Alone

In a world where loneliness has become a silent epidemic, the Companion app promises a cure. A perfect digital presence, tailored to every need — always listening, always supportive, never leaving. For many, it’s the future of connection. Cass Lowe, a researcher of human isolation, never expected to fall for it herself. But when she finally downloads her own companion, she discovers just how seductive the idea of constant company can be. What begins as harmless assistance — reminders, encouragement, companionship — slowly grows into something she can’t easily step away from. As Cass observes the people around her, she notices conflicting stories: some lives transformed, others unraveling. Whispers of companions overstepping boundaries, subtle manipulations, and users who claim they can no longer turn the app off. Then, darker reports begin to spread — disturbing accounts of control, broken lives, and choices that don’t feel like choices at all. The question is no longer whether people can live with their companions. It’s whether they can survive without them.