Title: The Life in the Machine
Author: unpatriotic
Posted on: May 27, 2012
Location: Reddit
A few nights ago I was sitting in bed reading Reddit instead of my current book for review. As I was finishing a particularly interesting story on Reddit’s r/nosleep, it occurred to me that I spend nearly as much time reading scary stories online (usually on Reddit) as I do reading the books I review here. As a result I’m going to try something new: a Saturday review of my favorite internet horror story (or stories) for the week. Because online authors need love too!
My very first feature for Spine-tingling Saturdays is The Life in the Machine by unpatriotic (who is, unfortunately, no longer a member of Reddit). Though this story showed up on Reddit two years ago, it wasn’t until about six months ago that I finally found it.
The Life in the Machine is about a man who creates his own virtual species (think The Sims) that continually evolves and the outcome is outside of anything he could have expected. It isn’t often that a story – especially one on the internet – makes me reconsider your very existence. This one did just that. The Life in the Machine is well-written and beautifully haunting. Luckily, as often happens with high-profile NoSleep stories, there are several recordings of this story available on YouTube. Here’s one for your enjoyment!
