Scotty’s Horror Short Showcase: ‘Okay Google’

Written by Scott Edwards

With all of the new technology at our fingertips, it has become so easy to get too accustomed to it. Of course, I am talking about our voice assistants who are able to run our entire homes if wired up correctly. While it could be a chore to have to walk to a room to turn on a light or turn off the television with our fingers, now all we have to do is ask our assistant to do it for us. What a time to be alive, and well, not have to get out of our seats, unless, of course we need to use the bathroom.
​
Getting ready to turn in for the night, a young man has his Google assistant turn off the television.  Getting up to put his water glass away, he hears his assistant say ‘Turn on Upstairs Lights’. Knowing that he did not ask his assistant to do this, he asks it to turn them back off. Watching as the lights turn off, the man notices something or someone lurking around the corner. Needing to know what he saw; the man grabs his fireplace poker and quietly walks up the stairs.

Trying to find out who might be hiding upstairs, the man calls out for the mystery guest to show themselves, but no one is willing to come forward. While searching to make sure that his house is empty, the assistant is told to ‘Play Music’ and is happy to do so. Walking back downstairs to the blaring music, the man unplugs his assistant, but that is not the end of his nightly torment. With his assistant turning on the Laundry Room Lights, the man is forced to see if there is someone messing with him, but once again finds nothing. Turning back to the living room, the man sees a hooded stranger standing in his way. Trying to activate his assistant to get the lights to turn back on so he can see the intruder’s face, the man is shocked when his assistant is not on the same page as he is.

First things first here, if you have a Google assistant set up in your house when you watch this short, it will go nuts and turn your lights on and off, be warned! I must admit that I have not really bought into all of these assistants things as of yet, but when I do, I will need to ensure that my house is not haunted, because as this horror short shows you, anyone with a voice can control them. It was pretty entertaining to see what might happen if your assistant is not really under your control, as whenever someone says, ‘Hey Google’, the device will do whatever it is told and wind up driving you mad. With a malfunctioning voice assistant, lights turning on and off, some music, a fireplace poker, a stranger in the dark and a ghost in the machine, this horror short will make you think twice about hooking up a voice assistant, even if you are looking for a way to make a life a little bit easier. Stay Scared.
​
Watch ‘Okay Google’ on YouTube.

---