Hysterhysteria: The Terrifying Birth of Madness!

Story transcript: “Hysterhysteria” by Joe Solmo, narrated by Henrique Couto. Edited from an automatic transcript; minor transcription errors may remain. Host segments, music and advertising omitted.

Hysterhysteria by Joe Solmo Alicia lay in the dark, someplace warm and damp. She felt heavy, almost like being underwater. Her movement was slow, the resistance in the air around her making her feel tired. She looked around at her surroundings. Strange shapes were barely visible in the dark, jutted at bizarre angles. What were they? Where was she? The last thing she remembered was getting ready for bed, brushing her teeth and changing into her comfy yellow pajamas she'd had since she was 15.

Was this some sort of alien abduction? She half-joked to herself. Hello? She called out into the space around her, becoming aware at how total the silence was until she spoke. A few seconds passed and she felt her heart start to race. She was alone. A dread came over her as the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. Throughout her life, she hated being alone. She loved being around people and learning their stories.

She loved learning how other people thought and their points of view. It fascinated her. There was no one now for her to talk to. She was alone with her own thoughts. And that was scary enough for her. Growing up with no self-esteem wasn't unique to Alicia, but the constant failures in her writing career took its toll on her until she gave up and just took the first job she could find to pay the bills. She worked at a pet store for a little over minimum wage. That was where she met John. He was a slacker that would always make her laugh with his minimum wage, minimum effort attitude. Slowly, the time she spent writing was less and less. She couldn't remember the last time she wrote anything. She sat up on the bed she was laying on. Her abdomen hurt. Instinctively, she placed her right hand on the pain and pulled it back as an electric sharpness shot through her body. Her hand felt odd. There was something on her hand, but it was too dark to see. It felt tacky, and her thoughts instantly went to blood.

This time, with more caution, she ran her fingers over her abdomen. There was definitely an injury there Blood drying Was her wound fresh? The blood didn't feel warm to her A tear began to form in her eye There was a scuttling in the dark Something off to the right How big was this room, she wondered Hello? She called out again Is someone there? Again, she heard the shuffling She strained to see in the almost complete darkness Alicia held her breath for a moment, trying to pick out the sound, but it had stopped.

It was almost like it knew she was listening for it. She clutched her stomach and headed towards one of the shapes she could make out in the dark. The tile floor was cold on her bare feet. Two steps later, she felt a sharp pain in her foot and fell to the floor with a gasp of pain. Her stomach felt like fire as well from the drop. She ran her hand down to her foot and found a piece of broken glass embedded in the flesh of her heel.

Alicia tried to grip it with her hands, but they were still coated with blood. It took several tries before she pulled the glass out. She held it up to her face, but there wasn't enough light to see the culprit of her foot pain. She wondered if her stomach was injured by the same glass. Did she fall through a window? The shuffling came again. And another noise. She couldn't make it out. Alicia stared in the direction of the noise and tried to pull her legs under her protectively.

Pain raced up her legs as she realized the floor was covered in broken glass. She winced but tried to remain silent, listening for the only sound that wasn't her. It was horrifying and comforting all in one. She wasn't alone, but what was with her in this room? The shuffling was still faint, but she felt like it was getting closer. Who was out there? She ran her fingers gingerly down her legs, plucking out the small pieces of glass as she heard the shuffling getting ever closer.

Who are you? She screamed into the darkness, frustration fueling the yell. A small noise. A gurgle, maybe? What the hell is going on? She threw the handful of glass she had in the direction of the sounds as she tried to fight back the tears forming. She wouldn't admit it to another living being, but she was terrified. Inside, she mocked herself. She hated being alone, but now she wasn't, and she hated it even more.

The irony wasn't lost on her. Come on, Alicia, you stupid bitch, get it together, she whispered and tried to find a clear part of the floor to put her hand down so she could get back to her feet and leave this place. Suddenly, there was a flash, and for just a second, she could see. It was so quick, it didn't really register enough to make sense. The light was so bright. A loud crash followed a thunderstorm, she thought.

She shuffled towards the shape in the dark, the only other visible thing that existed at the moment. She heard the other shuffling stop for a second. Alicia's imagination ran away with her, and she pictured the thing in the dark to be listening, to hone in on her in the dark. She stopped moving. She stopped breathing. If she could stop existing at that moment, she feared she might take that option. She looked at the shape, the island of substance in the sea of darkness, the only piece of reality in this insane situation. It was roughly the size of a table, she thought. Only a few feet away now, but so was the shuffling and getting closer.

As quietly as she could, she backed herself up to the table and faced the shuffling noise, waiting for another flash of lightning, another glimpse of her situation. Ten seconds passed as she heard the rain falling outside, but no lightning. It was as if the universe was toying with her. The shuffling was so close, she tensed up. Finally, a flash appeared and she screamed. Not a scream like at a funhouse, but a cold-blooded, bone-chilling scream of sheer terror. She finally saw what was scuffling towards her. It was a... it couldn't be, she thought. I finally lost it. I went nuts and now I'm trapped in this hell. A smile began to form as she thought of the absurdity of it all. Another flash. That fear returned as her eyes fixed on it, only three feet from her own. There it was, not imagined. A fetus dragging its umbilical cord. The cord was frayed at the end. Chewed, she thought, with horror as she took in the scene.

