One original sci-fi story per day for all of 2023 | Created by screenwriter Timothy Michael Cooper, illustrated using A.I.

Knapsack

Knapsack

What do you desire? It’s in this ratty old knapsack. Not just physical objects, but also conceptual ones. You want confidence? Sure. Looks? Done. Wealth, or signifiers thereof? Check, and check again. Physical stamina, longevity, charisma, fame—heck, dragons, time, and stars too. The only thing it can’t account for is what you feel as a result—satisfaction. But that’s not the knapsack’s fault; in the same manner that some lottery winners are overjoyed, while others quickly return to their former misery, that could be what happens here. But you shouldn’t have that problem—just reach into the knapsack and grab more stuff.