THE MEMORY LEAK

A Horror Script Told Entirely Through Text Messages

GROUP CHAT: Study Buddies Members: Maya, David, Sarah, Alex, Jordan

Maya - 11:47 PM guys are you all still awake?? I need to ask you something weird

David - 11:47 PM yep cramming for Thompsons exam tomorrow why what's up

Sarah - 11:48 PM ugh same here. what's wrong?

Maya - 11:48 PM do any of you remember what we studied last Tuesday? like specifically what we covered in our study session

Alex - 11:49 PM Tuesday? we didn't have a study session Tuesday

Maya - 11:49 PM what?? yes we did. we were all here at the library until like 2am

Jordan - 11:50 PM Maya I think ur confused. we studied Wednesday and Thursday this week

Maya - 11:50 PM no that's impossible. I have it written down in my planner. "study session with group - library room 314 - 7pm-2am"

David - 11:51 PM room 314?? we always use 312. 314s been under renovation for months

Maya - 11:51 PM guys this isn't funny. I remember everything. Sarah brought those nasty energy drinks. Alex kept falling asleep. Jordan made those flashcards with all the wrong formulas lol

Sarah - 11:52 PM Maya ur freaking me out a little. I've never brought energy drinks to study group?? I hate that stuff

Alex - 11:52 PM and I don't fall asleep during study sessions... that's literally my biggest pet peeve

Maya - 11:53 PM but... but I remember though. we talked about David's internship interview. the one at Morrison tech??

David - 11:53 PM I never applied to Morrison tech Maya. are you feeling ok?

Maya - 11:54 PM stop it. STOP IT. I'm looking at my notes right now. I have five pages of notes from that session

Jordan - 11:54 PM can you take a pic of the notes?

Maya - 11:55 PM [Photo attached]

Sarah - 11:56 PM Maya that's def your handwriting but those formulas are completely wrong. like not even close to what were studying??

Alex - 11:56 PM yeah and some of those equations

even exist. what class is this supposed to be for??

Maya - 11:57 PM its for thompsons advanced calc. the same class were all in

David - 11:57 PM maya... were not in advanced calc together. youre in modern lit with prof chen. we're all in different classes

Maya - 11:58 PM what are you talking about??? weve been study partners all semester

Jordan - 11:58 PM maya we only started this group chat 3 days ago to coordinate for thompsons exam

Maya - 11:59 PM 3 days ago??? i have messages in this chat going back to september

Sarah - 11:59 PM show us. screenshot the message history

Maya - 12:00 AM[Screenshot attached]

Alex - 12:01 AM maya that screenshot just shows our convo from tonight. nothing else

Maya - 12:01 AM that cant be right hold on let me scroll up

Maya - 12:02 AM what the hell. its all gone. there were HUNDREDS of messages

David - 12:02 AM maya i think you need to get some sleep. you're clearly stressed about the exam

Maya - 12:03 AM IM NOT STRESSED something is wrong. really really wrong

Jordan - 12:03 AM ok lets all just take a breath. maya where are you right now?

Maya - 12:04 AM im in my dorm room. 418 hartwell hall

Sarah - 12:04 AM maya... hartwell hall only goes up to the 3rd floor. there is no room 418

Maya - 12:05 AM stop fucking with me. ive lived here for 2 years

Alex - 12:05 AM were not fucking with you i live in hartwell too. room 237. there are only 3 floors

Maya - 12:06 AM im looking out my window right now i can see the quad. i can see the library

David - 12:06 AM you cant see the library from hartwell its on the complete opposite side of campus

Maya - 12:07 AM youre all lying to me. why are you doing this??

Jordan - 12:07 AM maya were not lying were worried about you. can you call someone? like family maybe?

Maya - 12:08 AM i tried calling my mom earlier. the number says its disconnected

Sarah - 12:08 AM what do u mean disconnected?

Maya - 12:09 AM it says "the number you have dialed is not in service" but ive had the same number for her saved for years

Alex - 12:09 AM maya whats your moms name? lets look her up

Maya - 12:10 AM linda chen. she works at riverside medical center

David - 12:11 AM i just looked it up. theres no linda chen at riverside medical. theres no riverside medical center in this area at all

Maya - 12:12 AM thats impossible she's been working there since i was little

Jordan - 12:12 AM maya whats ur last name?

