“Esteemed colleagues, we have a problem: data centres consume vast quantities of energy. allow me to demonstrate the answer.”
A hush fell like snow on the room.
He continued, “I give you Cerebronic.”
A bank of lights flicked on behind him.
“Cerebronic is biological. We built it of nerve cells instead of energy-hungry microchips. The thing runs on thirty watts—our contribution to solving the climate crisis.”
The lights flashed on and off in a seemingly patterned way.
One audience member shouted. “That’s Morse code. I think it read, ‘Welcome to the next crisis’.”
.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
Neil – what a great piece of flash- you manage to establish a setting, introduce a high-concept sci-fi premise, build tension and deliver a chilling punchline in 100 words! It reads like a classic from the The Twilight Zone 🙌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much. The march towards the denoument had to be more rushed than I would have done wiht 3,000 words
LikeLiked by 1 person
😅 sometimes less is more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we are already there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not quite, but we need to think about it now
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time to relearn morse code so we can advance to the next level of computing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or perhaps just run
LikeLike
That never works in the movies.
LikeLike
Dear Neil,
It does seem the ending line describes our times. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much. Rochelle
LikeLike
Crisis, Potus, potato, potahto…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Higamous, hogamous
LikeLike
Why does this make me extremely nervous?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Be afraid. Be very afraid
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I am!!
LikeLike
Oh dear. Somehow methinks this is not going to end well either. Nicely written. Love a good scifi-y premise
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much, Laurie
LikeLiked by 1 person
i’d say, welcome to the new world. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
an optimist!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cerebronic, made out of nerve cells :). You are quite the visionary, Neil. But I don’t know, I get the feeling you are the villain scientist in this movie, whose motive is to rule the world :).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that may be Elon Musk
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah 🤣. Let’s put it on him for now.
LikeLike
From one crisis to the next, welcome to our lives. Fun story, very imaginative. The most amazing thing is to have someone in the audience who knows morse code.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was very old
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like it, it sounds intriguing and reading the comments was enjoyable. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks so much
LikeLiked by 1 person
As long as we can eat our Soylent Green, we’ll be OK. It’s what now?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neil, that last line made me laugh and so true, I could see someone coming up with that as a genius innovation, sparking all kinds of issues with biological computers. Makes for great fiction thought. Wonderful piece. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, David
LikeLike