Off of the Screen by Alethea Paul

Cleaning out my deceased father-in-law’s basement, I found a cassette labelled “Do Not Watch.” How could I not? If it’s homemade porn, there’s always the eject button.

My heart drops. There’s my wife, Kara. She’s a child. Crying. There’s two of her. My father-in-law asks a question. One version answers. A flash of light eviscerates her.

No blood. Just shadows skittering away.

Gun in hand, my father-in-law runs to Kara. “It’s over, sweetie. Don’t watch it again. Don’t break the cassette, or it will get out.”

I scramble for the eject button, but a mirror of my hand reaches back.

 

 

About the Author

Alethea Paul is a writer in stay-at-home mom’s clothing with first drafts as messy as her floors. Her writing was forged in the depths of internet role play forums and fanfiction, and is now popping up in online publications like Factor Four, ScribesMICRO, and Brilliant Flash Fiction.

BlueSky: @aletheapaul.bsky.social