Bogleech.com's 2018 Horror Write-off:

The Holder of the Now

Submitted by Jenne Kaivo

Take yourself down to any maternity ward in any town anywhere in the world.

What? All right…

Go to any maternity ward OR abortion clinic in any town anywhere in the world.

What? No, that’s not the important part at all.

Ugh. Go to any maternity ward in any town anywhere in the world, OR anywhere that practices third-trimester abortion. This is allowed for the sake of technicality.

OK. Go to any maternity ward, OR imaginary third-trimester abortion clinic, in any town, anywhere in the world. Good luck finding the second one.

Now you ask for the Holder of the Now. Oh, people are being weird about it? Hush your damn face. You are the one who came in here all with those strange demands, in any town, in any country in the world.

Say they let you in now, to the Holder of the Now. Good for you! A nurse will open a door for you, in a random hallway. You must fight your way down, and never, never look to either side, no matter how many strange and fleshy creatures seem to try to hold you back. It may feel like a month has passed, or a year, but do NOT look to either side.

When you arrive, she will offer you a nice cup of tea. Do NOT refuse, even if you prefer coffee. You will be able to ask her any question you can imagine, for as long as there is liquid in the tea cup, and she will have to answer you honestly. But be warned: she does NOT take kindly to being confused with any other series of holders, and she does NOT enjoy people who just down the tea all quickly and skedaddle.

You see, it’s just so hard for visitors to get to her, and she gets them so rarely.