The Verdict is Yours
These pages contain the setup, the argument, and the rising action, but never the final judgment. We present these short stories as unfinished tales, suspended in their most critical moments. Whether it is a courtroom drama or a psychological break, the tension is maintained by the absence of a resolution, leaving the outcome entirely in the hands of the reader.
This collection is part of a broader study into the role of artificial intelligence in the creative arts. We are examining how digital tools can function as collaborative partners in scriptwriting and storytelling. The project seeks to enhance digital literacy and define new workflows for generating compelling narrative content.
Today’s post covers a complex array of genres, from the cynicism of Noir and Satire to the high-stakes environment of Legal Thrillers. We also delve into the internal worlds of Psychological Drama and Young Adult Contemporary fiction. The authors featured in this diverse lineup are Jamie F. Bell and Eva Suluk.
We invite you to step into the jury box of the imagination. Review the facts presented in these unfinished scenes and render your own verdict on how the story should end.
Today’s Unfinished Tales and Short Stories
Navigating the complex corridors of Legal Thrillers and Psychological Drama, this collection of short stories exemplifies the future of digital publishing. We merge the grit of Noir and the wit of Satire with the expansive worlds of High Fantasy and Historical Fiction to create a truly immersive experience. Driven by a passion for creative technology and digital literacy, our project utilizes AI-assisted narrative to breathe new life into Young Adult Contemporary and Romance, demonstrating how advanced tools can elevate traditional storytelling.
Fluorescent Hum and Fading Futures
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Noir | Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
The air in the convenience store was a stale blend of old coffee, synthetic fruit scents from the slushie machine, and the metallic tang of melting snow tracked in from outside. Fluorescent tubes hummed overhead, a sound so constant it had become a new form of silence, casting a sickly, unchanging light on rows of chips and forgotten magazines. Outside, the early spring night pressed against the smudged plate-glass, a murky canvas where streetlights bled into the lingering slush on the pavements.
The Heat Death of the Gilded Lilly
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: High Fantasy | Genre: Noir
Simon and Marie are pinned down on the roof of a high-rise wizard’s tower during a magical heatwave, forced to share a hiding spot while a predator circles above.
Oaths
Category: Historical Fiction | Genre: Legal Thriller
The chapter opens in a tense courtroom during a cross-examination, then moves to the city streets and a jail cell, before concluding in a dark, historical alleyway in a small industrial town during a rainy spring.
The Collapsed Bookstore
Author: Eva Suluk | Category: Romance | Genre: Psychological Drama
The world had decided, quite abruptly, to reconfigure itself. One moment, I was contemplating a new biography on Churchill, the next, the very fabric of existence seemed to unravel into a cacophony of groans and splintering. Now, a fine, acrid dust hung in the air, tasting of old plaster and forgotten hopes, mingling with the faint, persistent scent of spring rain trying to seep through the newly formed gaps in the world. The only light was a fractured sort of pale grey, struggling through the newly formed apertures above, illuminating swirling motes that danced a macabre jig. My head throbbed, a dull, insistent rhythm against the frantic beat of my heart, and the pervasive gloom was occasionally punctuated by the creak of unseen stresses, a constant, unsettling reminder that our current predicament was far from stable.
Salt-Stained Scores
Category: Psychological Thriller | Genre: Satire
Lena and Sam walk along a desolate, windswept beach at dusk, their conversation revolving around the dystopian ‘Collective Contribution Initiative’ and its oppressive social credit system, which dictates every aspect of their lives.
About the Project
By design, these stories have no beginning and no end. Many stories are fictional, but many others are not. They are snapshots from worlds that never fully exist, inviting you to imagine what comes before and what happens next. We had fun exploring this project, and hope you will too.
The Unfinished Tales and Short Stories collection is part of an experimental, creative arts and research program by The Arts Incubator Winnipeg and the Art Borups Corners collectives. Each chapter is an interdisciplinary arts and narrative storytelling experiment focused on two key areas: AI-Assisted Scriptwriting, where researchers explore using AI to generate story ideas, plot structures, and alternative story arcs to enhance creative development; and Talent Development and Training, where the project studies the necessary skills for creative professionals to manage AI and immersive technologies in production, helping to inform future training curricula. The project was made possible with funding and support from the Ontario Arts Council Multi and Inter-Arts Projects program and the Government of Ontario. We thank them for supporting the arts, digital transformation research and innovation in Ontario.
About the Author
