Sitting on the cold cement floor of my cell, I tried to lose myself in the exquisite lunch perched on my bed. Roast chicken, roasted on a bed of… Sweet potatoes with wine… White wine, interestingly. I would have used red wine, but I had to admit that Krystal Feeder’s choice may have resulted in…… Continue reading The Cleaners: Epilogue
Category: Robotics
The Cleaners Part 37: Disruptive Technology
For the third day in a row I was glued to my computer, trying in vain to figure out if I had saved everyone or doomed them. “This apparently unassuming old woman, former Internet celebrity ‘Angry Grandma’ is the brains behind the fall of democracy and free enterprise and the rise of totalitarian techno-communism. Some…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 37: Disruptive Technology
The Cleaners Part 36: Placing an Order
I jolted up in my bed, but stopped at the scraping stabbing pain in my hip. “Diane!” Shouted a Caretaker beside me, “please be careful! You have a lot of healing to do. You’re lucky you don’t need surgery!” This was not my bed. I grimaced and eased myself back down. Then I took in…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 36: Placing an Order
The Cleaners Part 35: The Dream
The light was so bright. I raised a hand to my eyes, but I still couldn’t stand to open them for all the blinding brilliance. “Diane” said my husband, taking my hand in his, “It’s all right.” I tried opening my eyes again. It didn’t hurt anymore, but there wasn’t much more to see. White…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 35: The Dream
The Cleaners Part 34: Showdown
Diane and her arch-nemesis Flora face-off while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
The Cleaners Part 33: The Other Grandma
Abruptly, I realized I had not spent this much time looking directly at Kaitlin even as her hostage. Somehow it hadn’t even occurred to me at the time that I might be her hostage. It seemed so transparent that Henry was leading the show. Now in my own invaded dining room I felt like I…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 33: The Other Grandma
The Cleaners Part 31: My Friends
At first I was touched by the immediacy which Christine made time in what must be a terribly busy schedule to speak with normal people, but I had to remind myself that I was not a normal person. “Diane,” chirped Christine, curt but pleasant. “I am so glad to hear from you after that awful…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 31: My Friends
The Cleaners Part 30: Cold Calling
“Your lunch will be ready in fifteen minutes, Diane,” announced Tony Feeder from the kitchen. “Thanks, Tony,” I shouted without looking up from my computer. William was in the living room wiping down my mantle again. The Caretaker was standing in the corner in sleep mode. “Zzz…” said his screen, typing itself in and disappearing…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 30: Cold Calling
The Cleaners Part 29: Angry Grandma Rises
Somehow, I felt as if I hadn’t seen Walter in years, but that couldn’t be right. I lay in bed, letting my love’s piano playing wash over me. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound” I sang along under my breath. I rolled out of bed, feeling strangely unsteady. “Must have stood up too quickly,” I…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 29: Angry Grandma Rises
The Cleaners Part 28: The Wall
The wall shone white, projecting its clean to the world, goading me, daring me to be anything but thrilled with its faultless, pure perfection. Slumped in my easy chair, I felt my face pull into a scowl. My house was immaculate. William had left to get repaired, but on the way his issue mysteriously resolved…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 28: The Wall
Samuel Munk 