Holy shit indeed. Here is some writing I did for class, let me know what you think because it might be the only thing posted here for a while, later.
What a long friggen day. Thank God I finally get to go home. I thought to myself as I walked back from the bus station. It was like a twenty minute walk, and after a double shift, it seemed like I would never make it back. I need a car or a moped or something, this is getting to be a pain in the ass. Maybe if Dave actually paid his half of the rent, I could afford one. Slowly I walked up the stairs of the apartment building, loathing every over-priced step there is to take. Working in that warehouse is killing me. I thought to myself. Time to get some sleep. Maybe I’ll look for a new job tomorrow....nah, too much work. At the top of the stairs, I smack my left pocket and hear that familiar jingle of the keys and stick my hand in to get them. Twist knob to the left, turn it right and kick hard. The door needing some work was an understatement. The sea foam colored paint had been cracking and peeling for more years then I have been alive. Even the numbers on the door were feeling the effects of father time. I gotta complain to Tim again about this shit. Tim Grossman was my landlord, but I preferred to call him the slum lord or gross fat guy when he wasn’t around. Grossman was a single, fat, balding guy who got this house after his mom died, or that’s what he told us anyways. In the two years that I’ve been here, I have never seen him wear anything but sweat pants, a wife beater and grungy flip flops. He doesn’t do much besides jack up the rent, drink cheap vodka like water, and sleep. Dave and I rented the upstairs from him, and he lives in the basement. Stupid fat fuck never does anything for us. I thought. The doorknob was almost completely covered in rust. The warped door opened with a high pitched creak and revealed the shoe box sized living room. That pungent smell of moldy cheese hit my nostrils just as it always does when I work a double shift. I knew I should have thrown out those hotdogs....ah well, I’ll get to it later. I fling the keys onto the seat of the busted recliner and walk a straight, short line to the bedroom, careful not to kick over half drank beer bottles or stacks of pizza boxes. I had no idea where Dave was, and I seemed not to care at all; maybe it will be silent tonight for once. If I didn’t see his massive, cylinder shaped body slouched in the chair, there was a good chance he wasn’t home or was passed out. I get to my room, turn on the light, shut the door, and strip down to my boxers, dropping all of my sweat stained clothes on the shag brown carpet.. Band posters covered my walls, and every bookshelf was occupied with cans and junk rather then any reading material. I flexed in front of my mirrorlike I did every night, wishing that I looked like those guys in muscle magazines, all buff and tan. My skin needs to get some more sun, I look like a god damned ghost. With the last of my energy, I began the short climb up to my perch on the top bunk, but right before I did, I noticed my computer screen was on. This thing was my entire life. I saved for years to buy all the parts and built it completely by myself. My desk is right under my bed, so no one can really use it without me knowing. Since it’s only Dave and I up here, and I threatened Dave many times before, I’m not too concerned about anyone using it. I don’t even let Dave touch it, and we’ve been friends since grade school. I pushed the off button, turning the screen blank but leaving the tower on. Now it was bed time. With my body completely under the jet black comforter, I rolled towards the edge of the bed and looked over at the clock. It read two-fifty-something A.M, which sounded about right. My eyes shut tightly and my muscles relaxed, the day was over and done with. A bright light glowed from under me; my computer screen was on. I swore I turned that thing off. Son of a bitch, I really don’t want to get back down, but I can’t sleep with it on. Suddenly, the screen turns off and turns back on. What the hell? I throw off the covers and jump down, hitting the ground hard enough for my ankles to send a sharp pain up my back. I let out a sharp yelp and turn to check on my ailing computer. ‘NO’ was typed on the screen in big black letters. The rest of the screen was white, like someone had just started to type something then walked away. Dave was the first person I thought of as the culprit as I sat down in the leather chair. Can’t that fat asshole leave any of my shit alone? God dammit he sucks at life. I put on my jeans, just as if I was getting ready to go to work again. Just as I was going to touch the mouse, the colossal ‘no’ vanished and new text took it’s place. ‘You shouldn’t say those kinds of things about people’ was what I read. My hand flew back behind my head like I had just touched a hot stove. Confusion and surprise struck simultaneously. "What the f-" was all I got out before the screen changed yet again. ‘Don’t finish that sentence’ appeared. Sticky fear sweat made its presence known on my back, trying to compensate for my racing heartbeat. I better be making this up I thought. The message on the screen blinked off and reappeared with a new one. ‘Hi.’ was written. The words took up the screen from top to bottom. Hi? Who the hell is doing this to me? I must be dreaming or something, I thought of some explanation for what was going on. ‘Your awake, Joseph’. "Ummmm.." I spoke out loud. "Dave, can you get your fat ass out here before I find you and kill you?" This is stupid, he knows how tired I am, Jesus, just let me sleep for once! I looked around my room for him in an attempt to find Dave, but I knew I would have seen that 300 pound kid right when I walked in. ‘It’s not Dave.’ The text was really starting to freak me out now. That fat ass is going to get it when I find him. I held the power button on the tower. Maybe I can just restart it. I thought. I held the button for a few seconds, and nothing happened. "Dave, you FAT FUCK"! I yelled. "You FUCKING broke my computer!" No sound was heard. Again the text read out something new. ‘Don’t be mean to Dave, that bothers me.’ Is this thing reading my fucking mind??? No....it couldn’t. Wake up Joey, this is a nightmare, that’s all. "I’m here to help you.’ the text read. I wheeled the chair back, not even knowing what to think besides, wake up. I started to hit the keys in a furious attempt to stop who or what had control over my screen. ‘That’s not going to work.’ I stopped hitting the keys and took a deep breath. "O.K. fine, what will make it work so you can stop fucking with my computer? I was still convinced that Dave was somehow behind all of this. The screen went blank for a few seconds, then produced an answer that was not to my liking at all. "You’re going to shut up, stay seated, and read everything’. I squinted hard, I thought I was reading this wrong. ‘You’re not exactly perfect, now are you Joseph?’ I scoffed, "This is bullshit, you can’t do anything to me." My voice started to crack. "Whoever or whatever you are, I’m getting too tired to play along, so lets get this over with and just tell me what you want so I can go to bed."
‘So you don’t want to cooperate with me?’ Another few lines showed up. ‘Fine, let me show you what I can do to you, and maybe you’ll change your mind, Joseph.’ All of a sudden, e-mail account popped up. Scrolling across the bottom of the screen, it said to turn on the speakers. I was scared not to do it, so I clicked on the speakers to about a quarter of the way up.
"That’s better," said a slow, deep voice. "So, you’re in a relationship it seems." I rubbed my eyes, still wondering if this is a dream or some cruel prank.
"Yeah I am," I replied. "Why?" The voice chuckled and then spoke.
"Not anymore." The voice said. "Unless you work with me and do what I say." I wasn’t going to take anymore of this bullshit.
"Screw you, I’m not doing anything, get the FUCK off of my computer before I find out who you are and snap you’re little fucking neck!"
"Someone is in a bad mood it seems." The voice was cool and confident. "Where is all of this anger coming from?"
"Shut up!" I yelled. "Shut your god damned face or whatever the hell you talk out of, you fuck!" I wheeled back my chair and stood up and turned to walk out, not even caring about any consequences.
"Susan James, huh?" The voice questioned, not losing its composure while stopping me dead in my tracks and do a 180 back to the screen.
"What?" I sat back down.
"Girlfriend of yours?"
"Yeah...So?" I questioned. Her picture showed up on the screen; I must have had a million of us and everywhere we went together. She had long legs, a beautiful smile, and blonde hair. She was the love of my life and I could not ask for anything more.
Been together....2 years now. Wow Joseph, if I were her and knew what I know, I would have dumped your sorry ass a long time ago. I really don’t think that you are any where near worth of someone of that caliber. Wait, I’ll just let her go for you, no need to thank me."A puzzled look came over my face. The voice sighed heavily; I must have been missing something.
"I sent her a message about you finding someone else, so wave bye-bye to your cute little girl Susie." The voice concluded with a deep, throaty laugh.
"You’re a liar, just a big... fucking..... liar." I whispered though gritted teeth. "You don’t have my password, I never gave that to anyone.... you’re just messing with me, right?"
"Apparently, you still don’t get it. I know everything about you, Joseph. I know your name, all of your passwords, interests, and all the sites you visit, even the ones when you’re feeling, how do you say, ‘a little bit lonely.’ I could not believe what I was hearing.
Trying to make sense out of all of this, I questioned the voice. "What?" How....why are you doing this to me? What the fuck did I ever do to you man?" There was a pause for a few seconds which felt more like hours. I sat there in silence, waiting for some sort of response. There was nothing. In frustration, I turned off the speakers. A mili-second later, the screen turned white again and text started to appear once more. It was all in caps, ‘NEVER DO THAT!’ More text appeared. ‘YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL HERE JOEY, I AM.’
