Autonomy

By Blake Pitcher

Self-crashing cars; a rabbit that transcends reality; the inexorable passion of artificial intelligence--

Autonomy is a collection of stories dealing with reality, strangeness, and the space between.

Includes the novella The Young Hyenas. 

PLUS…

“SWITCH”
An outing with grandma turns into a nightmarish joyride.

“Robot Butler”
Dymotron’s Robot Butler is the best help a man can buy, but at what cost?

“GOBi & the Jo-Bird”
Google’s “Online Being” runs rampant and… falls in love.

“Autonomous”
A detour in a self-driving car turns deadly.

“Horse Mode”
For Marshall, life is full of choices.  But who is actually making them?

 “Cold, As I Am”
A loner in a strange city overthinks an innocuous question.

Aeneatha, in the Sky
A woman follows a rabbit out of an alien world.

“Ice Cream for Smitty”
When Smitty is terrorized by two young boys, a tiny thought inspires meaningful action.

“Elisha Rabbit”
A magical rabbit transcends death and reality.

And, Eclectic-noir Flash Fiction:

Big Sky
A Week Along the Coast
Cooley’s Cabin
Ga!

Self-crashing cars; a rabbit that transcends reality; the inexorable passion of artificial intelligence--

Autonomy is a collection of stories dealing with reality, strangeness, and the space between.

Includes the novella The Young Hyenas.

PLUS…

“SWITCH”
An outing with grandma turns into a nightmarish joyride.

“Robot Butler”
Dymotron’s Robot Butler is the best help a man can buy, but at what cost?

“GOBi & the Jo-Bird”
Google’s “Online Being” runs rampant and… falls in love.

“Autonomous”
A detour in a self-driving car turns deadly.

“Horse Mode”
For Marshall, life is full of choices.  But who is actually making them?

“Cold, As I Am”
A loner in a strange city overthinks an innocuous question.

Aeneatha, in the Sky
A woman follows a rabbit out of an alien world.

“Ice Cream for Smitty”
When Smitty is terrorized by two young boys, a tiny thought inspires meaningful action.

“Elisha Rabbit”
A magical rabbit transcends death and reality.

And, Eclectic-noir Flash Fiction:

Big Sky
A Week Along the Coast
Cooley’s Cabin
Ga!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vintage Blue Publishing
• Release date: Feb 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386862192

Book preview

Author’s Note

The theme of autonomy is a loose one; as technology empowers us to make decisions, perhaps we make fewer choices than we think.

In another sense, autonomy refers to my ability as an independent author to include stories at my own whim... like the tale of a magical rabbit that transcends death and reality.

I hope you enjoy reading.

I

SWITCH

You aren't getting me into that thing.

C’mon Nana, it’ll be fun.

Not for me.

James leaned against the shining red coupe.  But you love cars.  You’re always telling me about that Pontiac Firebird you had.

"I like driving cars, kiddo.  Not being carted around in one like some PG-rated, newfangled amusement ride.  Nana crossed her arms.  Besides, I don’t trust the damn thing.  When I drive, I need to be in control."

There’s a switch, James said.  You can change it to manual mode at any time.

That’s not what manual meant in my day.

Yeah, but it’s close enough.  James smiled in that endearing way he knew Nana liked.  I’ll let you sit in the driver’s seat.

In your own new car?

Anything for you, Nana.

Nana pulled her shades from her purse and slipped them on her face, brushing back a strand of silver hair.  Once around the block.  But you’d better believe I’ll be sitting in the driver’s seat.

A large screen dominated the dashboard and not much else.  Nana touched the dials, tapped the brake pedal with the toe of her leather boot.  James slipped into the passenger seat.  We won’t even need those.

Only a fool doesn’t check his mirrors, Nana said.

Isn’t it cool in here?  James waved his hand about the cabin.  All powered by the Autonomous Network.  Completely self-driving.  Cutting-edge technology."

I was happy when I got a beat-up Chevy Cavalier for graduation, Nana said.  Your parents must be out of their minds.

But it’s safe, James said.  That’s the thing.  I’ve read all about this car, discussed every geeky feature on the Autonomous boards.  The tech is otherworldly.  Not only are we safe, we’re participating in the future.

An engineering student’s dream car.  Nana sighed.  So, where’s this switch?

James pointed to a chrome toggle on dashboard.  

It’s a nice car. Nana smiled thinly.  Too sci-fi for my taste, though.

James programmed the route and directed Nana to press the trip-start button.  The coupe backed itself out of the driveway and onto the suburban street.  After a brief pause it pulled forward with a whir.

Nana clutched the armrest.  It’s got torque, I’ll give it that.

James grinned.  It’s got everything.

The car stopped neatly at the first intersection. Nana felt herself reaching for the switch as a jogger passed in front of them.

It knows, James said.

After the jogger was safely past, the coupe took off again with a whir.  I have it in Sport Mode, James said.  I thought you’d enjoy that.  Gives it an extra edge.

Halfway around the block Nana firmly flipped the switch and tested the brake.  The vehicle responded seamlessly, letting her tap the brakes and jiggle the steering wheel.  I just needed to know for myself, Nana said.  That I could drive it.  She pressed down on the gas.  Handles decent for a computer on wheels.

Happy now?

Nana reluctantly toggled the switch back.  

