The Mysterious Computer

It's hard to know what a computer will do when you plug it in during a thunderstorm. I was typing away on my computer, searching the Internet for information on a missing person I was trying to track down. The thunder cracked and almost simultaneously the sky lit up as the lightening flashed.

The storm was close - almost right overhead. I stopped typing momentarily to glance out my window. The rain was coming down so hard that it was almost impossible to see more than a foot past the patio. The rain just bounced off the stones, the glass doors, and the puddles like little superballs. I pulled the drapes closed to help eliminate the distraction of the lightening in the background, then went back to my computer.

As my finger tapped the enter key, there was a thunderous boom and the lights went out. My computer screen flickered, but didn't go off completely. I tried the lights to no avail - I thought it odd that my computer was still operating when all the other electric appeared to be out.

Then I looked more closely at my computer. I thought I saw something - thought I heard something too. Then I realized there were weird voices coming from the headset that was laying on my desk. I picked up the headset and put it on - trying to find out what the voices were saying and figuring out what was going on.

At first, I thought maybe I had left a music CD in the CD drive and when the computer flashed on and off it started the CD playing. When I got the headset on though, it wasn't music I heard, but people arguing. I was focusing on the voices trying to decipher their words when a bright light from my computer screen caught my attention. I looked up and saw the outline of two men standing over another outline of a body on the floor (which didn't seem to be moving). By the gestures they were making I assumed it was them that I heard in my headset arguing.

The lighting was very dark and it was hard to make out any features let alone be sure of what was really going on. The storm outside had not let up, but instead intensified and the booming thunder and crackling lightening made it even harder to listen to the voices coming through my headset. I was wondering to myself if maybe I had somehow picked up a tv broadcast due to crossed signals from the storm, but the more I listened and tried to watch the more I decided it wasn't a tv program. The voices had a distinct accent, but I wasn't quite sure if it was a New York accent or another accent that I was hearing.

Just then the room fell silent - the thunder had stopped and so had the voices. I strained my eyes to focus on the screen and saw what appeared to be a weapon (a gun perhaps) held by the tallest of the two individuals pointed at the other. Then a loud clap of thunder broke the silence and as the thunder rumbled off in the distance the shorter, heavy-set man fell to the floor almost on top of the first body. I gave a start and then quickly covered my mouth as though those on the other side of my computer could hear me. There was no sign that they could. I couldn't understand what it was I was seeing and hearing or how it was possible. How could I possibly see into someone else's house through my computer? Especially since all of the power seemed to be out in my neighborhood. I tried to reboot my computer - not really sure why - maybe I wanted to believe that I had stumbled across an Internet game by mistake. My attempts failed. Then suddenly almost as quickly as the lights went off - they were back on again and my computer screen returned to the website I was searching in. I sat there in silence in total disbelief at what I had just witnessed. But then, what had I witnessed - I couldn't even say for sure. I didn't know what (or who) I was seeing. I didn't know where it was taking place or why I had been able to see it.

Just then the phone rang and jolted me back to the present. I slowly picked up the receiver as if suspecting the "murderer" to be on the other end. I whispered hello into the mouthpiece and a loud resounding "What are you whispering for?" came back at me. It was my friend and neighbor, who I've known for years. "Sorry" I replied, "I was just thinking about something when the phone rang".

"Thinking about what?" "Nothing important, what's up?"

"Just wondered if everything was ok over there. Lightning hit a couple of trees in our neighborhood and knowing you have quite a few big ones in your back yard - I thought I'd just call and check-up."

"Well, thanks, but everything is ok over here. I think."

"You think?!" (Not realizing I had said that part aloud, I just tried to blow it off.) "Yeah, I haven't looked outside yet, but the cats and I are just fine."

"Oh, ok. Well if you need anything, just give me a holler." "Thanks, I will."

When I hung up the phone a chill ran down my spine. Suddenly there was an empty, dreary feeling in the air. The house seemed very still - too still.

(just the beginning of a short story - was hoping to get feedback & to hear if anyone thought this would be a good story)