Bot

by Angela B. Mortimer

Terra is a fragile place; the swarms of humans are out of control. Each swarm believes they are right, they are the only ones deserving of the biosphere, and the chaos of hundreds of years of greed and cruelty concludes with its destruction. John Hudson discharges the others on board the space station to go back to their families before the end. He accepts as most do, that the different sides will come to their senses before they threaten the sphere with annihilation. As he expects a shuttle to arrive with reinforcements and supplies, they destroy the planet. The Earth in protest at the nuclear missiles sends her fury in volcanic intensity and the world he knows is incinerated, and everything on it dies. He longs for death to take away the pain of losing his family, and the orb he called home. As his end comes, something saves him, but his psychosis persists on his new habitation, a strange scenario of multiple dimensions he cannot explain.

15 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2019

About the author

Born in the UK, married a gorgeous Aussie and have been living happily here ever since. Attended West of England college of art. Love reading sci-fi, fantasy and my fav subjects like genetics, planet sciences, philosophy, history - especially ancient, and of course space. I dreamt of being an astronaut. I've been writing since I could and painting for as long. I love the outdoors and gazing at the stars and wondering what might be out there.

Reviews

[J.S. Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bot” is a short, intriguing, dystopia/utopia. Earth is destroyed by nuclear war. One man survives, watching the destruction from space, horrified. He’s rescued by an ancient, advanced civilization. Bot is the alien/robot/friend that keeps him alive over thousands of years as he rejects greater changes to his body.

It’s well written. I particularly enjoyed the philosophy: “A power seeker does not make wise decisions.” Five stars!