Crosshatch

## Crosshatch by Abraxas

The scorching sun had started to set outside my window. I had just completed my daily errands, and around 8.00 am every evening, I kept the rest of my free time to work on my drawings. I found it convenient to use this routine, as computer jobs could take some time.

My parents had left home for a week or so, because my grandmother had been very sick, and they thought it would be good to assist her; for this I had been left alone at home. I had sat at my everyday workstation; with the monitor facing me, on the right there was my computer and on the left the illustrations on my tablet. Everything was in place, and I began to draw.

After a couple of minutes, I had started working on some drafts, I remembered that I had not checked the e-mail for some time. I have always wanted to be nice in responding to others on my works of art; helped keep my motivation strong. I saved the drawings on the desktop and entered the profile of my e-mail. As I had already assumed, my mailbox was invaded by every type of mail: at the top right corner of the page was reported that I had two hundred messages, it did not leave me very surprised. I could not even remember the last time I checked the messages. So, without further hesitation, I started to scroll through the list. There was nothing out of the ordinary: most of the messages were useless newsletters or spam. With disappointment,

After what had been a good five minutes, I was coming to the end of my messages. Eliminate that, eliminate the other, until I have reached the fourth last message. Although he looked like another spam mail, looking more closely, I noticed that it was very different from the emails I had received. Normally, with my email profile, it was always specified where and from whom the message was sent. As for this in particular, it was not at all indicated where it came from. From the title of the message I read simply:

"Crosshatch".

Many people with their heads on their shoulders would have said never to open such messages, and that it would be better to eliminate them and move on. Without hesitation, I moved the cursor over the message box.

Even though I had not clicked on it yet, the message opened on its own. At a glance, the content seemed to me empty, without writings or files, just an empty e-mail. This was my first impression, then I looked at the right side of my screen and noticed that the scroll bar was far lower than before, stating that I could still scroll down in the message.

As I expected, there was a writing towards the end.

"X\_x"

The letters were: 'x' underline 'x'. It almost looked like a kind of face.

A file was right under it and was named: 'crosshatch'. I chuckled, this was obviously a kind of strange scam or some mail sent to the wrong address. I disconnected and closed the window, starting to think about going back to my drawings. I did not want to click on the file, just in case it was some sort of virus. I would have asked my father to help me get rid of him when he returned. He knew how to do things like this.

Without further ado, I returned to my illustrations, which lasted a good seven minutes or so.

Then, I started to notice that my computer had started to become slower than usual. Of course, it was not too uncommon for me. I did not expect any perfect performance from my computer, anyway. I have always had the same for more than 6 years. A mouse a little late was certainly the last of my concerns.

But it was really slow; almost to the point where the mouse cursor could no longer move. I shook the mouse and restarted the computer. Windows started normally and the usual soundtrack was heard before the desktop appeared. To my great relief, my drawings were still there. However, just a few moments before clicking on my files and going back to my drawings, I noticed a file under them, which certainly was not there before. It was a jpeg file, named 'crosshatch'. Good God, how did he get on my computer if I had not even downloaded it? Annoyed, I checked the history of my downloads to check if I had saved the file by mistake. There was no download related to 'crosshatch'.

I did not want to dig deeper into that situation because I was not entirely sure what that file was. It could be a virus, and having had experiences in the past, I knew how horrible and difficult it could be to eliminate them. Since that time, I've always tried to keep away from downloads that are not secure; but the most disturbing part of the situation, in the first place, was that I had not saved the file and that he had found only one way to get on my computer.

I could not help but feel curious about the situation, I do not know what pushed me to do it, but I clicked on the file. I thought that a jpeg could not infect the computer and that maybe there was a misunderstanding or a sort of technical problem.

As I expected, an image appeared on my screen. I had felt a little relieved that it was not something too weird; but, it was still a bit disturbing. It was the image of a girl with white skin and hair, wearing what looked like a huge black sweatshirt. What alarmed me a little, were his eyes. They were pure black, with some small bright blue dots in the center of each.

I seldom found images that conveyed a sense of discomfort so strong, but the way she was staring at me ... it was as if she was looking me straight in the eye, with an intimidating grin on her pale face.