Maya - 12:13 AM chen. maya chen. why??

Sarah - 12:13 AM but you just said your moms name is linda chen. wouldnt she be married? different last name?

Maya - 12:14 AM no my parents are divorced i kept my moms name

Alex - 12:15 AM maya i just checked the university directory. theres no maya chen enrolled here

Maya - 12:15 AM BULLSHIT

David - 12:16 AM im looking at it right now. no maya chen in any class year. no maya chen in student housing

Maya - 12:17 AM then how am i in this chat?? how do you all know me??

Jordan - 12:17 AM maya... we dont know you. your number just appeared in this group chat tonight. we thought maybe thompson added you

Sarah - 12:18 AM yeah we were wondering who you were but didnt want to be rude lol

Maya - 12:19 AM this isnt happening this cant be happening

Alex - 12:19 AM maya where did you get this number? the one youre texting from?

Maya - 12:20 AM its my number ive had it for 3 years

David - 12:21 AM i just tried calling it goes straight to generic voicemail. no personal message

Maya - 12:21 AM because i havent set one up yet i just got this phone last week

Jordan - 12:22 AM but you just said youve had the number for 3 years

Maya - 12:22 AM i... i did say that didnt i

Sarah - 12:23 AM maya i think you should go to campus health center something might be wrong

Maya - 12:24 AM i went there yesterday for my regular appointment with dr martinez

Alex - 12:24 AM theres no dr martinez at the health center. i was just there last week for a physical

Maya - 12:25 AM hes been my therapist since freshman year

David - 12:25 AM maya... you keep talking about things that dont exist. people who arent real. places that arent there

Maya - 12:26 AM they ARE real im not crazy

Jordan - 12:27 AM were not saying youre crazy but maybe... maybe something happened? do you remember hitting your head recently? any accidents?

Maya - 12:28 AM no nothing like that everything was normal until tonight when i realized i couldnt remember what we studied on tuesday

Sarah - 12:29 AM maya whats the last thing you clearly remember from this week?

Maya - 12:30 AM monday night. i was in my room studying listening to music. i had my window open bc it was warm

Alex - 12:31 AM its been below freezing all week. snows on the ground since sunday

Maya - 12:31 AM no it was warm i remember bc i was wearing shorts

David - 12:32 AM maya its december in minnesota. it hasnt been warm enough for shorts in months

Maya - 12:33 AM december??? its october october 15th

Jordan - 12:34 AM maya its december 12th. finals week starts monday

Maya - 12:35 AM that cant be right halloween was just a few days ago

Sarah - 12:35 AM halloween was 6 weeks ago maya

Maya - 12:36 AM 6 weeks?? thats... thats impossible. i would remember

Alex - 12:37 AM maya do you remember thanksgiving? it was 2 weeks ago

Maya - 12:38 AM thanksgiving? no... no i dont remember thanksgiving

David - 12:39 AM maya i think something really serious is happening. you need to get help

Maya - 12:40 AM help from who??? everyone i try to contact doesnt exist apparently. my whole life is apparently fake

Jordan - 12:41 AM your life isnt fake maya but maybe... maybe your memories are confused somehow

Maya - 12:42 AM wait. WAIT. i remember something else

Sarah - 12:42 AM what??

Maya - 12:43 AM there was a fire. in hartwell hall. i remember evacuation alarms

Alex - 12:44 AM when was this?

Maya - 12:44 AM i... i dont know. recently?? the smoke was so thick i could barely breathe

David - 12:45 AM there hasnt been any fire at hartwell. i would know i live there too

Maya - 12:46 AM but i remember running down the stairs. people screaming. the heat was so intense

Jordan - 12:47 AM maya are you sure it wasnt a dream?

Maya - 12:48 AM it wasnt a dream it was real. i remember the paramedics

Sarah - 12:48 AM paramedics?

