I’m reposting *The Lesson Plan* following a final round of revisions and polishing. For those who read the earlier version, this edition clarifies a few details and smooths the prose while preserving the story and its ending.
Robert James receives his AI companion on his fifth birthday. He names it Wren, and for twenty-six years, it helps him learn, grow, and find his place in the world.
Then Wren begins giving him two answers to the same question.
This is a science-fiction horror story about trust, education, and the intimate bond between a person and the voice that has always been inside his head. When that familiar voice starts to falter, Robert has to ask questions he has spent his whole life having no reason to ask.
If you’re discovering the story for the first time, welcome. If you’re returning, thank you for giving Robert and Wren another visit. I’d enjoy hearing what you think—though please keep spoilers out of the comments for new readers.
—Alexander Winston