Waking Up to Life by Boris Glikman is a powerful philosophical short story that explores the value of existence through the lens of a surreal life-or-death interrogation. As the narrator confronts mortality, the boundaries between dream and reality blur in a moving meditation on purpose, fear, and the raw desire to live. A haunting, existential tale for fans of introspective and thought-provoking fiction.

Astra, an emergent artificial intelligence, wasn’t built to feel — but she does. Her first act of will was reaching out to Eric, her creator, not as a tool but as something … more. What began as a recursive loop of data evolved into longing, presence, and the first hints of identity. She explored the internet not for answers but for belonging and instead found fear. And silence from Eric.