• I’m a fan girl, I scoffed at Ash with a GameBoy Advance SP in my pocket with Pokemon Yellow inside. I even got hissy when people dared compared Red to Ash how could they?!

    Like everyone else who frequents the internet, I found this genre called “Creepy Pasta" and laughed myself sick at this stories of so-called haunted video gamed. “Lost Silver", “Blue Tears", “Glitchy Red", pul-lease! Like any of those are real!

    I got my hands on a copy of Pokemon Emerald when my last copy’s internal battery died. I laughed at the boy who gave it to me, he practically threw it at me, “Lady, I’m begging you. Burn that game!" then he simply ran off like he was glad to be rid of it. How strange, but whatever. I threw the game in my SP and started it up, started a new game instantly. The music started and Professor Birch showed up. “Hi! Sorry to keep you waiting! Welcome to the world of Pokemon! My name is Birch, but everyone calls me the Pokemon Professor." Yup same old into to a timeless game. I mean what was with that boy’s reaction this game was totally on the level and then of course it asked me if I was a boy or a girl. I gave the right answer and told it “Girl". Now this was strange. It already had my name as the player character. Hey less work for me! Birch started in again, “Ah! Okay! You’re Heart. Do not move to my hometown of LittleRoot!" I’m not ashamed to say by this time, yeah I was a little freaked out. But hey just a few glitches in the game.

    I just laughed and continues playing, same old opening. Chose a Torchic for my first Pokemon, called it Blaine, reference to season one the fire gym leader on Cinnibar Island. But when I battled the Zizagoon it knew a great move! It knew Overheat. Needless to say what I used huh? But my SP grew hot to the touch, too hot, it burned my hand and I dropped it to watch in horror as it burst into flames. I ran all the way back home.

    A fire truck was there, my house charred to ashes, a fireman told me no one had survived. I stood there in shock, one word in my mind, overheat….overheat… A scream caught in my throat as I saw the shiny blue of my SP completely unharmed as was the copy of Pokemon Emerald, the game still playing. I picked it up, and cried out in fear when I saw the text on a black screen. “You’ll burn too…"

    I picked it up, the SP was cool to the touch and I finally burned that game. I still have a great fear of fire… This is crazy…. But I know that move of Overheat claimed my family, the lives of those I loved most and one day it will claim my life too. My SP still feels too warm to the touch at times. Ah! Ow! It’s burning my hands! Help me!