Windows 8 Horror Edition Here

He clicked “Start.” The Start Screen exploded into a mosaic of infinite tiles, each one a different version of his own face at the moment of death. Drowning. Burning. Screaming. Smiling. All labeled with dates—some in the past, some next Tuesday.

The screen went black. That was normal. The little circle of swirling dots appeared, then vanished. Also normal. Then the screen flickered—not the usual crisp reboot, but a sickly, phosphorescent green, like the glow of an old CRT television left on a static channel. windows 8 horror edition

At 99%, Marcus’s own reflection in the dark laptop screen smiled at him. He clicked “Start

The laptop fans roared to jet-engine pitch. The screen went white. Then, from the speakers, the Microsoft Sam voice began to speak, slow and halting: Screaming

“Re-boot-ing… your… re-al-i-ty… Please… do not… turn off… your… soul.”

He opened the lid. The login screen was gone. Instead, a new tile interface filled the display. But these weren't his apps. The tiles were dark grey, each bearing a single, pulsing icon.

It was counting down from 00:03:00.