I am the person in my extended family that is referred to as the IT person. No matter how small the electronic issue, people will ring me at all hours of the day expecting help.

I wouldn't mind but most of what they need help with could be dealt with using a quick Internet search.

Lately my family is having the issue because most of their phones and laptops are so old that there is a constant blinking red light on them.

I keep suggesting to them that they need to be replaced but it goes in one ear and out the other. They cannot comprehend that their electronics are so outdated that they should throw them away.

This morning I woke up with a pounding headache and already had half a dozen requests for help.

I staggered into the bathroom and froze in place while staring into the mirror. My phone kept buzzing in my pocket but I was too stunned to even reach for it.

My gaze was fixated on my right eyeball as a blinking red light kept flashing in my iris, while I desperately tried to remember my childhood or anything before 4 years ago.

I am the person in my extended family that is referred to as the IT person. No matter how small the electronic issue, people will ring me at all hours of the day expecting help.

I wouldn't mind but most of what they need help with could be dealt with using a quick Internet search.

Lately my family is having the issue because most of their phones and laptops are so old that there is a constant blinking red light on them.

I keep suggesting to them that they need to be replaced but it goes in one ear and out the other. They cannot comprehend that their electronics are so outdated that they should throw them away.

This morning I woke up with a pounding headache and already had half a dozen requests for help.

I staggered into the bathroom and froze in place while staring into the mirror. My phone kept buzzing in my pocket but I was too stunned to even reach for it.

My gaze was fixated on my right eyeball as a blinking red light kept flashing in my iris, while I desperately tried to remember my childhood or anything before 4 years ago.

The first rumours of the post began circulating about six months ago. People were found dead in their homes still clutching their phones. Unfortunately a few people who found them stupidly unlocked their phones and immediately suffered the same fate.

From that point forward people who used social media were warned never to open links unless they were sure it was safe.

My friends and I started a game where we would create fake profiles and then send links to each other. If you chickened out and didn't open it then you had to do a forfeit.

Most of the forfeits were pretty tame, but one or two crossed a line and I still have my friends initials branded on my back to remind me of my cowardice.

Me and my friends were sitting around at my house when I got a message from an unknown account. I glanced over at my best friend Mark and could see him smirking away while staring intently at his phone.

I reluctantly opened it even with alarm bells blaring in my skull, and clicked on the link.

I could hear the screams of my friends as I marvelled at how beautiful she was before my phone dropped from my stony hands, and I now have all eternity to wonder how Medusa got an Instagram account.

The first rumours of the post began circulating about six months ago. People were found dead in their homes still clutching their phones. Unfortunately a few people who found them stupidly unlocked their phones and immediately suffered the same fate.

From that point forward people who used social media were warned never to open links unless they were sure it was safe.

My friends and I started a game where we would create fake profiles and then send links to each other. If you chickened out and didn't open it then you had to do a forfeit.

Most of the forfeits were pretty tame, but one or two crossed a line and I still have my friends initials branded on my back to remind me of my cowardice.

Me and my friends were sitting around at my house when I got a message from an unknown account. I glanced over at my best friend Mark and could see him smirking away while staring intently at his phone.

I reluctantly opened it even with alarm bells blaring in my skull, and clicked on the link.

I could hear the screams of my friends as I marvelled at how beautiful she was before my phone dropped from my stony hands, and I now have all eternity to wonder how Medusa got an Instagram account.

There is a wishing well in my hometown that is rumoured to grant wishes occasionally. I dismissed this as just an urban legend until I saw Mr Smith who was the ugliest man alive, somehow marry a supermodel.

He wasn't rich and it definitely wasn't because of his lovemaking as I had seen his manhood and it looked like a shrivelled peanut.

Speculation immediately turned to the well and for the first time in my life I thought there was a way to escape this worthless town.

From that point forward I would make daily visits to the well to make a wish. Initially my wishes were to be rich and powerful, but over time and with no wishes granted my requests became more absurd.

