(3) Science Fiction: Jo

TITLE: Jo
GENRE: Science Fiction

Jo Hall is dead. Sort of. She’s a partially-embalmed walking-dead-monster, mutilated by an anarchist organization with a penchant for accidental murder. When her parents and best friend become the next targets, Jo must sacrifice herself to save their lives.

I’m dead.

Almost.

I thought you should know that right away, because this story doesn’t end well. At least not for me. I know that now. So whatever you do, don’t fall in love with me. I’ve hurt the ones I love, the ones who love me, and for that I’ll never forgive myself.

I don’t have much longer now, though. So at least I won’t be filled with self-loathing forever.

I’m sitting in my dorm room. My mother’s asleep on the bed, snoring lightly, a sound that reminds me of my childhood. Sometimes, when I was very small, we’d have sleepovers in my bedroom, pretending we were girlfriends instead of mother and daughter. We’d paint our nails and eat ice cream and giggle for hours. Sometimes even my father would come in and laugh with us.

My mother would sleep on the bottom bunk, and I’d sleep on top -- and she’d snore like she’s snoring right now. Lightly, so lightly. I loved falling asleep to that sound.

Right now, I wouldn’t mind falling asleep while listening to her snore. But I’m not quite ready.

Not yet.

Because if I fall asleep now, I won’t wake up. I know this because…well, it’s a long story. But it’s a story I need to tell, and I’m running short on time with which to tell it.

First, and most important, I’m not almost-dead by choice. I didn’t choose to be this way. I didn’t choose to become a monster.