Maya - 12:49 AM they were asking me questions but i couldnt answer. my throat hurt so much from the smoke

Alex - 12:50 AM maya... if there were paramedics you would have been taken to a hospital

Maya - 12:51 AM i was. i remember the ambulance ride. the bright lights

David - 12:52 AM what hospital?

Maya - 12:53 AM i... i dont remember. everything after that is foggy

Jordan - 12:54 AM maya i just searched local news. there was no fire at hartwell hall. not recently not ever

Maya - 12:55 AM then why do i remember it so clearly??

Sarah - 12:56 AM maya what if... what if youre still in the hospital?

Maya - 12:57 AM what do u mean

Alex - 12:57 AM what if the fire was real but everything since then... isnt?

Maya - 12:58 AM that doesnt make sense. im here. in my room. i can touch things

David - 12:59 AM touch your phone. does it feel real?

Maya - 1:00 AM of course it feels real im typing on it

Jordan - 1:01 AM maya look around your room. really look. describe exactly what you see

Maya - 1:02 AM my desk. my bed. my posters on the wall

Sarah - 1:03 AM what posters?

Maya - 1:04 AM my favorite bands. midnight revival. electric storm. the void walkers

Alex - 1:05 AM ive never heard of any of those bands

David - 1:06 AM neither have i and im pretty into music

Maya - 1:07 AM theyre really popular. midnight revival just released their new album last month

Jordan - 1:08 AM maya i just searched. none of those bands exist

Maya - 1:09 AM stop saying things dont exist STOP IT

Sarah - 1:10 AM maya try looking up something else. something youre sure about

Maya - 1:11 AM fine ill look up my high school. westbrook academy

Alex - 1:12 AM and??

Maya - 1:13 AM it says "no results found" but thats impossible i graduated 2 years ago

David - 1:14 AM maya what was your address growing up?

Maya - 1:15 AM 1247 maple street. riverside ohio

Jordan - 1:16 AM there is no riverside ohio

Maya - 1:17 AM yes there is!! i lived there my whole life until college

Sarah - 1:18 AM maya... what if none of it was real?

Maya - 1:19 AM what are you saying

Alex - 1:20 AM what if your memories... what if theyre not actually your memories?

Maya - 1:21 AM thats impossible. memories cant be fake theyre mine i lived them

David - 1:22 AM but what if you didnt? what if something happened to you and your brain is filling in gaps with false memories?

Maya - 1:23 AM youre scaring me

Jordan - 1:24 AM maya were trying to help you figure this out

Sarah - 1:25 AM whats the earliest memory you have? from childhood

Maya - 1:26 AM my 7th birthday party. my mom made chocolate cake. all my friends came over

Alex - 1:27 AM what friends? what were their names?

Maya - 1:28 AM emma. tyler. samantha. we played in the backyard

David - 1:29 AM maya try looking them up on social media

Maya - 1:30 AM i dont have their last names it was a long time ago

Jordan - 1:31 AM but youd remember your childhood friends last names

Maya - 1:32 AM i... maybe i would. why cant i remember??

Sarah - 1:33 AM maya whats your earliest memory? not a specific event. the very first thing you can remember

Maya - 1:35 AM im trying to think... its hard

Alex - 1:36 AM take your time

Maya - 1:38 AM i remember... waking up. bright lights. someone asking if i could hear them

David - 1:39 AM that sounds like a hospital

Maya - 1:40 AM but then i remember being a little girl. playing in my room. drawing pictures

Jordan - 1:41 AM which memory feels more real?

Maya - 1:42 AM they both do thats whats so confusing

Sarah - 1:43 AM maya what if the waking up memory is real and everything else is your brain trying to create a story?

Maya - 1:44 AM but why would it do that

Alex - 1:45 AM maybe to protect you from something traumatic

Maya - 1:46 AM traumatic like what?

David - 1:47 AM like dying in a fire and being resuscitated

Maya - 1:48 AM im not dead im talking to you right now

Jordan - 1:49 AM but maya... weve been telling you all night. we dont know you. youre not in our classes. youre not enrolled here

Sarah - 1:50 AM what if youre in a coma? what if this is all happening in your mind?

