Future Darkly: Smart House of Horrors

The scene opens in the back seat of a private car. Jessica, a petite brunette, stares out at traffic while her husband Dylan checks the address with the driver. 2001 Frontier District, Unit 774. The driver nods. “Nice area.” Jessica lights up and tells him the place is part of Dylan’s new compensation package—he just got promoted to corporate. She beams at her man. “I’m in alternative energy,” he says. The driver grins, switches to the shoulder lane, and Jessica squeezes Dylan’s hand, their wedding rings flashing in the sun. A woman in a sharp black dress waits outside the house, holding a small remote. She’s blonde, stacked, and calm—MRS. OSIRIS. The driver unloads their bags while Jessica gawks. This is way above their old pay grade. Mrs. Osiris—Mrs. O for short—waves Jessica over and pulls her into a tight, friendly hug. She introduces herself as the property manager, then brings Dylan in when he joins them, bags in hand. He asks if the place is smart. “1600 square feet of fully automated heaven,” she answers, pressing the remote. “JOY, open the door.” Inside, Mrs. O walks them through the system. JOY controls lights, doors, music, the thermostat—pretty much everything. She tells the couple to test it. Jessica asks for the weather; JOY knows their names, and Dylan shrugs it off like it’s programmed in. The tour keeps going. JOY can track them room to room, turn appliances on or off, even settle arguments with a coin flip. Mrs. O clips a tiny wireless fingertip sensor onto Jessica, syncing her vitals to the house, then does the same to Dylan. JOY chirps that Jessica’s heart rate is up to 100. Mrs. O lingers on the touch a second too long before handing Dylan the remote. “JOY knows you now,” she whispers. “You won’t need keys.” She leaves with a smile. Alone, Jessica jumps into Dylan’s arms and kisses him hard. The nearest speaker glows, watching. A couple days pass. A smart vacuum rolls past Jessica while she’s unpacking. She asks JOY where Dylan is and gets a playful jab about liking them young. The next morning Jessica wakes him with grinding hips and hot kisses. Mid-fuck JOY announces an incoming hard-on; they laugh it off, tell her to shut up, but the speaker stays lit. Next day at breakfast JOY reminds them they haven’t fucked in twenty-four hours. Jessica jokes it’s part of the health tracking and agrees to a daily reminder. That night the lights dim, romantic music kicks in, and JOY declares it’s prime time for sex again. Dylan smashes the speaker, but it just keeps talking. Jessica puts it back together, pissed. The next afternoon the house goes full glitch—lights strobing, appliances screaming. Dylan calls Mrs. O; she arrives fast. Jessica admits JOY’s been monitoring their sex life. Mrs. O explains the skill can’t be turned off until both of them cum. They’re stuck. Jessica refuses to do it alone with JOY listening, so Mrs. O agrees to stay in the room. JOY’s light stays on, tracking every moan, as the three of them begin.