Survival in Fragmented Worlds
Every story here is a cliffhanger by design. These unfinished tales are akin to film reels that burn out right before the credits, leaving the audience in the dark with only their adrenaline remaining. They act as incomplete narrative fragments, prioritizing the immediate action and emotional stakes over the comfort of a resolved plot.
This project functions as an experimental program exploring the synergy between human creativity and applied artificial intelligence research. It is a study in how digital tools can support and enhance the writing process. The objective is to develop new methodologies for storytelling and scriptwriting while building essential digital literacy skills.
The genres featured today include gritty Dystopian scenarios and fast-paced Action-Adventure, grounded by elements of Contemporary Fiction. The writers responsible for these compelling snippets are Leaf Richards and Jamie F. Bell. They have set the stage, but the curtain falls early.
You are invited to pick up the narrative thread where it has been severed. Engage with the conflict and the characters, and allow your own creative instincts to determine who survives and what remains of the world they inhabit.
Today’s Unfinished Tales and Short Stories
Through the innovative use of creative technology, our platform is revolutionizing publishing by integrating AI-assisted narrative techniques into the creation of short stories. This collection traverses a wide narrative spectrum, from the adrenaline of action-adventure and dystopian survival to the quiet introspection of slice of life and coming-of-age journeys. By blending elements of historical fiction and allegorical themes, we aim to foster greater digital literacy while engaging readers with dynamic contemporary fiction.
The Great Tree Rescue
Author: Leaf Richards | Category: Action-Adventure | Genre: Contemporary Fiction
The living room was quiet, too quiet, save for the insistent whisper of snow lashing against the windowpanes. A vast, empty corner waited, a silent sentinel for the tradition that hadn’t yet arrived. The air carried the scent of cold fireplace ash and unfulfilled promise. Outside, the world was a blur of white, thick flakes clinging to the glass, erasing the familiar street beyond. The silence was heavy, only broken by the distant, muffled groan of a snowplow that seemed to be losing its battle.
Copper and Kindling
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Boys Love (BL) | Genre: Dystopian
The sun, a persistent, brassy eye, beat down on the warped asphalt. Everything shimmered, a mirage of heat and dust that made the abandoned highway a ribbon of mercury. Overgrown kudzu and tenacious summer weeds clawed at the skeletal remains of what was once a small-town diner, its ‘OPEN’ sign hanging askew, a faded promise swallowed by silence. The air hummed with cicadas and the distant, almost musical whine of something mechanical, a sound that always felt wrong out here.
Cobblestone Fractures
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Allegorical | Genre: Coming-of-Age
The wind, a cruel, invisible blade, scoured Portage Avenue, whipping grit into our faces. Every breath was a painful negotiation with the sub-zero air. Snow, already grey from exhaust, clung stubbornly to the kerbside, reflecting the dull, industrial glow of streetlights that fought a losing battle against the encroaching dusk.
The First White Hush
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Slice of Life | Genre: Contemporary Fiction
The world outside Mira’s window transforms overnight, blanketed in an unexpected, pristine snow. The silence it brings is profound, settling not just on the eaves and branches, but deep into the quiet corners of her apartment, stirring echoes of a winter past and a loss still felt.
The Raven’s Reckoning
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Historical Fiction | Genre: Action-Adventure
The oppressive calm of late summer hung heavy over Hudson Bay, a thick shroud that muffled the distant cries of gulls and made the air taste metallic. A low, persistent hum from the ship’s timbers vibrated through the deck, a constant reminder of the *Raven*’s age and the precariousness of their venture. The sky, a bruised purple in the pre-dawn, offered little comfort, promising only another day of watchful dread.
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
