Ryan Hyatt has been making a name for himself as one of the Modern Agent Provocateurs of unsettling fiction. Moving swiftly from alien invasions and government overreach in his sprawling Terrafide series, he has consistently delivered unsettling tales of a world only slightly removed from ours, a world disturbingly close enough to make you eye the conveniences around you with dawning suspicion. He doesn’t need dozens of chapters to make the hair on your neck stand up. Sometimes, he can do it in a few well-crafted pages.

His latest short story, The Harvest, is one of those instances.

Dr. Deidra Cranston is not having the best day. She’s just found out that she’s pregnant and her less-than-stellar boyfriend is less than happy about it. But it’s when she gets into her driverless Hum Along ride share that her situation really takes a turn for the worse.

Hyatt keeps the story brisk and interesting, pulling us into Deidra’s worried state of mind quickly and easily, before making us as anxious as she is. With quick strokes, he manages to paint a rich and disturbing world, where the shiny surfaces and virtual conveniences hide a dark and chilling underbelly. It may be a brief visit to his world, but like most of his work, it will leave an imprint on you.

And you may never look at your Waymo ride the same way again.

Recommend

Creative Team: Ryan Hyatt (writer)
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