Weekly Unfinished Tales and Short Stories from our Dataset
Presented here is a curated selection of short stories emerging from our ongoing creative arts, storytelling, and AI research program. While these narratives explore complex themes ranging from the quiet introspection of magical realism to the high-stakes tension of dystopian survival, the underlying project was undertaken primarily for fun, serving as a dynamic playground to support digital literacy skills and to learn what we can do when human creativity collaborates with computational tools.
These specific iterations serve as practical case studies for the project’s broader goals in AI-Assisted Storytelling and Scriptwriting, allowing us to stress-test algorithmic capabilities regarding plot structure, character voice, and thematic consistency. Furthermore, this entirely experimental dataset provides crucial insights for our Talent Development and Training initiative, highlighting the specific interdisciplinary skills creative professionals require to effectively manage immersive technologies and evolve alongside rapid advancements in generative narrative systems.
Today’s Unfinished Tales and Short Stories
The Infinite Stroll
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Epistolary | Genre: Contemporary Magical Realism
The comforting hum of The Portage Coffee House offers a momentary reprieve for Mikael, a young man adrift in the wake of academic completion. Beneath the surface of clattering cups and hushed conversations, he seeks answers to life’s grandest questions, unknowingly engaging with a presence far older and wiser than it appears.
The Scoured Periphery
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Young Adult (YA) | Genre: Action-Adventure
The crisp bite of an autumn afternoon had curdled into something metallic and acrid. The air, usually redolent with damp earth and pine, now carried the tang of ozone and scorched electronics. A low, persistent hum vibrated through the pavement, a sound that had been background noise for weeks, now magnified to a terrifying, palpable threat. Smoke plumed from the east, an angry smudge against the bruised purple of the late afternoon sky, painting the familiar streets in hues of alarm.
The Amber Residue
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Espionage / Spy Fiction | Genre: Magical Realism
A deep autumn chill had settled over Winnipeg, clinging to the brickwork of the old buildings and seeping through the single-paned windows of The Portage Coffee House. Inside, the air hummed with the comforting thrum of the espresso machine and the low murmur of conversation, a stark contrast to the grey, bruised light that bled in from the street, promising an early dusk. Evaline sat hunched, a familiar ache in her lower back, watching the streetlamps flicker to life with a preternatural urgency.
Unchosen Futures
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Epistolary | Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
The wind outside scraped against the frosted windows of The Hearth & Kettle, a desolate howl that felt both ancient and intimately familiar to Winnipeg winters. Inside, the air hummed with the low thrum of the espresso machine and the faint scent of roasted beans, a warm, persistent invitation against the biting cold. Julian Price, already slumped in his usual corner booth, traced the rim of his cooling mug, the condensation a tiny, shifting landscape mirroring the vast, grey expanse of his own uncertainty.
The Green Choke
Author: Jamie F. Bell | Category: Young Adult (YA) | Genre: Action-Adventure
The Whispering Woods had always been a place of quiet solitude, ancient trees guarding their secrets. Now, an unnatural, virulent green glow pulsed within its depths, clinging to every branch, every rock, and every strand of the old hydro lines that snaked through its heart. The air itself seemed heavy, charged with the sickly-sweet scent of decay and something metallic, like ozone. It was a suffocating beauty, a silent, creeping invasion.
Design Notes and Applied Research
This daily collection integrates diverse genres, ranging from Contemporary Magical Realism to high-stakes Action-Adventure, to examine the intersection of traditional narrative structures and modern digital tools. By applying research methodologies to subjects such as Epistolary formats and Espionage fiction, we explored how emerging technologies can assist in complex world-building and plot development. The inclusion of Young Adult and Contemporary Fantasy themes further highlights the versatility of these new technical skills in addressing varied audience demographics.
Beyond the technical application, this initiative served as a dynamic experiment in collaborative creativity and the digital transformation of the arts. Participants engaged in an enjoyable process that tested the boundaries of automated storytelling while simultaneously refining their own inquiry-based research approaches. Ultimately, these stories demonstrate the significant educational value found in combining playful experimentation with rigorous artistic development.
About the Project
The Unfinished Tales and Short Stories collection was an interdisciplinary arts and narrative storytelling experiment in 2025. It was part of a creative arts and participatory research project by The Arts Incubator Winnipeg and the Art Borups Corners collectives. It focuses on two key areas: AI-Assisted Storytelling and Scriptwriting, exploring AI tools for generating ideas, plot structures, and story arcs; and Talent Development and Training, studying digital skills, literacy and training needs for creative professionals by experimenting with AI and immersive technologies to inform future projects. Funding and support were generously provided by the Ontario Arts Council Multi and Inter-Arts Projects program and the Government of Ontario. We thank them for supporting the arts, digital transformation, and applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) research.
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