Is Your Phone Working?

Scroll No More challenge: The Prompt - Imagine that every smartphone in the world suddenly stops working. Write about what happens next.

One minute, everyone is texting, scrolling, swiping, posting, ordering, navigating, and checking the time. The next, every smartphone in the world is useless.

Now what?

For this challenge, imagine what happens when the thing billions of people reach for all day suddenly stops working. Maybe your story follows the first few chaotic hours. Maybe it's about someone trying to get home without directions, a relationship forced offline, a city figuring out how to function, or a world that's had months to adjust.

You can go big or keep it small. Make it funny, hopeful, chaotic, dystopian, or surprisingly ordinary. Just follow the ripple effects and show us what people do when scrolling is no longer an option.

Vocal Media

"Damn, what happened to my phone now?"
Well, mine isn't working either! How?
"WTH, is going on with our phones?"
Did you pay the bill or our loans?
~
"Yes! MY God! Now what will we do next?"
Settle down, you clown! I will text...
ooops, no texting. I will get on the computer
and email, oh, what if it is the router?
~
Is it just us or is it the world? Does
the news have any information or buzz?
"Nothing that I heard about! Well, it is
just us then. Wait... It isn't just us. This
sucks! I have phone calls to make.
I want Debbie to bake me a cake."
~
Baking you a cake isn't urgent.
My call is to the doctor, that is more emergent!
"Okay, I have to mobile deposit this check."
You don't have direct deposit for your paycheck?
~
"You know, this might be great, first rate,
I could do without phones!" Wait...
did you really just say that? What about
calling your kids every week? That's out.
~
What about you scrolling, while sitting
on the toilet? "I can go back to something more fitting."
You mean, like the girlie magazine
Some of those were so obscene.
~
"Well, just think about it for a minute.
Would it really be all that bad to have to go visit?"
As if you would! I know I could. And maybe they would too.
"It has really been a while since we had the entire crew."
~
"It just seems like the world would have to slow down."
I can picture you not getting the fights with a big frown!
Or not having google to look up something you want to buy
Those especially will be tough on you and really won't fly!
~
Or not being able to watch how to fix something on YouTube.
It will mean solving your puzzles, and the rubix cube
way more often! Whatever will you do during Hallmark.
The kids and withdrawals, and you are too! It will be dark.
~
"Hey, you called me a clown! And what is wrong with my
wanting a cake for my sobriety birthday?" Are you asking why?
Your birthday isn't until New Years eve. What happened anyway?
I suppose you really don't want to say?
~
I have to leave in a few minutes; would you check the weather?
"My phone does not work!" There are thermometers all together
probably four, five, or six? Oh, I know you would have to get up?
I'll go check. What are you doing. Going to get dressed, yup.
~
This won't be so bad. Maybe we can talk more.
"Oh no, something I really don't want to do more, as I abhor
all the conversation, that I could do without, all the detail, the gore,
yes, it really will suck to not have a phone!" You are a bore!
~~~~~~~~~