Sheila

by Rebecca Adams Wright

This story was originally published in Day One, a weekly literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers.

John, a widower and retired judge, has had a hard time letting go of the things that remind him of his beloved deceased wife, Millie: most of all their cherished robotic (but stunningly lifelike) spaniel, Sheila, who has been his stalwart companion for twenty-five years.

When a new law is passed that criminalizes ownership of robotic dogs, John is faced with a heartbreaking choice. As his final day with Sheila unfolds, John will clash with those closest to him and reminisce about how much Sheila has meant to him and his family. Humor and humanity blend seamlessly with science fiction as the story comes to a piercing, poignant conclusion.

Sheila by Rebecca Adams Wright is a mesmerizing take on love and attachment in their myriad, complex forms.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction

26 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2013

About the author

Rebecca Adams Wright is a former Zell Fellow and a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers' Workshop. She earned her MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan and has won both the Leonard and Eileen Newman Writing Prize and a late-night Emily Dickinson poetry challenge. Her fiction has appeared in Daily Science Fiction and her nonfiction in Children's Literature in Education. Rebecca lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with her husband, her daughter, her cat, and several opinionated chickens.

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a dog person, 5 stars. What would you do if your beloved pet/family member was to be taken for destruction after 25 years having never done anything wrong?

[Pers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and thought-provoking little tale.

[Verditwist · Rating 5 out of 5]

An almost perfect short story - with what isn't being said looming large beneath the surface of the written words. Worlds of emotional drought conjured up in what isn't said on the phone. The disconnect between people that's too big to bridge, yet hinges on the smallest of actions, or the lack of them. The story is simple, a man is going to lose his dog, the one link he has to his dead and still loved wife. In the balance is one man's world against the rest of society. You know which way he's going to jump, the reason why is heartbreaking. E

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this nugget of a story. It's well-written, engaging, and thought-provoking. The attachment felt by the protagonist for his robotic pet and the conflict that ensued was convincing. Well done!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know what this story is supposed to be about.. what happens when robots turn on us,,, however to me it felt more like a comparison with the way a lot of misinformed humans treat pitbulls, rottweilers and other "dangerous breeds." I enjoyed this story a lot.

[Frank Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story. Nicely written. A little sad, but an interesting thought experiment.
I also liked the little interview with the author at the end.