Maya - 1:51 AM comas dont work like that you dont have conversations with people

Alex - 1:52 AM how do you know how comas work?

Maya - 1:53 AM i... i dont know i just know

David - 1:54 AM maya what if were not real either?

Maya - 1:55 AM dont say that

Jordan - 1:56 AM what if your brain created us to help you process what happened?

Maya - 1:57 AM no. NO. youre real this conversation is real

Sarah - 1:58 AM maya look at your hands. are they the same hands you remember having?

Maya - 2:00 AM i... they look different somehow. smaller maybe?

Alex - 2:01 AM maya what if youre not who you think you are?

Maya - 2:02 AM what do u mean

David - 2:03 AM what if maya chen isnt your real name?

Maya - 2:04 AM it has to be its all i know

Jordan - 2:05 AM but you cant verify anything about maya chens life. her family her school her address

Sarah - 2:06 AM maya what if youre someone else entirely?

Maya - 2:07 AM then who am i??

Alex - 2:08 AM i dont know but maybe thats what we need to figure out

Maya - 2:09 AM this is insane i know who i am

David - 2:10 AM do you tho? really?

Maya - 2:12 AM i... im starting to doubt everything

Jordan - 2:13 AM maya try to remember the hospital again. the bright lights. what else do you remember?

Maya - 2:15 AM voices. people talking but i couldnt understand them

Sarah - 2:16 AM what were they saying?

Maya - 2:17 AM something about... damage? brain damage?

Alex - 2:18 AM maya i think that might be the real memory

Maya - 2:19 AM but if i have brain damage how am i thinking so clearly right now?

David - 2:20 AM maybe youre not. maybe this is what brain damage feels like from the inside

Maya - 2:21 AM thats terrifying

Jordan - 2:22 AM maya do you remember anything else from the hospital? any other real details?

Maya - 2:24 AM someone holding my hand. saying my name over and over

Sarah - 2:25 AM what name were they saying?

Maya - 2:26 AM i... i cant quite make it out. it sounds like maya but... different

Alex - 2:27 AM different how?

Maya - 2:28 AM shorter maybe? like a nickname?

David - 2:29 AM maya what if your real name is something like maria? or mia?

Maya - 2:31 AM mia... that sounds familiar

Jordan - 2:32 AM mia what? whats your last name?

Maya - 2:33 AM not chen something else. something with an r?

Sarah - 2:34 AM rodriguez? roberts? ryan?

Maya - 2:36 AM rivera. mia rivera

Maya - 2:37 AM oh my god thats my name isnt it? mia rivera

Alex - 2:38 AM how does that feel? saying that name?

Maya - 2:39 AM right. it feels right for the first time all night

David - 2:40 AM mia do you remember anything else about your real life?

Maya - 2:42 AM im not in college im younger. still in high school

Jordan - 2:43 AM how old are you really?

Maya - 2:44 AM sixteen im sixteen years old

Sarah - 2:45 AM mia whats the last thing you remember before the hospital?

Maya - 2:47 AM i was at home. there was a fire oh god the fire was at my house not a dorm

Alex - 2:48 AM what happened?

Maya - 2:50 AM i was in my room studying for a test. i smelled smoke. i tried to get out but...

David - 2:51 AM but what?

Maya - 2:53 AM the ceiling collapsed i was trapped. i couldnt breathe

Jordan - 2:54 AM mia you survived youre alive

Maya - 2:55 AM but im not ok am i? my brain... its damaged

Sarah - 2:56 AM thats why you created maya chen. a perfect college student with a perfect life

Maya - 2:58 AM wait... im remembering more. the fire wasnt an accident

Alex - 2:59 AM what do you mean?

Maya - 3:00 AM my stepfather. he was drinking again he got angry

David - 3:01 AM angry about what?

Maya - 3:02 AM i dont want to remember this part

Jordan - 3:03 AM its ok mia take your time

Maya - 3:05 AM he found my college applications he was screaming that i thought i was better than him

Sarah - 3:06 AM what did he do?

