In Defense of Simulations by Yelena Crane

Felix knew deleting Simulants because they’d been born the C++ kind of code instead of DNA was wrong. The pro-Human league discovered his collection scanning for excessive energy usage. He had one day to say goodbye.

“You knew we weren’t real all along?” Logan, his best friend, said.

Felix stammered. “You’re real enough.”

“Not where it matters.”

Felix had tried appeals to governments with less hostility against simulations. Simulants have no rights. Simulants didn’t, but he did. Felix said goodbye to reality. Servers buzzing, he plugged in for the last time. So long as he lived, deletion would be murder. 


Yelena Crane juggles being an adjunct professor, a freelance writer, and full-time mom in the storied streets of Philadelphia. With an advanced degree in the sciences, she has followed her passions from mad-scientist to science fiction writer.


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