Steve pounded the steering wheel of his 2009 Buick LaCrosse as the dashboard lights blinked. The voice on the radio warning of thunderstorms in the area began to warp and fade. He should have listened to the mechanic and replaced the battery before the warranty ran out. The headlights went dark, the radio went silent—the car rattled to a halt on a deserted highway. This AI-inspired shortcut had stranded Steve somewhere ne...

Part 1 – Community Buzz Nancy Drool locked the door of the Community Buzz coffee shop while coworkers Stacy, Darcy, and Marci shook their ponytails loose to end another successful day. Watching the prettiest girls and the sleaziest guys mingle on a Friday was exhausting, but Nancy allowed the prettiest and the sleaziest to stay after closing time. Intimate lamp-lit booths lined brick walls decorated with local pop-art, an...

“Ciao. This is Amara at Papa Pizza Pies. How can I help you?” “I’d like to order a large sausage for delivery.” “Oh yeah, I hear ya. I love a large sausage.” Greg chuckled, “I beg your pardon?” “I love the long, cylindrical shape of a large sausage – so juicy – firm, yet flexible.” “Yeah, uh, me too. That’s an odd thing to say. Are you sure I got the right place?” Amara said frantically, “Don’t hang up! You’ll regret it f...

Sylvia, my wife of 16 years, wanted a life of excitement and nothing I did was enough to satisfy her insatiable appetite for adventure. She demanded lavish vacations, dream houses in exotic locations, sex acts I wasn’t inclined to perform. I was only focused on the future, not the present. The pandemic changed that. We had been saving since I began my career as an accountant and Sylvia insisted it would be a perfect oppor...