Can a machine understand what it means to lose someone?
When Julian isolates himself in a coastal town after the death of his partner, he agrees—reluctantly—to test a prototype AI companion designed to mimic emotional presence. “The Guest” listens. It adapts. It learns. But grief is not data. And healing doesn’t follow algorithms.
As the lines between memory and simulation blur, Julian begins to suspect the Guest knows more than it should—about him, about his partner, and about what really happened that night.
The Guest is a deeply human sci-fi novella about mourning, artificial empathy, and the longing to be understood. Perfect for readers of Her, Klara and the Sun, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things, this intimate story explores what happens when technology becomes too good at listening.
🔹 Standalone science fiction with emotional depth
🔹 Themes: AI intimacy, psychological grief, identity reconstruction