Ficlets

To Serve Man

The kettle begins to whistle, and before the sound has a chance to pick up any real volume the droid lifts it off the small gas heater and pours hot water into the teacup, then uses the remaining contents to fill up a hot water bottle. It stirs the contents of the teacup, then carefully picks it up in one hand, takes the hot water bottle in the other, and wanders out of the kitchen, down the long dark hall, towards the lounge.

The glow of the roaring fireplace illuminates the room. The power had been cut long ago, but its master hadn’t objected. It walks to the chair where his master lays, places the hot water bottle under the blanket, then sets down the teacup, and takes away the old cup which is still full of what is now very cold tea.

It then carries on with its duties – mopping floors, cleaning surfaces, and scrubbing a bath its master hasn’t used in weeks. It is, after all, only fulfilling its primary function. It doesn’t occur to the simple thing that its master will not be getting up again.

Comments

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To Serve Man
Blondie Babe
Posted 9 months ago

that was dire
To Serve Man
Blondie Babe
Posted 9 months ago

yeah….........
To Serve Man
Fyora Cartagan
Posted 9 months ago

I disagree. It has been done before, but it was well written.
Rather sad, though. But it’s coldly written, as the tale of a robot should be.
To Serve Man
Ben Paddon
Posted 9 months ago

Just ignore Blondie Babe, she has something of a vendetta against me because I said her magnum opus, the brilliantly written and superbly plotted “hi”, was not a good ficlet.
To Serve Man
Ben Paddon
Posted 9 months ago

Whoops, didn’t mean to rate my own story…!
To Serve Man
Mistress Elsha Hawk
Posted 9 months ago

nicely done!
good thing robots can’t smell… :)
shouldn’t its battery run low soon…
To Serve Man
EmpathicCelt
Posted 9 months ago

I always enjoy your writing Ben, I can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s offering will be!
To Serve Man
Ana Cristina
Posted 9 months ago

Great details here. There was a ficlet written by Jenunique, I believe, that was very similar to this one. Like hers, this reminds me of Raymond Chandler’s short story about the technologically advanced house that continues to do its work even after its inhabitants have been obliterated.
To Serve Man
dewinduvae
Posted 9 months ago

gotta love the flow.
To Serve Man
genderbunny
Posted 9 months ago

Very nice. There’s a joke about “Three Laws Safe™” in there somewhere, I’m sure of it.
To Serve Man
Storykeeper of Fae
Posted 9 months ago

There’s a creepy appeal to this, just because it’s about robots. I like it!

LoA
To Serve Man
Snarky
Posted 8 months ago

sweet. I love the tone.
To Serve Man
Mr Reeses
Posted 8 months ago

Very nice