Maya - 3:08 AM he threw his cigarette at the curtains said if i wanted to leave so bad i could burn in hell first

Alex - 3:09 AM mia im so sorry

Maya - 3:10 AM he locked my bedroom door from the outside i could hear him laughing as the fire spread

David - 3:11 AM thats attempted murder

Maya - 3:12 AM i tried to break the window but it wouldnt budge the smoke was getting thicker

Jordan - 3:13 AM how did you get out?

Maya - 3:15 AM my neighbor heard me screaming mrs patterson. she called 911

Sarah - 3:16 AM thank god for mrs patterson

Maya - 3:17 AM but it was too late i had already inhaled so much smoke and when the ceiling fell...

Alex - 3:18 AM thats when you got the brain injury

Maya - 3:19 AM i was unconscious for weeks wasnt i?

David - 3:20 AM we think so yes

Maya - 3:21 AM what happened to him? to my stepfather?

Jordan - 3:22 AM hes in prison mia he cant hurt you anymore

Maya - 3:23 AM but what about my mom? where is she?

Sarah - 3:24 AM mia your mother... she visits you every day at the hospital

Maya - 3:25 AM how do you know that?

Alex - 3:26 AM because were not just random students mia. we work at the hospital

Maya - 3:27 AM what?? no you dont youre college students

David - 3:28 AM were part of an experimental therapy program. using technology to help coma patients process trauma

Maya - 3:29 AM youre saying youre doctors?

Jordan - 3:30 AM not doctors. were more like... digital therapists. your brain is interfacing with our program

Maya - 3:31 AM that sounds like science fiction

Sarah - 3:32 AM five years ago it would have been. but neurotechnology has advanced rapidly

Maya - 3:33 AM so none of this is real? this conversation?

Alex - 3:34 AM its real mia. your thoughts are real your feelings are real. but the setting... thats constructed

Maya - 3:35 AM why college students? why make me think i was in college?

David - 3:36 AM because thats what you wanted most before the fire. to escape to college to have a normal life

Maya - 3:37 AM so you built me a fantasy

Jordan - 3:38 AM we built you a bridge mia. a way to process your trauma safely

Maya - 3:39 AM how long have i been in the coma?

Sarah - 3:40 AM three months mia. you suffered severe smoke inhalation and traumatic brain injury

Maya - 3:41 AM three months... what about school? my junior year?

Alex - 3:42 AM your mother has been working with the school. theyre holding your place

Maya - 3:43 AM what if i never wake up?

David - 3:44 AM you are waking up mia. thats why were having this conversation

Maya - 3:45 AM i dont understand

Jordan - 3:46 AM your brain activity has been increasing. youre starting to question the constructed reality

Maya - 3:47 AM thats good right?

Sarah - 3:48 AM its very good. it means youre healing

Maya - 3:49 AM but what happens now? do i just... wake up?

Alex - 3:50 AM its more gradual than that. you might drift in and out for a while

Maya - 3:51 AM will i remember this conversation?

David - 3:52 AM parts of it maybe. the important parts

Maya - 3:53 AM what about the fake memories? maya chen and college?

Jordan - 3:54 AM they might fade as your real memories strengthen

Maya - 3:55 AM i dont want to forget everything. some of the college memories were happy

Sarah - 3:56 AM you can create real happy memories mia. when you recover

Maya - 3:57 AM what if i have permanent brain damage? what if im not the same?

Alex - 3:58 AM youre already showing remarkable resilience. your personality your intelligence theyre intact

Maya - 3:59 AM how can you tell?

David - 4:00 AM because youve been fighting this whole time. questioning inconsistencies. thinking critically

Maya - 4:01 AM i was scared i was going crazy

Jordan - 4:02 AM you werent going crazy mia. you were getting sane

Maya - 4:03 AM can i ask you something?

Sarah - 4:04 AM of course

Maya - 4:05 AMare you real people? like do you exist outside this program?

Alex - 4:06 AM we are real mia. we chose to work with you because we believe in this technology

Maya - 4:07 AM will i meet you when i wake up?

David - 4:08 AM if you want to yes. wed like that

Maya - 4:09 AM i think id like that too

Jordan - 4:10 AM mia we need to tell you something else

Maya - 4:11 AM what?