I shook my head. At least I knew it was nothing too weird, nothing more than a stupid jpeg file. I sighed slightly annoyed and clicked on 'delete'.

This was a bit 'sorry, because the moment I had clicked on the image, I would have JUST to see his expression change, even if it was just a jpeg file. A text box popped out.

"It hurts".

My stomach had started to contract. What gruesome individual would ever create such a virus ...?

I clicked again on 'delete', hoping for the best. The screen flickered a couple of times, while the girl's expression had begun to become more and more upset. The same text box was popped out every time I clicked delete. Becoming increasingly frustrated, I clicked for the last time on 'delete'.

The screen had begun to shell as the text box had popped out, trembling violently.

"IT HURTS A LOT!!!".

My computer screen stopped for a couple of seconds. In panic, I shook the mouse a couple of times, but the cursor did not move. Shortly thereafter, a short, high-pitched sound was heard from the speakers and the computer rebooted itself. I was simply sitting, starting to wonder what had happened.

I could have pulled the computer cable from the socket and saved it from further corruption; but I felt drawn to the situation, only God knows why. I desperately wanted to know what the hell happened.

Windows restarted normally, again. Everything was normal, except for the fact that those damn files were still there. I checked the rest of my files, they were all there. I put my hand on my forehead in relief. All my works were safe, and that was all I was interested in at the moment.

Then again, it was stupid of me to think that the virus had left the system. All my files had been renamed: "x\_x".

I had not done it myself. Another of those text boxes came out.

"Why did you try to eliminate me? Did I do something wrong? x\_x ".

My throat had started to dry and I started to sweat. It was just a virus - I tried to convince myself. It can not hurt you. Breathe.

It did not matter how many times I had repeated it, my stomach refused to loosen its knots.

Another text box appeared, followed by a faint static noise.

"ANSWER ME!!".

With fear, I stifled the only words I could say.

"What are you... ??".

"I am a human, like you. What else should I be? Haha. x\_x ".

I could not move a finger from the emotions I was feeling. I felt anxious and burning at the same time of madness. What the hell was happening to me?

Angrily, I managed to come up with an answer.

"What the fuck do you want from me? !! Leave me alone ... I do not care about you !! "

My computer screen flashed once again.

"I never did you anything wrong, I was only alone."

"You are like the others. Such a pity."

I had enough. I opened the virus scan and without hesitation I clicked 'Start Scan'.

As I expected, my computer rebooted alone without me doing anything. This time there were no strange noises, but when it all started again, it took longer than normal.

No, I could not take it anymore.

At the center of the screen was the classic Windows banner, the screen shook and broke again, followed by a short and unpleasant laugh. On the screen where it should have appeared: "Windows is preparing the desktop", there was simply a black screen. The soundtrack was repeated, but it was done in a strange way: the notes were repeated constantly and pieces of the melody seemed to be longer than normal. And what's more, what scared me was that instead of writing: "Windows is preparing the desktop," followed a message with the following words:

"I'm just the monster you created. x\_x ".

My stomach had begun to contort with the strong paranoia, while that phrase was repeating itself in my mind. What did it mean? I had done nothing wrong!

After what seemed like an eternity, my desktop finally appeared, and I sat there shaking with fear.

Everything on my desktop was upside down and distorted, pixels that jumped off the screen and a flicker of strange colors. My hands were shaking the moment I was trying to move the mouse on the screen, to check the scan results.

He said that only a virus had been found, a fatal virus; but all the virus information was grainy, making it impossible to read. The window closed on its own initiative, leaving my desktop completely distorted in full screen.

I felt frustrated as I was digging with my fingers in the palm of my hand. All my works seemed gone or corrupted, and there was probably nothing I could do to recover them.

Suddenly, a shred of common sense came back to me. Without a second longer hesitation, I grabbed the cable from the socket and pulled it out, creating a burst of sparks.

I did not want to face that situation anymore, so I took a deep breath and decided to go to bed.

. . .

11:23 PM. Time had passed faster than I had expected. I went to the bathroom and sprayed cold water on my face to calm down. I took a couple of deep breaths and then I headed for the bed. I turned down the lights, leaving my room as dark as possible and slipped into my bed, hoping that this tremendous experience would soon become just a memory.

