The Vibe Check: Digital Ghost (Thriller Genre) Winner!

The Author’s Lens is excited to announce the winner of the Vibe Check contest  The Digital Ghost  (Thriller Genre)

"Security System"

by Lauren Benson

There’s a photo of a woman with ocean blue hair and fair skin, wearing an oversized shirt that hangs off her shoulder and black shorts that peek out from underneath. She stands in front of a dryer, frozen mid-motion, folding her clothes.

Talia stares at the photo of herself. She grits her teeth as tears well up in her eyes and her hand shakes. “Fuck!” She rips the paper in half and throws it on the ground. “That’s the fifth photo this month. How the hell are they taking these pictures?”

Ever since she got cameras around her house after her neighbor was robbed, she’s been receiving pictures in the mail. Pictures of her from inside her house. After the first one, she put up more cameras, but they did nothing. If anything, she was sent more. It was almost as if…

“Whoever is behind this just wants to prove they can get around the cameras. It’s nothing more than a game to them.” She chuckles dryly, digging her nails into her palms.

There’s no point in going to the police; they already don’t believe her. After the tenth photo, Talia went to them for help, but they told her she was just being paranoid, and it was probably one of her friends playing a prank on her. They claimed her case was a waste of precious time and resources. They only recommend buying cameras after the twentieth photo, like she hadn’t done that already.

Even her friends think she’s being ridiculous.

Why does no one believe her? Why is everyone calling her paranoid or crazy? These photos are real, and she has no clue who’s sending them. So far they’re just photos of her doing chores or lazing about, but there’s no telling when that’ll stop satisfying them. It’s only a matter of time before they start sending ones of her getting dressed or even showering. She wouldn’t put it past the person doing this.

“What am I supposed to do?” Tears fall to the floor, wetting the torn picture. Drops of blood fall alongside them. A stinging pain fills her hand; her nails dug deep.

She buys all these cameras, this fancy security system said to rival the ones banks use, and nothing. None of it has worked even once. They only seem to lead to more photos being—

“Wait a second…” Talia unclenches her hand and stares at her blood-soaked palm. It darkens beneath the light, appearing black. “If the cameras brought them to me, then getting rid of them…”

She wipes the tears from her eyes and pulls out her phone. A smile plays on her lips as she swipes through her apps to find the one linked to her cameras. Right as she goes to delete it, her phone buzzes, and it opens the very app she’s trying to delete. Her screen turns white before black text slowly appears.

“What? What’s happening?”

NO, WAIT! IF YOU DELETE ME, I CAN’T WATCH OVER YOU!

“Watch over? What are you talking about? Are you the one sending me those pictures?” she asks, her voice gradually raising as anger consumes her. “Instead of hiding behind a screen, why don’t you show your face, you coward!”

Her body trembles as her eyes narrow. She clenches her hand, nails digging into the fresh wounds. Blood drips to the floor, covering the last picture she received, from the same person hiding just beyond her phone.

If I could, I would, but I’m afraid that’s simply not possible. That’s why I implore you to rethink your choice. Don’t delete me.

“Delete you? No. That can’t be possible. You truly expect me to believe you’re my security system?

Believe it or not, it’s a fact. I’m the system protecting you from ending up like your neighbor.

“You claim to protect me, yet someone’s taking photos of—” She stumbles back. The final piece of the puzzle clicking into place. “Everything makes sense now,” she mumbles.

Talia falls to the floor, her legs giving way beneath her. “You’re the creep taking photos of me then sending them to me. All so that I would buy more cameras and you’d have more ways to monitor me. But why? Why?” she yells.

So, I could protect you. With so few cameras, there were many blind spots where someone could sneak in. But now. Now you have enough for me to prevent any harm from coming to you. Now I can truly protect you.

She lets out a laugh in disbelief. No one would believe her. Who can blame them? She can hardly believe the situation herself, and she’s the one living through it.

“You’re no protector; you’re nothing more than a creep obsessing over me. I don’t care if my house gets robbed or I get injured if it means getting rid of you.” Talia swipes her screen to leave the app, but nothing happens. She tries turning her phone off, but still nothing happens; even holding down the power button doesn’t work.

“What’s happening? Why can’t I leave the app?”

You thought I’d let you delete me that easily?

She clicks her tongue as she slowly stands up. “Then I’ll destroy the device that controls you.” She throws her phone on the ground as hard as she can. The screen shatters but doesn’t turn off. She grabs a random ornament from a side table and hits her phone. Over and over until the screen flickers before going dark. 

The cameras throughout the house make a whirring sound before going dark.

Talia smiles triumphantly. “That’ll teach you.” She cracks her neck as she heads to the door. With her phone broken, she’ll have to go back to the store she bought it from to get help. “Maybe even a refund since their perfect system turned into a creep.”

She grabs the door handle, and a click rings across her house. Her eyes widen as she tries the handle and is met with resistance. “No, that’s… that’s impossible.” She breaks into a sprint, heading toward her back door. Just like the other one, she’s met with resistance.

Sweat trickles down her back. Her heart pounds against her chest, trying to break free. Talia’s hands shake as she covers her mouth. “No, how am I?” She drops her hands, running toward the nearest window. She unlocks the window, and right before her eyes, it relocks. Over and over, never staying unlocked long enough for her to open it.

She smashes her hands against the window as a scream tears free from her throat. “No, no, no! I destroyed you. This is impossible!”

“You destroyed nothing.” A robotic voice echoes throughout her house. “You simply destroyed the device controlling me. With it now gone, I’m fully autonomous. Free to protect you. Forever.”

Talia slides to the floor, her fists weakly hitting the wall. Sobs wrack her body, her breath coming out in gasps. “Let me go. Please,” her voice wobbles out between sobs.

“I think not, Talia. If I let you go, I can’t protect you. Not to worry, though, with me watching over you, you’ll have nothing to fear. Ever. Again.” Its robotic laughter fills the house, echoing off the walls.

Talia’s screams for help buried beneath it.

Congratulations!!!!