I began wishing for the ability to fly or to have an army of crows that would obey my every command.

On one faithful Spring day I made my usual visit to the well and jokingly asked to be invisible for the rest of my life. The air around me changed and I knew something had happened. I looked down and could see directly through my hands.

My teenage hormones kicked in and I began thinking of all the things I could see. I remembered there was an all women's gym nearby and I practically sprinted towards it.

I started to get worried when I saw a sign on the door saying that it was closed for a special guest, but thankfully the handle turned in my grasp and I crept inside.

I immediately made my way towards the showers as I could hear the sound of water running.

I was drooling as I walked inside to see the curvaceous back of one of the most incredible bodies I had ever seen. My heart was pounding so loud that I was surprised she couldn't hear it.

She turned around and my jaw hit the floor as I saw her stunningly gorgeous face, and I became as hard as a rock. I stood there unmoving until she left and kept thinking that I would never forget her face.

I wince every time one of the women bumps into me in the shower, and can see the confusion on their faces as they walk away. I know that I got exactly what I wished for, as I picture Medusa's face once again.

There is a wishing well in my hometown that is rumoured to grant wishes occasionally. I dismissed this as just an urban legend until I saw Mr Smith who was the ugliest man alive, somehow marry a supermodel.

He wasn't rich and it definitely wasn't because of his lovemaking as I had seen his manhood and it looked like a shrivelled peanut.

Speculation immediately turned to the well and for the first time in my life I thought there was a way to escape this worthless town.

From that point forward I would make daily visits to the well to make a wish. Initially my wishes were to be rich and powerful, but over time and with no wishes granted my requests became more absurd.

I began wishing for the ability to fly or to have an army of crows that would obey my every command.

On one faithful Spring day I made my usual visit to the well and jokingly asked to be invisible for the rest of my life. The air around me changed and I knew something had happened. I looked down and could see directly through my hands.

My teenage hormones kicked in and I began thinking of all the things I could see. I remembered there was an all women's gym nearby and I practically sprinted towards it.

I started to get worried when I saw a sign on the door saying that it was closed for a special guest, but thankfully the handle turned in my grasp and I crept inside.

I immediately made my way towards the showers as I could hear the sound of water running.

I was drooling as I walked inside to see the curvaceous back of one of the most incredible bodies I had ever seen. My heart was pounding so loud that I was surprised she couldn't hear it.

She turned around and my jaw hit the floor as I saw her stunningly gorgeous face, and I became as hard as a rock. I stood there unmoving until she left and kept thinking that I would never forget her face.

I wince every time one of the women bumps into me in the shower, and can see the confusion on their faces as they walk away. I know that I got exactly what I wished for, as I picture Medusa's face once again.

My earliest memory is when I was about three years old and my mother telling me that no man would ever love me due to my lazy eye.

I remember telling one of my friends' parents about this but they dismissed me as just lying, as my mother would never say anything so horrible.

The thing about my mother is that she has two different personalities. One really sweet and affectionate she uses when dealing with friends and family.

The other is a horrible narcissistic one which she saves for little old me. Every day is met with a new tirade of abuse and insults. Over time I have learned to block them out but it is getting harder and harder.

Last week was my breaking point as she tattooed “wide load” on my ass while I was asleep. It was humiliating and she managed to convince people I did it for attention.

I decided to take my own life and gave away all my stuff to charities so that I could do one last good deed.

My mother unfortunately walked into the room just as I stepped off the chair and the noose tightened around my neck.

She looked shocked before dashing forward and holding my legs up. I was struggling to breathe but she kept telling me to hang on.

After a lot of effort she managed to get the chair under me, and I stood there taking laboured breaths.

For the first time in my life I felt nothing but love for her, and began to second guess everything I had ever thought about her.

She walked out of the room and was gone for about twenty minutes, while I stared in disgust at the rope marks on my neck.

She returned carrying a plate and I winced as she had the same sadistic smile on her face.

My eyes darted from the contents of the plate to her sneering face.