Darkness closed in and she prayed for the first time in her life. Prayed that another flash would appear and not leave her alone, prayed for the abomination she saw was just a figment of her imagination. Whether through divine intervention or the force of Mother Nature, her prayers were answered as another flash illuminated the trashed doctor's office she was currently occupying. The fetus's face was facing her, its mouth opening and closing in silent screams. Its tiny face resembled her own, she noticed as her heart skipped a beat. Was this her child? She clutched her stomach and on the next flash looked down at the hospital gown, covered in blood she was wearing.

Was this where the wound came from? Alicia gripped the cold metal table and pulled herself up with a grunt. Fire filled her as she laid on her belly and looked over the edge of the table. The fetus was still there, moving closer and closer, a trail of blood behind it, its eyes focused on hers. They were the same green color as her own, its tiny arms pulling it closer and closer. Mother? it asked, in her own voice. Why didn't you love me, Mother? Alicia's spine froze in place.

She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. Fear had locked her down on top of that table. Darkness. No words for your daughter, mother? The fetus said as it crawled closer to the table. Alicia had to peer straight over the edge to see it. She was so glad she was on top of the table. A safe place from the monster below. I don't have a daughter, Alicia managed to spit out between short, scared breaths.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room. Then what am I, mother? The fetus asked and sat up, crossing its legs. Am I not real? Darkness. You're a... You can't be real, Alicia yelled out. A flash of light lit up the fetus's face. Oh no? Do I not bleed? The fetus said, gesturing around with its chubby arms at the floor around it. Oh wait, this is mostly your blood. Even though when you shed it, it was both of ours, the fetus explained rubbing the blood into its skin.

It sighed at her and picked up a piece of broken glass in its tiny hand. Its eyes met hers as it ran the glass across its wrist. Blood poured out of the wound. There we go, it said, and giggled in a baby's voice. I do have my own. Darkness. What the hell are you? Alicia yelled out, sitting up on the table to get farther away from the monstrosity below. I thought it was obvious, the fetus said, raising itself to its feet.

In the light of a strike, it started to swing the umbilical cord around. With each revolution, it grew a few inches. After a couple seconds, the fetus let go of the cord, and the end shot out above Alicia in the darkness. She heard a wet slap above her. Another flash of lightning showed her a hospital light above her. The cord wrapping around the handle reminded her of Indiana Jones' whip. She turned back towards the fetus but almost fell off the table in recoiled fear It was now on the table with her The storm outside intensified Flashes were coming almost regularly now It was a strobe light at a party And just as noisy with the thunder Still, she had no problem hearing the fetus speak No hug for your daughter?

You're not a very good mother Mother The fetus said and took a tiny footstep toward her A bloody footprint was left on the stainless steel table Stay where you are Alicia yelled out A crack of thunder added punctuation to her angry demand But mother I'm hungry The fetus said and smiled A smile of wicked teeth jagged and black. She followed the fetus's gaze until she realized it was looking at her chest.

No, she whispered, her voice cracking in fear. Am I to starve now? The fetus asked, taking another step closer. It wasn't bad enough you tore me out, but you want to watch me wither away and die? Did I do something awful to you in a past life, mother? A surge of adrenaline flowed through Alicia, and she kicked out, sending the fetus flying into the darkness. She heard the thud as it landed somewhere near the bed she woke on. Then she heard a laugh. It was so much like her own, she lost sight on the fetus in the shadows of the room. Stay away from me, she yelled out, and used the next flash to find the door.

She raced off the table towards it. She heard feet slapping on broken glass and tile, and when she reached the handle, she grabbed the soft, bloody torso of the fetus. She felt the umbilical cord in her hand, like cold, wet penne pasta. A mother's touch, the fetus said with a sarcastic sneer. I expected it to be warmer. Tell me, mother, why did you remove me from the oven? I wasn't done cooking yet.

I didn't do this, she yelled. Well, it certainly wasn't me. I was floating around having a great dream. Then I was awoken when you yanked me out. The fetus finished with a yell and bit her hand. She drew it back, but the fetus clutched on and jumped up her arm. She grabbed the door and yanked it open, hoping for help for a savior. But there was just more darkness. The hall she imagined to be full of people, doctors and nurses helping people, was only a dark tunnel.

Feed me, mother. I hunger, it said, and stabbed into her breast with a piece of broken glass. She screamed out in pain and blood began to run down her chest. Feed me! Alicia, a voice called out. She didn't recognize it. Alicia, your surgery was a success Wake up now Alicia opened her eyes And the darkness left She looked into the face of a nurse over her bed Your hysterectomy was a success How do you feel?

She reached her hands down to her stomach And felt pain We had to remove the uterus through an incision Your small frame made it impossible to come out your vagina You will be sore for a while, but you'll be fine I think we minimized any chance of scarring, the nurse said with a smile. Alicia started to laugh. Each spasm sent pain racing through her. It was just an anesthesia dream. She was fine.

The fetus was just her imagination. She sighed with relief and ran her fingers through her hair. Her hand fell to her breast. She peeked under her hospital gown. There was a cut across her breast. She looked back up at the nurse, but she was alone in the room. She turned her attention to the door and watched it as it slowly closed, cutting out the light. Then she heard the shuffling on the floor.