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Mystery Horror Contemporary

Evelyn had always felt like something was off in her life. She had a nagging sense that reality was just out of reach, like she was living in a dream. She thought she was going crazy until the glitches started. At first, they were small. She would catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye that wasn't there when she turned to look. Shadows would stretch and twist in unnatural ways. But as time went on, the glitches became more frequent and intense.

Evelyn sat at her desk, staring blankly at her computer screen. It was just another typical day at the office, or so she thought. Suddenly, the cursor on her screen flickered and the image on her screen distorted before her very eyes. She rubbed her eyes, thinking it was just a trick of the light, but when she looked back, the distortion remained. Panic set in as she tried to exit out of the program, but it wouldn't budge. The screen flickered even more violently, and strange symbols and letters she couldn't comprehend appeared on the screen. Suddenly, the computer shut off on its own and the lights in the room flickered, casting eerie shadows on the wall. Evelyn's heart raced as she got up from her desk and tried the light switch, but it wouldn't turn on. The room was plunged into darkness, and she felt a cold hand wrap around her neck. She tried to scream but no sound escaped her lips.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the lights flickered back on, and the cold hand vanished. Evelyn stumbled back, gasping for air and feeling disoriented. She looked around the room, but everything was back to normal. She told herself it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, but she couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The rest of the day went by in a haze, and Evelyn couldn't focus on her work. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, feeling like something was watching her.

Over the next few days, the glitches continued. Her computer would randomly shut off, objects in the room would move on their own, and she would hear strange noises in the middle of the night. It was as if her reality was starting to unravel, and she couldn't trust what she was seeing or hearing. Evelyn tried to talk to her co-workers about what was happening, but they just looked at her like she was crazy. She started to feel like she was losing her mind.

One night, she was lying in bed when she heard a strange sound coming from her closet. She got up and cautiously approached the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She slowly opened the door and was met with a terrifying sight. Her clothes were floating in mid-air, as if they were being held up by an invisible force. She backed away in horror, but the clothes started flying towards her, wrapping themselves around her body like tentacles. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the clothes dropped to the floor and everything was back to normal. Evelyn stumbled back, gasping for air and feeling disoriented. She looked around the room, but everything was back to normal. She knew she had to get out of her apartment and get help, so she packed a bag and left in the middle of the night. She stayed at a hotel for a few nights, but the glitches continued to follow her. It was as if something was trying to keep her from leaving. Desperate for answers, Evelyn turned to a paranormal investigator. The investigator told her that she was experiencing glitches in her reality because she had stumbled upon a portal to another dimension. The portal was unstable, and the glitches were a sign that it was starting to unravel.

The investigator warned her that if the portal fully unraveled, it would mean the end of her reality as she knew it. Evelyn was horrified, but she also felt a sense of determination to fix the portal and save her reality. With the help of the paranormal investigator, Evelyn discovered that the key to closing the portal was to confront the source of the instability, a powerful entity known as the Glitch. It was said that the Glitch was a manifestation of all the fears and negative emotions in her mind, and it was feeding off of her fear to grow stronger. Evelyn was skeptical at first, but as the glitches became more frequent and intense, she knew she had to face her fears and confront the Glitch. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the task ahead.

She entered a realm of pure darkness and felt the Glitch's presence all around her. It whispered dark thoughts in her ear and tried to manipulate her, but Evelyn stood her ground. She refused to be consumed by fear and instead channeled her inner strength. The Glitch appeared before her in its true form, a being of pure darkness and terror. It towered over her, threatening to consume her, but Evelyn refused to back down. She faced the Glitch head-on and used her courage to break its hold on her mind. As the Glitch was defeated, the portal started to close. The darkness lifted, and the room was flooded with light. Evelyn opened her eyes to find herself back in her apartment, but everything was different. The world was clearer, and the colors were brighter. She felt a sense of peace and calm she had never felt before.

She realized that by facing the Glitch and her fears, she had not only saved her reality but had also freed herself from the negative emotions that had been holding her back. The glitches had been a test, and she had passed. From that day on, Evelyn lived life with a newfound sense of purpose and clarity. She no longer felt the fear and uncertainty that had consumed her before. She had faced her fears and had come out the other side a stronger, braver person.

February 08, 2023 19:38

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2 comments

Deb Runyon
15:41 Feb 18, 2023

Hi Charisma: Your story creates an atmosphere of uneasiness within the total breakdown of one's reality. I was drawn in immediately as I perused your words, sympathizing with Evelyn's plight to overcome her own fears and finding a bit of courage to contemplate my own. Well done!

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Wendy Kaminski
02:29 Feb 13, 2023

Very good parable about facing our fears and breaking the stranglehold they have over our lives, C.E.! Thanks for the interesting story, and welcome to Reedsy!

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