Windows Me: Beta version

*Note: this is episode 69 of the XP Blackmoon Trilogy series*

Hello, David here, and I am a microsoft windows fan. If you thought my encounters with the windows codenames of Hoover, VeggieTales, **Bobcat**, Colorado Sunflower, and others were enough, this one is way scarier, and It was in beta.

## Story

I used to work at the Microsoft archives, an underground facility dedicated to preserving old and unreleased Microsoft Windows systems and codes. It was an incredibly fascinating job, surrounded by decades worth of technological history. The archives held the secrets of forgotten operating systems, prototypes, and abandoned projects.

One day, while cleaning out a dusty corner of the archives, I stumbled upon a hidden treasure. There, amidst the clutter, sat an old HP tower computer, complete with a mouse, keyboard, speakers, and a bulky CRT monitor. It seemed untouched by time, waiting patiently to be discovered. Next to the computer, a CD case caught my attention. Curiosity piqued, I reached for it and noticed a note attached to the computer that warned, "To those who are reading this, please don't install it. It will cause trouble."

My mind raced with excitement and curiosity. What could be so troublesome? Why would such a warning be left behind? My fascination outweighed any concerns, so I made the decision to take the computer home with me. Dusting it off, I connected the tower and the monitor, feeling a thrill run through me as I pressed the power button.

To my surprise and delight, the ancient machine roared to life, displaying the iconic Windows Me startup screen. Memories of my childhood flooded back, as I recalled the early days of personal computing. With the familiar sight before me, I couldn't resist the temptation to insert the CD into the aging optical drive, disregarding the note's ominous warning.

The installation process began swiftly, signifying that this old operating system was eager to reclaim its place in the digital realm. As the progress bar filled, I reminisced about a meeting with the Microsoft team, during which they shared an unreleased commercial. The ad showcased a mischievous blue boy, sporting a bow tie, dark blue shirt, matching pants, and unruly hair. He spoke enthusiastically about Windows Me, proclaiming it as the future for computer users.

## The system.

It took me to the login screen, before restarting itself. The computer made the windows Me startup sound. It took me to the desktop, and I could see things were different, such as the start button missing the windows icon, but I assumed it was because it was never finished.

I clicked on the internet icon, and it took me to a homepage with the weather being displayed. I looked on the bottom, and saw some buttons which would give ideas, have games, give news, a chat, and more. I decided to go to the YouTube website.

However, to my surprise, the YouTube website had a damaged play button, and there was only one video, and the title had 3 question marks, and it was uploaded by 666. Scared, I hesitantly clicked on it, hoping it was some twisted kind of joke so I could get back to work, but It wasn't a joke.

It went to the video, and, oh dear god, was I scared by what I was looking at. It was Garfield, but it was the one from Windows 3D. He had no eyes, and he just had that big, unmoving grin.

I became confused on if I had somehow broke the video, But, before I could click the exit button at the top of the page, the Garfield screeched in a very loud way, as if it was designed to break my ears. After that scream, the Garfield spoke in his normal voice, but the voice was low pitched.

"You thought I was gone after that one fool installed the patches to windows 3D?" He asked me, as if I knew about it.

I tried to say something, but he spoke again, this time, his voice getting more demonic. "Nope! I can never be vanquished. I had a fake clone of me to take the force, and now that I am on your computer, you will stay with me."

Then, for a few minutes, static started to fill the CRT. "Forever." The Garfield laughed in a demonic way, which ended the video on him slowly fading.

Shocked by what occurred, I clicked on the new tab. However, I jumped a little bit, since the new tab had the same Garfield picture in the video, but they had eyes looking right at me, and they all said in unison. "No escape!"

I was so scared, I decided to call my friend named, mark, who also used to work at Microsoft with me, about the weird system. My friend said he would be there soon, and he arrived on time a few minutes later. He turned on the computer, but me and my friend jumped at the boot screen.

Instead of the usual white, with the windows logo in the square, my friend noticed that the background was red, and that the same Garfield from the video appeared in the square, and the beta version text was in a blood font. I gasped, as mark knew things were gonna look worse on the desktop, and indeed it was.

Mark jumped at what was on the desktop. It was the Garfield from the new tab, and it looked like it was looking at me and my friend, Mark. He also gasped at the icons looks. the recycle bin had a decapitated head, the AOL instant messenger's mascot had an eye, and it was red, as well as the triangle logo. The internet symbol also had the eye that looked at us.

Mark soon turned to me with what appeared to be a disc, and said. "I think the system has a virus, and Microsoft didn't know." He got out his phone, and called a few friends at Microsoft, asking about it. None of them knew about it, and he hung up, as he turned to me once again, and said in a more firm voice.

"We need to get this virus off. I have the USB."

I grabbed the USB, and it had Norton anti-virus. I put the USB in. I saw the Norton pop-up appear, and I clicked "remove virus."

Me and Mark looked at each other, as we saw the operating system uninstall, as Garfield spoke to us. "You have done it. You've destroyed me. I, will, come-". Before he could finish, he vanished, with a loud screech from my PC. But, when I turned it on, my PC was dead thanks to the virus.

Mark sighed, and decided to take the computer back to Microsoft, and now, thanks to it, I am too scared to talk about it.