Ever find yourself wondering, "Where did everybody go?"

[Aarti]

Back in 2012, I had just moved to SF and was tripped out by how much technology was part of the culture there. Apps and online social media platforms were popping up all around me, and I didn't know how much to care (or rather how much I'd be expected to care by whoever I ran into). So yeah, it was a weird time. Out of it, I wrote my first short story called Screen.

Despite growing ways I saw people keeping in touch with one another online and through cell phones cradled everywhere they went, I was surprised by how much less people seemed to interact face to face. And how much less risk people took in doing so. I suppose that shift had been gradually happening over time, ever since I was little. Little for me was the 80s and 90s. Screen was my attempt to mentally tackle this twilight zone of the big screen growing around me.

My short story is free on Kindle through 10/22 for anyone out there who would like to give it a shot. It's a quick read. You can download it at the following link in the US, or at your local Amazon site for anyone else:
https://www.amazon.com/Screen-Aarti-P...



Synopsis

"In the not too distant future, a technological phenomenon known simply as “the screen” has taken its place at the forefront of society. Allowing much of life to be lived in a virtual environment, the screen has essentially sent much of daily life in the physical realm the way of the dodo. People are adapting quite well, actually, never mind the increasing prevalence of a mysterious neurological disease.

Misha is one of the rare few who misses the old days when people actually interacted with each other in the real world. Forced to conform to a culture borne out of the modern technology, she struggles to maintain a grip on her own sense of self as well as her physical health. When a series of events lead her closer than she’d ever imagined to the heart of the screen’s true nature, Misha finds herself face to face with an important question, the answer to which her very survival may depend upon."

I'm genuinely curious to know what readers here think, so please add your comments:

-Where did everybody go?
-There's a specific question posed in the short story. If you have an answer, please share.
-What do you think causes "the buzz"?
-Readers have either liked or disliked the ending. What do you think about it? If you envision a different ending, what would it be?

Thanks for entertaining me on this. This is one of the first times I've introduced my short story to a Cyberpunk group and I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys think. Best,

Aarti

*PS--Reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads are always appreciated for anyone who is interested in leaving me feedback.

[Joseph]

It looks like an interesting story. It is good to see how it fits into your life: both hi-tech time of stress and isolation with high tech ways of coping by contacting old friends with your cellphone.

[Aarti]

Joseph wrote: "It looks like an interesting story. It is good to see how it fits into your life: both hi-tech time of stress and isolation with high tech ways of coping by contacting old friends with your cellphone."

Are you going to read it? I'd love hear your thoughts on it.