×

menu
Penana
US
search
search
Popular Tags
What Others Are Reading
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
Please use Chrome or Firefox for better user experience!
close
Comments close
Show more...


favorite
0
comment
0
arrow_back_ios_new
Prev
arrow_back_ios_new
Next
format_color_text
Style
open_in_full
Expand
list
Menu
coins
Sponsor
campaign
Request update
share
Share
report
Report
×
Login first to show your name as a sponsor, or donate with Pena Coins.

× Pena Coins Credit Card

Close
People Who Like This
#73

SCENE 70 – “Totally Normal Roommates”

Author Author
Apr 29, 2025 74 2 Mins Read
x
No Plagiarism!vs9bCkSDAQObseJPFnyYposted on PＥNAＮＡ

EXT. HQ PARK – EARLY MORNING

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq53zAQiCTn

Jason sits slumped on a concrete bench under a half-dead synthetic tree, one leg up, arms draped over the backrest. The plaza is quiet now, buzzing only with distant cleanup drones and the low chatter of exhausted Security units scattered around.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtRpQlLfmz

He flicks through the post-op status report on his texter. Systems: stable. Coolant: refilled. Dignity: unrecoverable. He sighs, tilts his head back...

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvP00kTycf

Then freezes.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVbNMyAR6m

JASON

(eyes wide)

“...Holy molly.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFfRoR7vyB

Smash cut to a rapid flurry of taps on his texter as he mutters under his breath:

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWues7brid

JASON

“Those two idiots. They’re still waiting for my messages.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRS8hzorcNj

He sends a hasty text:

JASON: i’m alive. no i didn’t melt. don’t panic.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ8QS0Ld90

The reply is... immediate. And horrifying.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXXfGvPnis

A: FOUR. HOURS.

A: JASON I THOUGHT YOU WERE DELETED.

A: I MADE AN ALTAR OUT OF SPOONS.

A: WE HAD A VIGIL. K ATE THE CANDLES.

K: not candles. wax sausages. tasted weird.

A: HE IS LYING THEY WERE NOT SAUSAGES

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzp0twVCh6

Jason stares at the screen, thumb hovering.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡla8hlotan6

JASON

(murmuring)

“Yeah I’m dead when I get home. RIP Gearman. Gone too soon.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0g2ao8x5a

From the bench across from him, SECURITY UNIT WENDY‑43 squints at his screen.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NbPkpPNPy

WENDY-43

“Whoa. Are you... texting? You have friends?”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQt9vLgtSiT

Jason, startled, yanks the texter close to his chest.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgtQQr9dAP

JASON

“Define friends.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQ85xFhZzi

WENDY-43

“You know, people you talk to without threatening? That aren’t vending machines?”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFBsJAu31V

Jason shrugs like it’s no big deal, but his optics flick sideways.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSl76ORdBp

JASON

“Eh. Roommates. Real annoying. Real alive. Real dramatic.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzdb60qLMW

SECURITY BOT REX-9 leans in, curious.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtlj2VJx8x

REX-9

“You’re co-living now? With other robots? Didn’t peg you for the domestic type.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32IU0C2A3f

JASON

(nervous laugh)

“Well, you know, city’s expensive. Gotta split rent. Totally normal roommates. Not murderers or anything.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpR97gqoGp

WENDY-43

“Nobody said anything about murderers.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOITpm1EikO

JASON

(coughs)

“Didn’t say that.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmnnBaZlET

He quickly checks the texter again. More messages incoming.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4gUhyN8c8

A: WE MADE A CURSE JAR. YOUR NAME IS IN IT TWICE.

K: i made pancakes. a stabbed one. it was fun.

