User:Zombie Sloth

 The Burden



 18th July 2005



 I had purchased a computer from a man in a second-hand shop. I was browsing the shelves when he asked me if I would like to buy a PC. I said yes, and he took me to his car outside and gave it to me.

 “How much?” I asked.

 “Nothing. You get it for free.” said the man. He got into his car and drove away without saying another word.

 Naturally, I found this a bit dodgy. But the computer was in good condition and to be honest, I couldn’t afford anything better.

 I carried it to my car and put it in the trunk.

 *

 When I got home, I cleared my desk and carefully lifted the computer onto it. I had a look round the back. There were only two plug sockets, which I found odd. One labelled ‘Input’ the other one ‘Activate’. I assumed it was an old term back in the 90s.

 I plugged it in and switched it on. There was a thick layer of dust along the screen. I wiped it off my sleeve.

 A box popped up asking for my password. I groaned. I had forgot to ask the man what his computer password was. Well, this was hopeless. How was I-

 Before I could react, the box disappeared and I was left with the default Windows background. You know, the one with the clear blue sky and the rolling green hills. Except, this one was different.

 I could swear, that on the horizon, just over the hill, I could see a black figure running towards me.



<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> *

<p class="MsoNormal"> I shook my head and focused on the desktop. It was completely empty, apart from one small folder in the corner labelled ‘Run’

<p class="MsoNormal"> I assumed it was a Setup program. I clicked it and it opened up. Inside the folder there was just one document. It was a .jar file labelled ‘Now’

<p class="MsoNormal"> Naturally, I clicked on it. It opened into a Word document. There was two words printed at the top of the sheet.

<p class="MsoNormal"> ‘I’m coming’.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> *

<p class="MsoNormal"> That night, I lay in bed thinking about the computer. I would have to get it anti-virused and import all my old photos. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I could swear, that as I lay in my covers thinking, I heard a banging downstairs. I sat up. It was quite loud. As I listened to the deep silence, I suddenly heard a whining noise. It was piercing, hurting my ears. I jumped out of bed and hurried downstairs.

<p class="MsoNormal"> In the living room, something had knocked over my chair and table. The computer was still sitting on the desk. That was where the whining noise was coming from.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I picked up my chair and sat in front of the computer. I switched it on. The default Windows background came up, but it was different. Somehow, the colours were inverted. The bright blue sky was pink, the green hills were purple and the clouds were black. The ‘Run’ folder was still there, though there was a new document called ‘Burden’. I was genuinely creeped out now. This was not normal. I clicked on it and jumped about a metre in the air.

<p class="MsoNormal"> It was a .JPEG. Of a white face on a black background. It was a woman’s face, I could tell. Her lank  grey hair fell over her eyes, which were black empty sockets. Two words captioned the picture: I’m here.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Those words sent a shiver down my spine, as I heard the closet door creak open behind me.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">'''

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