What an incredible piece this, it has a good sense of atmosphere and kind of reminds me a bit of I Have No Mouth and I must Scream - only more solemn, yet slightly optimistic; with a more benevolent AI.

Hania.

Yes, I thought of the Harlan Ellison piece too, but this was quite different. Maybe more like The Matrix...

Well thank you... I wish I was better read... meaning reading more. I will have to look Mr. Ellison up...

V.

Oh, you definitely should check him out. If you're watched the old Star Trek series, he wrote the episode The City at the Edge of Forever and tons of '60s through '90s Science Fiction. He's written a ton of criticism over the years, including the (now sadly out dated) Glass Teat books, about television in the early 1970s.

That comparison with The Matrix makes more sense.

On the topic of Harlan Ellison, he of course wrote a few episodes of The Outer Limits, including one - 'Soldier', that may or may not have been the inspiration for The Terminator.

On the subject of Star Trek:TOS I was quite surprised to find that Robert Bloch(who is best known for writing Psycho as well as getting his start in the same writer's guild as H.P. Lovecraft) wrote a few of the episodes - in particular "What are Little Girls Made Of?", "Catspaw" and "Wolf in the Fold".

This was a great take on the double challenge at hand. I like the way with the Point of View from page to page; first Nana's story, ten Cyrus'.

I also find it weird that we both published stories with characters named Cyrus on the same day.

now that's cool... in my case I googled: 'name that means The End'

I really like the 365 challenge because it really makes you focus on what you want to get across...

V.

It's a challenge I need to meet. I do tend to babble behind a keyboard.

Well done dear.

Bunners

*smiles very big... thank you...

V.

A nice change from the direction I expected. Wistful yet hopeful. Classic Vixyy.

*perky Saturday morning hugs*

wow... I'm actually considered a classic??? I guess I'll go get myself some special license plates...

*chuckles... thank you Wire...

V.

You're dadgum right, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. *hugs*

This was a sweet read. At first I thought you had named the little sphere Cyrus, which could have worked just as well. The religious undertones also seem to follow in the steps of Prometheus which I like

Was the "I pray for death." line inspired by my Wild Heart poem by any chance?

No inspiration other than your picture... *smiles... when I am writing, I simply write and what comes comes. The only actual thought was the name Cyrus because I wanted a name that meant 'The End'.

Thank you so very much for your words and for the loan of your image.

V.

This is an interesting story, I like how you did the points of view changes, though it was slightly confusing at times. I also like the direction you took with the atmosphere of the story.

thank you Bruno... very much...

V.

but would you really know loneliness if you had never known company? would the word even have meaning?

while it is widely claimed for humans that you would, is there even one reason to expect this to be universal for sapience, let alone sentience.

the very thing i most love about cats, is how they can return and appreciate affection,
without becoming in the way humans claim each other to be,
so utterly dependent on it.

i'm much like a cat. i like people and i like to be liked by them,
but i have lived most of my life alone, and the happiest times in my life have been when i have been.

of course i have now the internet, and before that i had and have what i have always had,
perhaps even before the first time i was ever born, an imagination for places and forms,
not inherently possessed of life, but capable of hosting it.

but then everyone knows cats are psyonic, so maybe they're never alone after all.

very well said themnax... I think this is a subject that has been debated for a long time. Probably the very root of not wanting to be alone is the opposite of what is required to keep the various species moving forward.

V.

Yow...so few words, so much depth. A variation of your Phenomenon theme. One could expand on this but it would be taxing to write.

so many good sci-fi's out there touching on the same theme...

V.

and there you have it nicely wrapped...

I understand on all the other points...

V.

Now I lay me down to sleep.
In the silence I will weep.
Loud as can be, I just don't care.
I have no shame, for no one's there.

Love your work. Gotta get myself back into reading.

*smiles and gives him a hug...

V.