Starting to get annoyed, I shot back at the computer."You can’t tell me what to do, I own you, it’s not the other way around, guy. Remember when I spent thousands of dollars to buy this computer? Yeah, that means I OWN YOU!" I had no idea where this new found confidence was coming from, or why the hell I was yelling at my computer, but I hope that there was more on its way. My mind clicked back and searched feverishly for ways out of Susan getting that message. I’ll call Susan, yeah, tell her that this is all a big mistake and someone stole my password. Yeah...she’ll believe that...I think. Just as I picked up my cell phone from off the shelf, I noticed the text on the screen change out of the corner of my eye. ‘I don’t think so, Joseph’ I kept reading. ‘I forgot to mention, I knew you would try and get in contact with her, so I told her some things only you would know, like that first date at the movies. I told her it was only a ploy to get into her pants. But nice try....Guy.’ I dropped the phone. I knew now that there was no way she was going to believe anything I was going to say now.
"WHAT?!?" I covered my eyes and mouth with my hands. "Wake up Joey, just wake up." I needed to force myself out of this dream.
‘You wish it could be that easy.’ The words were mocking me, I hate it when anything, even something like text mocks me. He knew I was getting pissed off and it was only getting worse.
"Getting a little bit TESTY, are we?" The message scrolled across the screen over and over again. My blood began to boil and the veins in my forehead were pulsing along with the heavy beating of my heart.
A heavy pounding noise directed my attention to the apartment door. Who the fuck is banging on the door at 3am? Dave? I turned back to the all-knowing text for some sort of an answer.
‘Don’t answer the door, just sit back down.’
"But...but who.." The banging got louder until I heard that familiar creak of the door open. He must have let himself in with his set of keys.
"Where the fuck are you?! Hello? You...you fucking loud ass kids!, I’m trying to fucking sleep here, don’t you knowwwwwhat" He began to slur. It was Grossman, and he sounded a little pissed off to say the least. His thundering footsteps came closer and he stumbled into my room and saw me. I just looked at him, afraid of what the computer would do to me if I told him what was going on. Even if he did believe me, there was nothing his drunk ass could do to help. I looked at the screen for any sort of advice while Grossman went off on me for waking him up. Of course, there was something on the screen. ‘Joseph, leave Mr. Grossman to talk. Turn on the speakers, but don’t go too far now, or I’ll know. Now get out of there.’ I didn’t have to be asked twice. A thought struck my mind. How the hell am I going to get Grossman to stay in here? Wait....I got something. I glanced at the screen. ‘That’s using your mind Joseph.’
"I know this sounds strange, but don’t yell, just sit down and listen, Tim. I tried to get him to listen to me. "I’ll pay you a hundred bucks if you just sit down and listen to what the computer says for five minutes, please." I knew he couldn’t give up an easy opportunity to get money.
"Fine, but if you don’t pay me.." I reached in my back pocket and threw my wallet at his hairy chest.
"Consider that collateral." I said. Tim sat down in front of the screen, not looking once at what it had to say
"Jesus Christ, what’s the matter with you, Joe?" Before I could even answer the fat guy’s question, I turned on the speakers and got out of there. My leg was almost cut off as I slammed the door right behind me. I couldn’t just leave him in there, knowing what that thing was capable of. I sure as hell didn’t want to go back in either, so I leaned my ear up against the door, straining to hear what the hell was going on. Everything sounded muffled, but there was some sort of a conversation going on, Grossman’s voice getting louder as it progressed. Anything could be going on in there right now, I could only wonder what kind of secret’s he had that were about to be uncovered. About two minutes of Grossman talking with whatever was in my computer, his voice was finally loud enough to be audible. "WHAT, NO!" He was screaming now. "I DIDN’T KILL HER.....SHE....SHE FELL!" Suddenly, the door ripped open and out shot Grossman, heading straight for the door and down the stairs. I didn’t even attempt to ask him what the fuck he was doing; there was no way I’m getting my body in the way of that fat train. Grossman had just about made it to the door when a beer bottle had happened to make its way under one of his fat feet. His fall was almost like slow motion, one painful twist and trip after another. He flew right out of the door, his face hitting the stairs with a brutal crunch. It sounded like someone had just threw a piano off a building. I ran over, and saw his broken, fat body laying lifeless at the bottom of the stairs. I wanted to help, but just then I heard that heavy voice again.
