#mariaplier

You are a clumsy but sweet person living in a time where robots are commonplace and do most manual tasks for humans. They can’t speak, but every time you bump into one you profusely apologize. You also always say thank you and treat them kindly, despite being inanimate. One morning, you wake up and peek out your window to see chaos and destruction- and your house and front yard are in pristine shape.

When I was younger there were hundreds of books and movies involving a future where robots did everything we told them to. Although no one would admit it, we all knew technology would advance to the point where a future like those would be possible. I just never thought I’d live to see it.

In just the past 5 years robotics has gotten so advanced and now robots are everywhere. They’ve replaced most manual labors, which caused quite an uproar around the world but now things have quieted down, and life is normal. Well, as normal as it can get with machines running around doing everything we used to do.

The shape and size of these robots depend on what job they’re manufactured for. Most of them are mute and free to move around while they work, but there are the occasional desk workers that are just a robotic hand and synthesized voice. My co-workers used to hate them. My supervisor would often kick the office robot around and often blame the damages done to it on the robot itself. There’s not much of that anymore.

I find them sort of endearing. I’d often bump into them while walking and always apologize, even if they showed no emotion. People would often give me weird looks or even give me the “you know they can’t feel anything” speech. I’d just tell them it felt right, and that being nice even to a robot wouldn’t hurt anyone. So why not, right?

It’s been about 5 years since fully functioning robots were introduced into society. This morning I woke up, made myself breakfast and sat down to watch T.V. On every channel there was news of a robot apocalypse. Everything seemed peaceful, I had thought maybe I was dreaming.

I stepped outside, my front lawn still freshly mowed, the small flower bush covered in blooming buds. I looked at my neighbor’s house, and only a heap of rubble and smoke were visible.