She’ll be out of here as soon as possible (fiction)

Ellen knew that today’s biology class would be a nightmare. She skimmed through the textbook at the end of summer – just to familiarise herself with the syllabus before the term started – and as soon as she saw the chapter about the human reproductive system, her heart sank, because she knew what to expect. There would be audible snorts and giggles and furtively whispered remarks around the room, especially at the back of the class.

When AI art encouraged the return of human creativity (set in the year 2070)

Further building on the 2070 story I’ve been developing, this post is inspired by my own belief: that the internet as we currently know it may well be flooded with AI-generated content in the near future, and non-AI work might be regarded as inferior for a time … but the human desire for authentic expression – messy, imperfect, imprecise expression – can never truly die. We will return to our innate drive to dream.

Murphy and Michel: Born in the Same Summer (250-word fiction)

Murphy and Michel have always been together. Michel knows the story so well: it was the summer of 2058. He had been born just a few days prior when his father noticed a distressed dog dragging herself along the ground outside their home. She was pregnant, clearly in need of food and water – suffering…