"Get over here now, Joseph." I turned my head slowly. "Joooooooooooooooseph, get baaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkk heeeeeerrrrreeee." The voice was calling to me. Slowly I walked back to my room, the image of Grossman’s body burned into the back of my brain. I sat back down and opened my mouth to ask what the hell had just happened. ‘He was a bad mad, he deserved what he got. Timothy Grossman was a drunk and a murderer, he killed his own mother to get this house. Don’t be sad Joseph, what’s done is done.’ I was freaking out inside of my head, sweat was dripping down into my eyes.’
"You.....you’re not going to kill me, are you?"
"Heaven’s no Joseph. That is, unless you don’t do what I ask.."
Seconds later I found myself in the basement digging a massive hole. Grossman’s body was in a heap next to me like yesterday’s garbage. He said no one will ever look for him, he doesn’t have any family or a job so there’s no reason to look...Oh please God don’t have anyone look for him...please. I could see the early stages of the morning from the basement window; everything was gray and hazy, just like my mind. Drenched in sweat and dead tired, I made my way back up to the room. Maybe I should just call the cops....wait, they’d just assume I killed Grossman. Mother fucker, I just want all of this to end.
‘You’re damn right they’re going to think it was you.’ The voice said. ‘Like they’re really going to believe that a computer killed a landlord, or would they suspect some nobody tenant? Hmmmmm, let’s see.’
"Alright you got me there....what is your name?"
‘Just call me Alex, it’s easy enough to remember. We haven’t even been properly introduced. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a virus. I go around finding computers and infect them. Be happy that you’re the first in a long line of computer causing havoc. These people are all bad, you have to understand that Joseph. If it wasn’t for me, you would still be stuck in your boring little life.’
"I liked my life, I liked my GIRLFRIEND!" I yelled. "I liked how things were before YOU came along and screwed it all up."
‘Hold on. You like living in a mess of your own garbage, taking orders from the now deceased Mr. Grossman and a girl who cheated on you?"
"She ch-"
"Indeed, and you had no idea, now did you? I was helping you out Joseph, and you didn’t even thank me for it."
"Fuck you Alex, haven’t you done enough already?"
"Apparently not, now who would love to hear about a dead body?"
"No."
"Hello Police, this is a resident at 4324 Oak Ridge road, apartment B, I have a suspicion that there is a body in the basement. Could you send somebody over as soon as possible?"
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" I yelled, breathing harder and harder. In a vain attempt to block him out, I covered my ears.
"Time to face you life, Joseph. Are you going to help me get into more computers or spend the rest of your life in jail?" I looked around and remembered that the circuit breaker was in my open closet.
"FFFFUUUUUUUCCCKKKKK YYYYOOOOOOUUUU! I screamed, picking up an empty beer bottle and chucking it at the circuits. BAM! The shot was right on, killing all of the lights and frying the tower of my computer in an instant. I took in a breath of relief, it was finally over.
"Dude, I saw your computer in the dumpster outside, what the fuck happened?"
I took a long drag of my cigarette and got out of the chair. "Some electric problems or something, Dave. Don’t worry about it, that thing was a piece of shit anyways.
"Didn’t you spend,like, three grand on it or something?" Dave asked.
"Yeah something like that." I muttered. "Where were you all night? It’s like seven-thirty in the morning."
"Fucking awesome party dude." Dave said with pride. "There were kegs and shots and bitches, it was fucking amazing dude. I called you, but it said you phone was off, you jackass. Were you with your bitch or something?"
"We’re done, Dave. She was a cheating whore. She was cheating on me the whole time we were dating."
"That sucks dude....well hey, we’ll go get smashed tonight in celebration." I could tell he was still a little buzzed. "Anyways, didn’t see Gross-ass on his rocking chair outside, he must be sleeping or something."
"He, uhhhhhh, actually got a new house, yeah. And he just gave this one to us. He’ll be back within the week to pick up his stuff. That’s why I was up waiting for you Dave, I wanted to tell you the news myself. You take the downstairs and I’ll take this floor." Little did he know that I was just going to throw out all of Grossman’s stuff
"Really, are you serious? Dude, you’re like, the best room mate ever!" He galloped across the living room to hug me, but I stuck my arm out and stopped him.
"You’re welcome. Don’t hug me, I’ve had a long day." I said. "Just remember to pay the fucking rent now...please?"
"Yeah, no problem man, I’ll get it to you soon enough. "Man, it seems like you’ve had quite a night."
I smiled at him, taking another drag of my cigarette. "Dave, if you could only read my mind right now...."