How about we go to Stuckey’s for ice cream?  James knew Stuckey’s would be a powerful motivator.  It’ll take us on the highway and we’ll be there in less than ten minutes.

I suppose.  Nana leaned back in her seat as the car turned out on the boulevard and up around the entrance ramp.  It smoothly entered the light Sunday traffic as it merged onto the highway.  This is terrifying, James.  Are you trying to give me a heart attack?

The Autonomous Network has already reduced driver error by an incredible amount.  It’s much safer than driving ourselves.  

"What if a deer jumps out at us?

It’d sense it long before we could ever see it.  James fussed with the on-screen menu.  We could even watch HBO on here.

I already watch too much TV.

James tapped the small swing-out table between them.  We could play our cribbage games on the road.

Or we could play them while not moving at 70 miles an hour on the highway.

Never get a ticket again, James said.

Never be able to run from the police again, Nana said.

Tell me about your racing days, Nana.

We’ve only got five minutes, kiddo.  Nana smiled.  You don’t want to open that can of worms.

At Stuckey’s the coupe piloted neatly through the drive-through lane, avoiding the long lines outside.  Nana asked for extra sprinkles and had her cone dipped in chocolate.  Isn’t my car to clean, she said to James, who ordered a medium twist for himself.  As the coupe navigated itself back onto the highway James asked her again about her time racing cars.

Street racing, it’s better than sex, Nana replied.

Gross.

You asked, kiddo.

What’s that over there?  James pointed across the median to the oncoming traffic.

Nice try...  Nana squinted behind her sunglasses.  What the hell?

On the other side of the highway all the cars were driving in reverse at high speed.  The chassis were strangely parallel to their own car as they zipped by, heading in the right direction, but facing backwards.  Nana caught a glimpse of a terrified family with their palms pressed against the window glass, tears streaming down terror-stricken faces.

They’re going backwards— Nana cut herself short as a Corvette flew past them in the left lane.  Holy shit.  He must be going over a hundred.

White-faced, James stared at the Corvette ahead when it veered into the grassy median.  Clots of dirt sprayed out from its back tires as it left an ugly trail through the green.  It didn’t slow down, rather maintaining its speed as it slowly drifted toward the opposite side where all the cars were still driving backwards.

We need to slow down and let this guy get farther ahead of us, Nana said.  Time to go manual.  She flipped the switch and put her foot on the brake, but nothing happened. Another flip up and down.  Nothing but empty clicks.  

Nana snapped her fingers in front of James’ face.  Hey! It’s not switching.  Can you do anything through the menu?

James shook himself alert and spun through the menu options.  I don’t think so.  There’s nothing here to do it.

The Corvette had almost reached the other side of the road.  James had a sick look on his face as it jolted onto the opposite lane and drove headfirst into one of the oncoming backwards-facing cars.  The passenger of the Corvette must not have been wearing his seatbelt... his body flew from the wreck and went flailing along the blacktop.

Oh God.

James, you’re a tech-guy.  And you know this car.  Hell, you’re going to be an electrical engineer someday. Is there some way you can override the network?

I don’t know, maybe.  James’s voice trembled as his ice cream dripped down over his hand.

The coupe lurched from side to side then reduced speed.

It’s slowing down... maybe we can jump out.

The windows aren’t working.

Maybe it’ll come to a stop.

The coupe slowed to thirty miles per hour before the speedometer began creeping up again.  I don’t think we’ll be that lucky, James.  

James pointed ahead.  A car sped down the left lane in the wrong direction, smoke spiraling from behind it.  It tore past the coupe in a flash.  Nana gripped the wheel helplessly.  Behind them the car ripped head-on into another vehicle in a fatal game of chicken.

This isn’t some random error, Nana said.   Someone is messing with us.

Someone’s hacked the system.

And we’ve got a visitor.  Nana pointed to the rearview mirror where the looming, windowless cab of a tractor unit pulling a dairy tanker approached.  Still freaks me out those things don’t have drivers anymore.

What do we do?  James sounded like he was about to hyperventilate.  He looked at his dripping cone helplessly.

Nana rested her hand on James shoulder.  We’ll figure this out.  Now set your cone in the cupholder—a little ice cream mess is the least of our worries.  She rummaged through her purse and fished out a small screwdriver, pushing it into the seams of the dashboard near the switch.  The panel popped off and Nana tossed it in the back.  What do you see, James?  Think.

The speedometer was back to seventy, and creeping higher.  Down the expanse of the highway Nana saw a tiny dot.  Think faster, kiddo.  I got a bad feeling about this one.

The dot slowly grew as James scrabbled under the dash looking at the jumble of densely intertwined wires.  What’s happening up there?

Focus.  Nana watched the dot evolve into the form of an oncoming tractor trailer.  This would be it.  She could feel it.  She licked her ice cream and made herself taste the sweetness.  Her arm cradled the wheel and her free hand lingered by the switch.  She heard the tanker groan behind them as it inched closer, horn blaring.

I think it’s this one.  If I pull it—

Do it, kiddo.  Now!

James yanked the wire out.  Switch!

Nana switches the toggle, feels the pedal come to life under her foot.  

The hulk of the  tanker presses up behind her.  A small tap at this speed...

A second to impact; she shifts into neutral and the world is a hovering