13 days of horror, Laura Eno, Note To Myself

Note To Myself – Laura Eno

Erin Cole

She is well known in the horror genre and for good reason: Laura Eno can write such bizarre scares, no one can ever guess what’s going to happen next, nor do they want to! Her dedication to the pen is admirable, continually supporting several writers and their blogs, winning blog awards and contests, posting FridayFlash weekly, and for having published her fifth novel – Don’t Fall Asleep: Rarer still are those who can assassinate people while they dream…

I am proud and excited to welcome you my next guest in the 13 Days of Horror, Laura Eno and her chilling tale, Note To Myself.

Note To Myself
By Laura Eno

Jessie pushed on the bureau drawer, jiggling until it closed almost flush with the front of the antique dresser stored in the attic. Waxing the rails hadn’t helped and months of nagging Robert to take a look had proved fruitless.

She didn’t want to part with the dresser. It was the only thing she even vaguely remembered from her life before the accident. Robert said it was because of the sentimental value. The piece had belonged to her grandmother.

Sweet Robert. Even though she didn’t remember anything, he’d helped her build a new life, never leaving her side in those frightening first few months. Jessie couldn’t imagine life without him, especially once the doctor informed them that her amnesia was permanent.

Working the drawer out, she decided to look at it on her own. Maybe something was jammed in the rails. Reaching in, her fingers closed on a bit of paper, crumpled and smashed against the back. She fished it out and unfolded the receipt from the market, dated two years ago—the same day as her accident. She shook as if chilled and her gut clenched as she wondered how it got there.

Jessie started to toss it aside when she noticed words on the back. Despite the hurried strokes, she knew it was her own handwriting. An inexplicable dread tightened its hold on her throat. She sucked in air as she started reading.

Jessie,

Your life is in danger. Robert isn’t human. None of them are. They’ve locked me in the attic while setting up something to erase my memory. I overheard part of a conversation, just enough to know they’re shape shifters.

Jessie touched the scar on her head. She’d been told it was from a car accident. There was more on the paper, written in a cramped style. Her hand shook as she tried to read the rest.

I’m hoping you’ll find this before it’s too late. I overheard Robert talking to the doctor, discussing how shape shifter children kill their human host at birth. Whatever you do, don’t get pregnant!

The note fluttered to the ground from fingers gone numb as the first contraction hit.

©2010 Laura Eno

BIO: Laura Eno lives in Florida with a very tolerant husband, three skulking cats and an absurdly happy dog. She has a pet from the Underworld named Jezebel and a skull called Mr. Fluffy who help her write novels late at night. Please visit her strange imagination at http://lauraeno.blogspot.com

Published by Erin Cole

Writer of the dark—

31 thoughts on “Note To Myself – Laura Eno”

  4. Laura of Horrah ~ Is this a premeditated murder of preceding oneself? It certainly has great expectations laboring forth from what a stuck drawer can open to fortell. Superb premise deserving the Howl's hail. Hear that? {{applause, applause}} ~ Absolutely*KateA WINK FOR ERIN < You know how to pick the talents of the twisters, don'tcha?

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  10. I've heard of mothers eating afterbirth but I've never heard of afterbirth eating mothers.Love the note from her 'former self.' So intriguing. So cool, this story. And so cool for Erin hosting this here show.

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  16. What can you say with an ending like that! Always love the way Laura's writing twists us through the characters and the unknown, and then catapults the reader into delightful darkness. Fine penning, as always!And none of that introduction is bullshit.

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  19. Oh, nice twist at the end, Laura (if I may call something that horrible "nice." And thanks, Erin, for posting Laura's chilling tale. This looks like a great blog to get us in the Halloween mood.

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  20. Completely fabulous. Loved the domesticity of it until… hmmmn – the note; wham! – the words; gasp!!! – contractions. And all in seconds.(And I really did gasp out loud.)

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  22. My thoughts are : if shape shifters can be born, they can be killed. Robert would be on my endangered species list were I Jessie.You drew us in magnificently, Laura. Great job with the stinger at the end, Roland

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  28. I love a good unhappy ending for horror stories. Especially in flashfic, you're free to let the bad guys win. This is an awesome example of that. The opening sucks us in and makes us care for Jessie, and then – ever so carefully, you set us up for a nasty bombshell. Wonderful write Laura.

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  31. OHHH!! WHat a bang! i like the strange mechanisms here that help the story unfold. The ending is bizarre. This has "Howl" written all over it, see my blog for the link…I'll be waiting. :)

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