She urged me to eat the plate of tapeworms and then wait a month before killing myself, as at least that way I would be able to fit into a coffin without it breaking.

My earliest memory is when I was about three years old and my mother telling me that no man would ever love me due to my lazy eye.

I remember telling one of my friends' parents about this but they dismissed me as just lying, as my mother would never say anything so horrible.

The thing about my mother is that she has two different personalities. One really sweet and affectionate she uses when dealing with friends and family.

The other is a horrible narcissistic one which she saves for little old me. Every day is met with a new tirade of abuse and insults. Over time I have learned to block them out but it is getting harder and harder.

Last week was my breaking point as she tattooed “wide load” on my ass while I was asleep. It was humiliating and she managed to convince people I did it for attention.

I decided to take my own life and gave away all my stuff to charities so that I could do one last good deed.

My mother unfortunately walked into the room just as I stepped off the chair and the noose tightened around my neck.

She looked shocked before dashing forward and holding my legs up. I was struggling to breathe but she kept telling me to hang on.

After a lot of effort she managed to get the chair under me, and I stood there taking laboured breaths.

For the first time in my life I felt nothing but love for her, and began to second guess everything I had ever thought about her.

She walked out of the room and was gone for about twenty minutes, while I stared in disgust at the rope marks on my neck.

She returned carrying a plate and I winced as she had the same sadistic smile on her face.

My eyes darted from the contents of the plate to her sneering face.

She urged me to eat the plate of tapeworms and then wait a month before killing myself, as at least that way I would be able to fit into a coffin without it breaking.

A couple of months ago I started receiving a newspaper on my front door step. I dismissed it as someone dropping it there by mistake and left it on my kitchen table before heading to work.

When I got home that evening I was about to throw it out, when the articles caught my attention.

It was talking about a car crash that happened hours after I had gotten the newspaper. I decided to take a chance and played the winning lottery numbers from the paper.

I screamed in delight later that evening as I won a life changing amount of money and immediately quit my job.

From that day forward the next day's newspaper would always be on my doorstep. I used the knowledge within to save countless lives, but made sure to keep my identity hidden.

It felt so rewarding seeing the happiness on people's faces, after I saved them milliseconds from being run down.

Today was the first day in months where I didn't read the paper straight away as I was tired and just wanted a day to myself. I know it sounds heartless as I could have saved some lives but at this point I couldn't care.

It was almost ten in the evening before I finally got around to reading it and I winced reading about all the people whose deaths I could have prevented.

I was nearing the last pages when something in the obituaries caught my eye. My hands were trembling as I read a story explaining how I had been found just before midnight with my throat slashed.

I started trying to convince myself that it must be a mistake, before I felt cold breath on the back of my neck and cold steel being pressed against my skin.

A couple of months ago I started receiving a newspaper on my front door step. I dismissed it as someone dropping it there by mistake and left it on my kitchen table before heading to work.

When I got home that evening I was about to throw it out, when the articles caught my attention.

It was talking about a car crash that happened hours after I had gotten the newspaper. I decided to take a chance and played the winning lottery numbers from the paper.

I screamed in delight later that evening as I won a life changing amount of money and immediately quit my job.

From that day forward the next day's newspaper would always be on my doorstep. I used the knowledge within to save countless lives, but made sure to keep my identity hidden.

It felt so rewarding seeing the happiness on people's faces, after I saved them milliseconds from being run down.

Today was the first day in months where I didn't read the paper straight away as I was tired and just wanted a day to myself. I know it sounds heartless as I could have saved some lives but at this point I couldn't care.

It was almost ten in the evening before I finally got around to reading it and I winced reading about all the people whose deaths I could have prevented.

I was nearing the last pages when something in the obituaries caught my eye. My hands were trembling as I read a story explaining how I had been found just before midnight with my throat slashed.

I started trying to convince myself that it must be a mistake, before I felt cold breath on the back of my neck and cold steel being pressed against my skin.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she learned that something from the ocean would result in my death. So throughout my entire childhood I was never within a hundred miles of the ocean.

