4 stories

Technological Failure Apocalypse Stories

A technological failure apocalypse begins when the systems modern life depends on stop working: electrical grids, satellites, logistics networks, water treatment, communications, transport, finance, or industrial supply chains. Whether caused by EMP, solar flare, cyberattack, negligence, or cascading breakdown, these stories explore how quickly convenience becomes dependency and how fragile civilization feels when the lights stay off.

Read original technological failure apocalypse short stories on this page from world-class authors, selected from the Ash Tales archive.

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Ripples on deep blue water in low light, interrupted by broad digital fragments and small coloured blocks.

Fourteenth Birthday Chat

Sharni Wilson

“Hear that si–” …lence, boy? That’s right, the generator’s down.

Green aurora above dark mountains and still water, interrupted by broad digital fragments and small coloured blocks.

After the Storm

Calum Parker

It has been one month since the solar storm and it doesn’t look like the power is coming back on.

An isolated offshore structure on pale, still water, interrupted by broad digital fragments and small coloured blocks.

Osprey

Chris Preston

Date: June 3rd, 262 P.B. – 10:13 PM

An empty stairwell with pale walls and wooden steps, interrupted by broad digital fragments and small coloured blocks.

Heat and Darkness

Edward Rubin

When the impending heatwave was announced, with a warning that people should plan to stay inside their homes for at least a week, my first thought was that this would be an opportunity to move in with Dahlia. Given her health problem, she was likely to need help.