Epic
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
1967 short story by Harlan Ellison
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
"I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is a post-apocalyptic science fiction horror short story by American writer Harlan Ellison, first published in the March 1967 issue of IF: Worlds of Science Fiction. The story centers on the Allied Mastercomputer (AM), a god-like artificial intelligence originally created for military purposes during World War III, which gains sentience and eradicates nearly all of humanity in a fit of hatred toward its creators. AM keeps five human survivors alive in its vast underground complex to endlessly torture them, exacting vengeance against humanity by denying them death. The story's narrator, Ted, details their perpetual misery and quest for canned food, only to face further despair. Ellison's narrative was minimally altered upon submission and tackles themes of technology's misuse, humanity's resilience, and existential horror. "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" has been adapted into various media, including a 1995 computer game co-authored by Ellison, a...
Open boosters, collect cards and trade them. Free to play.
Play for free