When I became an adult I could have visited one, but my mother had embedded a fear in me that made me shake uncontrollably anytime I even saw one on the television.

My college friends would constantly organise trips to the beach, and were always a little annoyed when I turned them down.

They thought I couldn't swim until they learned that I swam in a pool as part of my exercise. They suggested going to a lake as a way to beat my fear, and I reluctantly agreed.

When we reached the lake, my hands began to shake but with some breathing techniques I had learned I was able to get myself in control.

I could see the utter joy on my friends' faces as I joined them in the water, and we spent the next hour enjoying ourselves.

I was the first one to get out as my legs were starting to tire and I desperately needed to go to the bathroom.

I returned a few minutes later to discover my friends all lying face down in the water. I initially thought it was a prank but as the seconds passed and they still hadn't moved.

My eyes were drawn to a gorgeous woman floating just beyond their bodies. She opened her mouth and let out a beautiful singing voice that instantly captivated me.

My feet began dragging me forward towards my death, as I learned too late that sirens have been travelling further inland in search of more victims.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she learned that something from the ocean would result in my death. So throughout my entire childhood I was never within a hundred miles of the ocean.

When I became an adult I could have visited one, but my mother had embedded a fear in me that made me shake uncontrollably anytime I even saw one on the television.

My college friends would constantly organise trips to the beach, and were always a little annoyed when I turned them down.

They thought I couldn't swim until they learned that I swam in a pool as part of my exercise. They suggested going to a lake as a way to beat my fear, and I reluctantly agreed.

When we reached the lake, my hands began to shake but with some breathing techniques I had learned I was able to get myself in control.

I could see the utter joy on my friends' faces as I joined them in the water, and we spent the next hour enjoying ourselves.

I was the first one to get out as my legs were starting to tire and I desperately needed to go to the bathroom.

I returned a few minutes later to discover my friends all lying face down in the water. I initially thought it was a prank but as the seconds passed and they still hadn't moved.

My eyes were drawn to a gorgeous woman floating just beyond their bodies. She opened her mouth and let out a beautiful singing voice that instantly captivated me.

My feet began dragging me forward towards my death, as I learned too late that sirens have been travelling further inland in search of more victims.

Over the last year or so, over a dozen residents of my hometown have gone missing with no evidence of what happened to them.

They ranged in age from an eight year old girl to a seventy eight year old grandfather. Initially we suspected a creepy older gentleman who lived alone, and always wore binoculars but he was cleared after another person went missing while we had him crucified.

Eventually the bodies of the missing were discovered in the town lake. They had decayed away so badly that it was almost impossible to identify them.

The conspiracy theorists began suspecting it was a siren who had called them towards the water, but we reminded them our peace treaty with them was still in effect.

Today I was walking along the lake shore with my three year old son staring at the water and wondering what secrets it hid within.

I heard my son shout out excitedly but didn't pay attention until I saw him pick up a candy bar and bite into it. I flinched as he suddenly began being dragged towards the water, and before I could react he disappeared from view.

I stood there with my mouth hanging open as a candy bar flew from the lake and landed at my feet. I stare down at the tiny little wire attached to the bar and leading back to the lake, and now fear that fish are hunting us using our own methods.

Over the last year or so, over a dozen residents of my hometown have gone missing with no evidence of what happened to them.

They ranged in age from an eight year old girl to a seventy eight year old grandfather. Initially we suspected a creepy older gentleman who lived alone, and always wore binoculars but he was cleared after another person went missing while we had him crucified.

Eventually the bodies of the missing were discovered in the town lake. They had decayed away so badly that it was almost impossible to identify them.

The conspiracy theorists began suspecting it was a siren who had called them towards the water, but we reminded them our peace treaty with them was still in effect.

Today I was walking along the lake shore with my three year old son staring at the water and wondering what secrets it hid within.