While I was lying down, I was facing one of the walls of my bedroom, while my computer was on the opposite side of the room. I really wanted to forget everything that had happened, but I let the situation get the better of me. The fact that the virus could hear what I was saying was enough to make me traumatized by fear. I did not even know what to do.

Although it was difficult to fall asleep, I was able to sleep for a few hours. Half asleep, I woke up because of a choked noise coming from my room. It was 2:45 AM, when I read the numbers illuminated by the faint red light of the alarm clock.

I rubbed my eyes, because everything was blurred. I wish I had not done it.

I looked at the wall I was facing and my eyes widened in fear. There was a faint glow reflected against my wall.

Preparing for the worst, I turned hesitant, and I was breathless with terror. My computer was on, and that girl ... that girl was hanging upside down on my computer screen, looking me straight in the eye. This time, however, her eyes looked like they were in the shape of 'x' and a black substance was leaking from her eyes, while an empty and black smile was impressed on her pale face. His terrifying laugh was mingling with the sharp noise of the static, it was even almost too real.

I quickly got up to sit on the bed, trembling violently. My computer was NOT plugged in.

I could not hear my thoughts. Too many things were going through my head. The sounds that came from my computer had begun to become increasingly intense.

The air in the room had begun to become cold and stagnant, making it hard to breathe. I could not scream, no matter how much I tried. I could only cry and suffocate my own breath. I had no idea what to do. I could have easily run out of my room, but all the time I felt paralyzed by fear ... I ended up collapsing on the bed, crying and silently praying that this girl would leave me alone.

After about two minutes had elapsed, my screen immediately went out and the noise stopped. I slowly let go of the blankets, while my face was warm and moist with tears. My room was dark and calm, again. Even though I still felt physically weak, I managed to get up and turn on the lights in my room. Never again.

I left my room, walking quickly towards my work table and I pulled a hammer out of one of the drawers. I threw my computer on the floor, and I hit it with the hammer with all my strength. Cold bits and pieces of metal flew in all directions and I continued to hit him with the hammer several times. I felt as if my mind had become completely unresponsive. I did not care anymore about my work, I wanted my computer to disappear.

I collected as many pieces as possible of my computer and threw them away, wishing I would never see them again. Passing my hand to my forehead, I erased the droplets of cold sweat as I continued to breathe heavily.

My heart kept beating wildly for the adrenaline, but I managed to calm myself down a bit, knowing that now my computer was gone. She had gone.

. . .

2.57 AM. I tried with the best of my ability to fall asleep again.

Surprisingly, even with a couple of nightmares, I was able to sleep through the night. I woke up at 7.50 AM and let out a long sigh, breathing out all the tension from my lungs. I felt a little better. I got out of bed and tried to do my best to continue the day as if nothing had happened.

A couple of days passed from that time. I still felt a little paranoid, but at the same time, I felt relieved. I had high hopes that things would go well, and the most important thing was that I wanted to get better.

At least, this was what I thought.

It was about 1:30 AM in the morning. I was sleeping very well, until I heard a door slam.

I felt my heart beating madly in my chest, from the shock. It was pitch dark in my room, so I could barely see anything.

Who the hell was in my room. My parents were still from nonn-

Then, I stopped thinking about what had jumped in my mind. My parents were still at my grandmother's house.

The air in my room had begun to stagnate. There was no noise, except for the steps that made the wood of the floor creak. There was someone in my room.

I half-closed my eyes as much as I could. A wave of excuses and possible explanations had invested my mind, trying to find the best possible explanation of what was happening.

"You are very tired, it is only your imagination that is making fun of you."

"It's only a dream".

"She's your mom, she's come home early and she's here to tuck your blankets up."

But it was not good. I could not move. I did not want to open my eyes. There was someone there.

There was silence for a few moments. Every second seemed like an eternity. I was terrified beyond all limits.

As the person breathed on my neck, I started worrying about my safety. Damn it ... run ... run !!

But it was not going well. I could not move.

I just managed to say a word.

"Mom?".

And the words I never wanted to hear were the answer.

"An irreversible error has been found. Stop the system? "