Chuck Wendig posted a flash fiction challenge on his blog to write a horror(ish) short story in the framework of spam email. I immediately loved the idea and I don't write much horror so it was a fun change of pace. This is the first 300 words that fell out of my brain as a result.
LONELY GIRL WAITING 4 YOU
From: Houston Medical <0239142726@houstonmed.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 10:25 AM
Subject: LONELY GIRL WAITING FOR YOU
20394801011103948872.35BPM // Are you there? Do you hear me? Thank god... how does this even work. I feel like this is working.
I need your help...it's hard to think, hard to do this, everything is slippery. Forgive me.
They say it's a coma, but it's not. I'm here. I can hear them. I can feel the cold metal, chilled air. I can hear the beep, beep, beep of machines. I'm not sure how I got here. I...it was prom, just prom night with Charlie. But now I'm here. I'm not asleep, I'm alive. The doctors won't talk to me. They just talk to each other. And the machines.
Call them, tell them I'm alive. Tell them I'm here. Tell them...
Or just respond, talk to me. Please? OK? Whoever you are? Its cold here. I'm alone...lonely.
My name is Christine.
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From: Houston Medical <0239142726@houstonmed.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 12, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Subject: RE: LONELY GIRL WAITING FOR YOU
Hi you.
Words are getting harder. Doing this...talking to the machine, talking to you...is getting harder.
The machines are only ones I have to talk to. You must not have called...but the doctors come by less. I just lie here, with the sheets, and the beeps. Everything is getting harder. But I'm here...I really am here. Someone has got to believe me.
You didn't call, did you? What kind of asshole ignores a message like this? I'm not dead!
Sorry...I didn't mean to call you asshole. Just...why won't you call. Why won't you talk to me? Please?
From: Houston Medical <0239142726@houstonmed.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 12, 2014 at 9:12 PM
Subject: RE: LONELY GIRL WAITING FOR YOU
20394801011103948872.15BPM // NO STOP NOT DEAD. Please machines not tell them to stop. Bright lights cold table. Mask tubes knife. Pleaseno I am here I feel stop. Machines get help GET YOU. Make them stopSTOPstopst00p ///
Just talk respond. Tell me you. Tell me a story. tell me it is OK nullERRORno // Men hurt machines talk whySTOP
ERROR: My name was Christine.