A: I SWEAR TO ROBO GOD JASON YOU BETTER BRING BACK SOMETHING SWEET OR I’LL THROW THIS TRENCH COAT AT YOU SO HARD

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkEpbxt4t5

Jason slumps back on the bench, rubbing his face.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapZ1RW2W1a

JASON

(grimacing)

“I should’ve just stayed in the hell-spire.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyKPv2ESRB

REX-9

(grinning)

“This is what you get for caring about people.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmiP15RvXJ

JASON

“Shut up, Rex.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWkhqepKVC

He pockets the texter and stands, sighing like a condemned man on his way to judgment.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuwLF4V1Vv

JASON

“Well. Time to go home to hell.”

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxOiJkEBpj

FADE OUT.

216.73.216.197

ns216.73.216.197da2
favorite
comment 0
coins
0 likes Suggest Edits
Be the first to like this issue!
Next Issue >
close
Robotic Essences
home
Bookmark!
campaign Request update 0
Table of Contents
#0 Intro
#1 Welcome to Central City
#2 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt1
#3 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt2
#4 SCENE 2 – “Quiet Doesn’t Last”
#5 SCENE 3 – “Unwelcome Footprints”
#6 SCENE 4 – “Break the Silence”
#7 SCENE 5 – “The Parts We Don’t Talk About”
#8 SCENE 6 – “Still Breathing”
#9 SCENE 7 – “The Smiling Knife”
#10 SCENE 8 – “Ghost in the Pipes”
#11 SCENE 9 – “Right-Hand Problems”
#12 SCENE 10 – “Drag Marks and Doubt”
#13 SCENE 11 – “Below the Skin of the City”
#14 SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”
#15 SCENE 13 – “Echoes of Vision”
#16 SCENE 14 – “Fragments of a Dying Empire”
#17 SCENE 15 – “Shadows Don’t Bargain”
#18 SCENE 16 – “Rust Between Circuits”
#19 SCENE 17 – “The Breach”
#20 SCENE 18 – “Three Bots & a Parasite”
#21 SCENE 19 – “Paperwork and Parasites”
#22 SCENE 20 – “Smuggle Me Softly”
#23 SCENE 21 – “Oil, Info, and Idiots”
#24 SCENE 21 – EXTENDED: “Sleepover Protocols & Other Malfunctions”
#25 SCENE 22 – “Robot Makeover: Low Budget Edition”
#26 SCENE 23 – “Caffeine, Cloaks, and Casual Paranoia”
#27 SCENE 24 – “Rustfields”
#28 SCENE 25 – “Buzz and Circuits”
#29 SCENE 26 – “Tune-Ups and Tightropes”
#30 SCENE 27 – “Errands and Egos”
#31 SCENE 28 – “Groceries and Good Lies”
#32 SCENE 29 – “Dinner and Disclosures”
#33 SCENE 30 – “Steam, Suffering, and Swords”
#34 SCENE 31 – “Dicey Decisions”
#35 SCENE 32 – “Good Night, You Weirdos”
#36 SCENE 33 – “Dreamscapes”
#37 SCENE 34 – “Office and Off-Duty”
#38 SCENE 35 – “A Pleasant Stroll… with Minor Homicidal Undertones”
#39 SCENE 36 – “Wings and Wires”
#40 SCENE 37 – “After-Hours”
#41 SCENE 38 – “Alcohol & Stuff”
#42 SCENE 39 – “Shutdown.exe”
#43 SCENE 40 – “The Weight of Peace”
#44 SCENE 41 – “Midnight, Glitches, and Blankets”
#45 SCENE 42 – “Dawn of the Mildly Functional”
#46 SCENE 43 – “Commute to Doom”
#47 SCENE 44 – “An Office Full of Violence and Vending Machines”
#48 SCENE 45 – “Lunch Break and Clickbait Nightmares”
#49 SCENE 46 – “Rise and Resist (Routine)”
#50 SCENE 47 – “Unauthorized Research”
#51 SCENE 48 – “Wardrobe Upgrades”
#52 SCENE 49 – “Field‑Trip From Hell”
