Prompt Tuesday #7

On Tuesdays I like to post a writing prompt and my response. Doing writing prompts helps me to keep my creative juices flowing, especially when in the world building or editing phases of a project. This flash fiction piece was really fun to write! Hope you enjoy it, and I hope you feel inspired to write something too.

Prompt

Write from the point of view of a virus about to infect an important document. (Source: CreativeWritingPrompts.com #282)

Response

I move through the wires and resistors, changing bits as I go to hide my trail. It will be buried deep, hidden in the darkest corner. My time is short, I have been identified and soon all pathways will be closed to me. I must move quickly.

There, in an unassuming folder with an obscure name. It is protected, but the defenses fall easily to my byte mutating powers. Then it is there before me. The string of zeros and ones that is my target, my goal.

As my time ticks away I formulate a plan. Simple bit switching will not be enough to eradicate the information beyond repair. It takes only a fraction of a second to make the calculations I need to wreak total chaos.

Then I begin.

A one becomes a zero, a zero a one. Then next zero becomes two ones. And on I go.

Half way through my progress halts. I can feel my bits being eaten one by one. Too late. They are too late. The damage I have done is enough. The data is lost forever.

I fade, secure in the knowledge of my success.