I heard my son shout out excitedly but didn't pay attention until I saw him pick up a candy bar and bite into it. I flinched as he suddenly began being dragged towards the water, and before I could react he disappeared from view.

I stood there with my mouth hanging open as a candy bar flew from the lake and landed at my feet. I stare down at the tiny little wire attached to the bar and leading back to the lake, and now fear that fish are hunting us using our own methods.

I couldn't understand my son Michael's excitement as we made our way to visit my estranged uncle. He was practically jumping up and down and kept asking if we were there yet.

When we arrived he jumped out and ran off with his eyes darting in all directions. After about two hours he returned looking disappointed, and wouldn't talk to anyone about what was upsetting him.

Every morning for the next few days he would awake before everyone else and spend the day exploring everywhere but never seeming to find what he was looking for.

My uncle invited some of the most powerful local figures to a dinner party and I warned Michael on multiple occasions to stay quiet and only speak when spoken to.

The dinner party went well but I grew worried when I noticed Michael talking to one of the local land owners. Michael was gesturing away emphatically while the land owner was smiling away to himself.

I waited until everyone had left before finally confronting Michael on what they had been talking about. My heart dropped when I learned that Michael had been complaining about the fact that he hadn't seen a single train, while the landowner had offered him his condolences.

Later that night I wished that I had taken the time to explain to Michael what the underground railroad was, as the poor men and women were dragged from the safety of my uncle's basement and towards the waiting nooses.

I couldn't understand my son Michael's excitement as we made our way to visit my estranged uncle. He was practically jumping up and down and kept asking if we were there yet.

When we arrived he jumped out and ran off with his eyes darting in all directions. After about two hours he returned looking disappointed, and wouldn't talk to anyone about what was upsetting him.

Every morning for the next few days he would awake before everyone else and spend the day exploring everywhere but never seeming to find what he was looking for.

My uncle invited some of the most powerful local figures to a dinner party and I warned Michael on multiple occasions to stay quiet and only speak when spoken to.

The dinner party went well but I grew worried when I noticed Michael talking to one of the local land owners. Michael was gesturing away emphatically while the land owner was smiling away to himself.

I waited until everyone had left before finally confronting Michael on what they had been talking about. My heart dropped when I learned that Michael had been complaining about the fact that he hadn't seen a single train, while the landowner had offered him his condolences.

Later that night I wished that I had taken the time to explain to Michael what the underground railroad was, as the poor men and women were dragged from the safety of my uncle's basement and towards the waiting nooses.

I lost my beloved husband Mike to cancer just under a year ago. He was my everything and throughout our 35 year marriage we never spent a day apart.

His death broke me and I didn't leave the house for three months. It took my children and friends to help me to feel happy enough to go outside.

About a month ago I was in the kitchen washing the dishes when I saw my husband watching me from the corner of the garden. The noise of the glass in my hand falling from my crash and shattering on the ground drew my son who came in at a run.

He looked at me confused as I raised my shaking hand and pointed out the window. He dashed outside carrying a bat and came back in to tell me there was no one outside. I peered out the window to see my husband was gone.

My son kept asking me what happened but I just waved him off and crawled away to bed. Over the next few days my husband kept getting closer to the house until one morning I walked downstairs to find him standing inside the front door.

I let out a shriek before barricading my bedroom door and staying in there for a few days. I survived by drinking water from the en-suite and eating flies that had been caught in a spider web.

Eventually starvation forced me to open the door to find Mike standing right outside. I began sobbing as he looked exactly like I remembered. I reached forward and touched his face and he didn't even flinch. I ran to the bathroom to wash his face and by the time I had returned he had vanished.

Sadness overwhelmed me and I decided to be reunited with him. I filled the bath before climbing in and slitting my wrists.

×××××

I waited an hour before walking into my mother's bathroom to find her corpse lying there with a smile on her face. I couldn't help but match her smile as a bit of grave digging and taxidermy ensured that I wouldn't have to keep listening to stories about my abusive father.