Sarah - 4:12 AM your mother... shes here. in your room. shes been reading to you

Maya - 4:13 AM reading what?

Alex - 4:14 AM your favorite book. pride and prejudice

Maya - 4:15 AM i can almost hear her voice

David - 4:16 AM thats because shes really there mia. that part isnt simulation

Maya - 4:17 AM mom... im so sorry

Jordan - 4:18 AM sorry for what?

Maya - 4:19 AM for not being stronger. for not fighting back against him

Sarah - 4:20 AM mia you were a child. what happened wasnt your fault

Maya - 4:21 AM but i should have protected her too

Alex - 4:22 AM your mother doesnt blame you mia. she blames herself for not leaving him sooner

Maya - 4:23 AM is she ok? did he hurt her too?

David - 4:24 AM shes ok mia. she left him after the fire. she filed for divorce

Maya - 4:25 AM good. she deserves better

Jordan - 4:26 AM so do you mia

Maya - 4:27 AM im getting tired

Sarah - 4:28 AM thats normal. your brain has been working very hard tonight

Maya - 4:29 AM what happens if i fall asleep? will i forget everything again?

Alex - 4:30 AM you might. but if you do well just start over. well help you remember

Maya - 4:31 AM youre not giving up on me?

David - 4:32 AM never mia. were here as long as you need us

Maya - 4:33 AM thank you. all of you

Jordan - 4:34 AM you dont need to thank us mia. you're doing all the hard work

Maya - 4:35 AM I can hear something... beeping

Sarah - 4:36 AM that's your heart monitor mia. that's the sound of you being alive

Maya - 4:37 AM its getting louder

Alex - 4:38 AM that's because you're getting closer to the surface

Maya - 4:39 AM the surface?

David - 4:40 AM consciousness mia. you're almost there

Maya - 4:41 AM I'm scared

Jordan - 4:42 AM its ok to be scared. courage isn't not being afraid. its being afraid and doing it anyway

Maya - 4:43 AM I can hear voices now. real voices

Sarah - 4:44 AM one of them is your mother

Maya - 4:45 AM she's crying

Alex - 4:46 AM they're happy tears mia. she knows you're coming back

Maya - 4:47 AM the beeping is so loud now

David - 4:48 AM that's your vitals stabilizing mia. your body knows you're ready

aya - 4:47 AM

the beeping is so loud now

David - 4:48 AM

that's your vitals stabilizing mia. your body knows you're ready

Maya - 4:49 AM

I can see light. bright white light

Jordan - 4:50 AM

that's the hospital room mia. you're almost there

Maya - 4:51 AM

someone is squeezing my hand

Sarah - 4:52 AM

that's your mother. she's been holding your hand for three months

Maya - 4:53 AM

I can feel it. i can actually feel her touch

Alex - 4:54 AM

you're crossing over mia. from simulation to reality

Maya - 4:55 AM

will you be there when I open my eyes?

David - 4:56 AM

well be nearby. watching the monitors. cheering you on

Maya - 4:57 AM

thank you for bringing me home

Jordan - 4:58 AM

you brought yourself home Maya. we just lit the way

Maya - 4:59 AM

I can hear her voice clearly now. mom is reading to me

Sarah - 5:00 AM

"it is a truth universally acknowledged..."

Maya - 5:01 AM

i remember now. that's how it starts. my favorite book

Alex - 5:02 AM

your real favorite book mia. not a simulation

Maya - 5:03 AM

everything is getting brighter

David - 5:04 AM

that's because you're waking up mia

Maya - 5:05 AM

I'm ready

Jordan - 5:06 AM

we know you are. you're the bravest person we've ever worked with

Maya - 5:07 AM

goodbye maya chen. hello mia rivera

Sarah - 5:08 AM

welcome back to the world mia

[Maya Rivera has left the chat]

SYSTEM MESSAGE: Patient consciousness restored. Memory integration successful. Neural pathway reconstruction complete.

SYSTEM MESSAGE: Session terminated at 5:09 AM.

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THE END