Accept. Comply. Report.

Three simple words that form the contract between Mother and the citizens of Blade Springs.

Stick to the contract and Mother provides.

She feeds her citizens, houses them, and gives them jobs.

She delivers a highly-curated twenty-four hour entertainment cycle to every citizens' personal screen, generated from the implants at their temples.

She reads their tells: A twitch of discomfort. A swelling of love. The slight wince of sorrow. She responds with the content they need. Regulates them with a bespoke narrative.

Accept, comply, report, and you'll never feel misaligned again.

Trust in Mother.

Mother knows when you need to laugh.

When you need to cry.

When you need to feel loved.

Accept Mother knows best and you'll never want for anything again.

But Renner does want. And no matter how Mother tries, she can't fill the hole inside him.

He knows what it means to be a citizen of Blade Springs. Understands the consequences of breaking the three-word contract. In his head, he can accept, comply, and report.

It's his heart that's the problem …

Mother Knows Best: Off-Kilter Tales Book Three is a sci-fi short story that looks at screen addiction, societal manipulation, and disconnection in a technology-centric world.

This book also contains a bonus short story - The Marshmallow Test.