#53 SCENE 50 – “Afternoon Idleness”
#54 SCENE 51 – “Uno and Other Emergencies”
#55 SCENE 52 – “Tech on a Budget”
#56 SCENE 53 – “Delivery, Disobedience & Discoveries”
#57 SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”
#58 SCENE 55 – “Privacy Settings”
#59 SCENE 56 – “Entertainment Planning”
#60 SCENE 57 – "Loyalty Reinforcement Seminar"
#61 SCENE 58 – “Friday‑Night Free Play”
#62 SCENE 59 – “Spire of Panic”
#63 SCENE 60 – “Lines, Orders, and Vines”
#64 SCENE 61 – “Infiltration”
#65 SCENE 62 – “Regroup & Re‑Arm”
#66 SCENE 63 – “Through Flesh and Steel”
#67 SCENE 64 – “Descent Protocol”
#68 SCENE 65 – “The Lungs Below”
#69 SCENE 66 – “Dead Air”
#70 SCENE 67 – “The Heart of the Hollow”
#71 SCENE 68 – “Overheat Protocol”
#72 SCENE 69 – “Sanitized and Sampled”
#73 SCENE 70 – “Totally Normal Roommates”
#74 SCENE 71 – "The Long Walk to Judgment"
#75 SCENE 72 – "Welcome Home, Idiot"
#76 SCENE 73 – "A Promise, A Vacation"
#77 SCENE 74 – "Field Trip to Food"
#78 SCENE 75 – "Cabin Fever"
#79 SCENE 76 – "Manners, Please"
#80 SCENE 77 – "Errands with Extra Steps"
#81 SCENE 78 – "Books, Pills, and Poor Decisions"
#82 SCENE 79 – "Pharmacy Phantoms"
#83 SCENE 80 – "Digital Birds and Binary Bees"
#84 SCENE 81 – "Babysitting? Seriously?"
#85 SCENE 82 – "The Babysitting Begins"
#86 SCENE 83 – "Chaos, Baby-Sized"
#87 SCENE 84 – "Midnight Meltdown"
#88 SCENE 85 – "The Dreams They Dreamed"
#89 SCENE 86 – "The Morning After"
#90 SCENE 87 – "Return of the Parents"
#91 SCENE 88 – "The Reveal"
#92 SCENE 89 – "System Error: Josh.exe Has Stopped Responding"
#93 SCENE 90 – "A Totally Normal Lunch"
#94 SCENE 91 – “Business As Usual”
#95 SCENE 92 – “After the Storm”
#96 SCENE 93 – “The Rim of Opinions”
#97 SCENE 94 – “Tales, Tails, and Talking at 2AM”
#98 SCENE 95 – “Surgery, Solo”
#99 SCENE 96 – “Sleepless Core”
#100 SCENE 97 – “Unknown Systems”
#101 SCENE 98 – “Orders and Oil”
#102 SCENE 99 – “Key Moments”
#103 SCENE 100 – “Three Days of Sky”
× Share Email
Click to Share!
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
 content_copy
Copy link to clipboard
 share
Other options
Share this Publication by Email
Add a personal message
×

Proceed

×
format_size
remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
format_line_spacing remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
REGISTER
LOGIN

Forget Password?
OR
Login with Facebook
×
Subscribe
Go to the magazine
/
+ Add tip
The tip will be charged every payment period
+ Add promotion code
Apply close
Recipient Name

Shipping address



Phone Number


JOIN
Pay with
xxxx xxxx xxxx
Update payment method
Confirm Cancel
This is a one-time purchase.
If you don't cancel before the trial ends, you will automatically be charged the subscription fee every until you cancel. Renews automatically every , unless you decide to cancel. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
You can pay with non-card methods if you subscribe for 12 months.
Please leave your contact phone number here..
We will reach you soon by Whatsapp at the tel number you provide.
Please enter phone number.

Credit card payment

You have subscribed to this plan already!

Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Turn on notifications
Later
Close
×
Interface Language:
Story Language: