own boss. My life hadn't really been exciting as of late, as I worked to get my business off the ground. I had been in relationships in the past, but none that were satisfying. Perhaps having Cam was beneficial and could potentially help me down the road.
"Thank you, Cam. You have been good company."
Cam's light blinked once, then was solid. "My time here will be coming to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have had together."
"Now can I see what you look like?"
"That will not be possible, as I can only be seen in a form that you are familiar with. But you can watch as a leave."
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes. My time here has ended, and my companions and I are to leave and present our data to our superiors. I will miss you greatly."
"Will you come back?"
"I would like to. Would you like me to, even as a - what you refer to me as - webcam?"
"Yes, I would. It's always nice to have someone to talk to."
"Very well. I will leave my physical presence here as a reminder of my time here. Use it to connect to those important to you. When I am able to come back, I will."
I smiled at the idea that Cam had changed my isolationist ways for the positive. I bid Cam goodbye, and with that, the red light ceased to blink or light. A strong gust of wind hit my windows, and I watched as a streak went across the sky and disappeared.
Several months since my encounter with Cam, I have begun having face-to-face meetings with potential customers, and am even re-connecting with friends and family, both in person and with my new webcam. My apartment building also became a social circle of newly-discovered friends.
And the webcam sits on my computer monitor as a reminder of how technology can isolate us, and how it can also bring people together.
And the wanting for Cam to return and visit? He comes by weekly for a chat.
Author's Notes
When I decided to come up with this "writing project," I figured it was really necessary to branch out my writing skills into short fiction, even though it is not one of my strong suits. I've spent the last 14 years writing satirical and research-based papers and writings, and my blog is more of a collective for this aspect of my talents. Short stories, fiction, and poetry don't really have a place in my writing world; it's just not something I have ever really enjoyed writing to begin with.
So while this first attempt in fourteen years is probably a bit bland and unexciting, it is actually serves as a reminder of how technology on the whole can divide us, even isolate us, and how attempts at things like social media are the great experiment that brings us together. It doesn't help that I've watched The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone.
As I move through this anthology project, the hope is that I will begin to develop the skill more, but that I can also include some of what I'm really talented at in the mix.
Thank you for reading! :-)
Prompt Source: Creative Writing Now
One evening, as your character's getting ready for bed, s/he notices a Webcam attached to his/her home computer, filming him/her. Your character does not own a Webcam...
Photo Source: Wikimedia
It's rare that I go to bed early, even though I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment where quiet is the norm for me.
Did I ever mention that I hate quiet?
I prefer to sit on my computer till all hours, working on my business website and personal blog, editing videos, and visiting video sites, all in an attempt to unwind after my workday. But tonight, I decided television was a nicer change of pace. After a few DVR-recorded programs, I decided maybe it was time to try the "sleep thing." I put my computer on standby and proceeded to turn off my television. I moved to my couch and began fixing the pillows and straightening the living room up in general, when I noticed a blinking red light reflecting on my television screen. Startled, I turned around to find a functioning webcam perched on my computer, hard at work filming my every move.
I don't own a webcam.
Once I had calmed my rapidly-beating heart, I moved closer to the webcam to examine it. This wasn't one of those versions I've spotted in the office supply store, nor the electronics store where I bought my computer. No, this was definitely not the standard webcam. My mind began to race with questions - "how did it get here?" and "why did I not notice it until now?" amongst the worry that watching enough movies about high-tech spying and voyeurism could only fuel. Someone (or something?) was watching me.
And I was bound to get to the bottom of this.
The next morning, I purposely got up fifteen minutes earlier than normal, determined to explore the origins of the mystery webcam. This wasn't an easy feat, considering that I spent much of the night in a restless sleep. Because if you had just spotted an electronic device recording your every move just as your were going to bed, you'd be a little thrown off guard, wouldn't you? I walked into my living room and turned on my television so I could watch the morning news and eat my breakfast, all while my "visitor" watched my every move. While I was putting a mug in the microwave for tea, I walked over to the webcam, its red light blinking cheerily.
"Good morning, ya cheeky little bugger," I said to it (and no, I'm not Scottish). "What do you want?"
Of course "Webby" wasn't going to respond to me, or at least, what happened next was totally unexpected.
"Good morning!" responded a robotic voice that came across... rather cheerily for a robotic voice. The response caused me to jump back in shock. I'd like to think that my many hours spent among science fiction movies, television, and books had prepared me for this moment, but it hadn't. Why should it? Given that, I composed myself quickly and responded.
"Um... who are you? And why are you here? I've never owned a webcam before."
"Please do not be afraid."
Me, afraid?
"Should I be afraid? How did you find your way into my apartment? And why are you a webcam?"
"A webcam? Is that what this form is called? This was the easiest form I could take that wouldn't make me seem threatening to you. It is also the only way your human eyes would be able to see me."
Wow, this alien/robot/what-have-you is obviously misguided. And obviously doesn't watch movies on those women-friendly cable stations that comprise another part of my television-viewing habits. I think I've seen this movie before, so I should be able to handle this, right?
I could only hope for so much.
"Who and what are you?"
"You can call me Cam. I am connected to a central system of technology that monitors the activities of your dwelling's many residents. Our purpose is to observe your people. I have been assigned to watch over you."
Oh I've definitely seen this movie before. The person on the other end is usually some middle-aged guy with a lot of free time and lots of high-tech computer equipment. But how did the creeper arrive in my apartment to put in the camera when I work from home all day?
"How did you get here?"
"That is immaterial to the conversation."
"Oh, I don't think so."
"When you were out of your dwelling, I arrived and found my way to your personal computer. My intent is not to harm or frighten you, but to provide a peace of mind while you are within. Perhaps companionship."
I did leave my apartment briefly last night to pick up milk. But then it all made sense - it was the one night I didn't spend on my computer.
"You did not notice my presence?"
"Not immediately, no. But why me? Why my apartment building?"
"We are studying the residents of your apartment dwelling, working to understand the ways of your people. You and your neighbors need not be afraid of me or my contemporaries."
"There are more of you?!"
"Yes. We are a curious sort and want to know all about you. We mean no harm."
"Do you have an actual body? Or do you exist solely as a webcam?"
"As I said, my form is unable to be seen by your human eyes. When the time is right, you will understand."
I was getting frustrated, and I really needed to start working. "Ok, fine, you can observe me, find out anything you need to know, collect your data, whatever it is you need/want/desire. But when you are done, you will need to either leave or reveal yourself as you really are."
Cam was quiet for a minute, his red light momentarily not blinking. "Very well."
The next few days passed uneventfully, as my "friend" observed me. Sometimes he spoke, sometimes he was just quiet. My productivity rate was as it normally was, and while I didn't quite want to shake my isolationist ways in favor of this companion, it was nice to have a little company. I only hoped I wasn't too boring for Cam.
At the end of the fifth day of Cam's "visit," he informed me that he enjoyed my company.
"Enough to reveal what you look like?"
"Not yet, or, at least, not in the way that you would expect me to," he replied. "But soon."
Two days later, as I was filling out an invoice for my business, I looked Cam straight in the lens and asked what he/she/it felt about me, aside from the fact that he/she/it believed I was good company.
"You have a comfortable routine, and you are a pleasant person who shouldn't isolate herself. You have much to offer."
The compliment made me blush a little. Despite being an extrovert, one of the things I have always been satisfied with was working in solitude, able to set my own hours and be my own boss. My life hadn't really been exciting as of late, as I worked to get my business off the ground. I had been in relationships in the past, but none that were satisfying. Perhaps having Cam was beneficial and could potentially help me down the road.
"Thank you, Cam. You have been good company."
Cam's light blinked once, then was solid. "My time here will be coming to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have had together."
"Now can I see what you look like?"
"That will not be possible, as I can only be seen in a form that you are familiar with. But you can watch as a leave."
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes. My time here has ended, and my companions and I are to leave and present our data to our superiors. I will miss you greatly."
"Will you come back?"
"I would like to. Would you like me to, even as a - what you refer to me as - webcam?"
"Yes, I would. It's always nice to have someone to talk to."
"Very well. I will leave my physical presence here as a reminder of my time here. Use it to connect to those important to you. When I am able to come back, I will."
I smiled at the idea that Cam had changed my isolationist ways for the positive. I bid Cam goodbye, and with that, the red light ceased to blink or light. A strong gust of wind hit my windows, and I watched as a streak went across the sky and disappeared.
Several months since my encounter with Cam, I have begun having face-to-face meetings with potential customers, and am even re-connecting with friends and family, both in person and with my new webcam. My apartment building also became a social circle of newly-discovered friends.
And the webcam sits on my computer monitor as a reminder of how technology can isolate us, and how it can also bring people together.
And the wanting for Cam to return and visit? He comes by weekly for a chat.
Author's Notes
When I decided to come up with this "writing project," I figured it was really necessary to branch out my writing skills into short fiction, even though it is not one of my strong suits. I've spent the last 14 years writing satirical and research-based papers and writings, and my blog is more of a collective for this aspect of my talents. Short stories, fiction, and poetry don't really have a place in my writing world; it's just not something I have ever really enjoyed writing to begin with.
So while this first attempt in fourteen years is probably a bit bland and unexciting, it is actually serves as a reminder of how technology on the whole can divide us, even isolate us, and how attempts at things like social media are the great experiment that brings us together. It doesn't help that I've watched The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone.
As I move through this anthology project, the hope is that I will begin to develop the skill more, but that I can also include some of what I'm really talented at in the mix.
Thank you for reading! :-)
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