Do Stop Asking, Please

Issue 11

https://manyworlds.place/issue-11/mei-backof/

by Mei Backof




00:00:03.000 –> 00:00:05.000
A tall, pixelated black silhouette of a girl’s face with frizzy hair and one red eye.

00:00:05.001 –> 00:00:7.000
A full-body pixelated black silhouette of a littler girl with frizzy hair and one white eye.

00:00:7.000 –> 00:00:10.000
The two figures stare at each other.

00:00:15 –> 00:00:23.000
A pixelated, claw-like black hand, which turns and red pixelated blood drops atop it.

00:00:23.000 –> 00:00:32.000
The tall red-eyed figure stares, weeping, at her hand, then looks up.

00:00:35.000 –> 00:00:38.000
Her hand presses against a reflection.

00:00:38.000 –> 00:00:42.000
Full-body view of her staring at her reflection, which has a white eye instead of red.

00:00:45.000 –> 00:00:48.000
A white pixelated butterfly.

00:00:48.000 –> 00:00:51.000
The little girl figure stares up at the looming red-eyed figure.

00:00:51.000 –> 00:00:55.000
Shot of little girl’s white eye.

00:00:55.000 –> 00:00:58.000
The red-eyed figure smashes the little girl’s decapitated head into the ground.

00:01:00:000 –> 00:01:02.000
Pixelated white paper with red text.

00:01:02:000 –> 00:01:05:000
Lists of mental disorders. Some are crossed out.

00:01:05:000 –> 00:01:08:000
Side view of red-eyed figure with a skull-like red mouth.

00:01:08:000 –> 00:01:11:000
Side view of little girl with a skull-like white mouth.

00:01:11:000 –> 00:01:16:000
Three pixelated white butterflies.

00:01:16:000 –> 00:01:20:000
A red-eyed white grub with blood around its mandibles.

00:01:20:000 –> 00:01:22:000
Close-up of little girl crying.

00:01:22:000 –> 00:01:23:000
Red-eyed figure’s claws drip blood.

00:01:23:000 –> 00:01:25:000
Red-eyed figure is bloody and lopsided.

00:01:29:000 –> 00:01:40:000
Pixelated red heart pumps, slowing down and twitching, before stopping altogether.

00:01:41:000 –> 00:01:45:000
Two pixelated black fingers point at a white exclamation mark.

00:01:45:000 –> 00:01:48:000
Red-eyed figure stares down at a trail of blood.

00:01:48:000 –> 00:01:50:000
Pixelated house burning.

00:01:50:000 –> 00:01:52:000
Hand reaching out of red waters.

00:01:52:000 –> 00:01:55:000
Two red eyes stare.

00:01:55:000 –> 00:01:58:000
Red-eyed figure stares.

00:01:58:000 –> 00:02:02:000
Red-eyed figure’s neck severs and her head falls to her shoulder.

00:02:02:000 –> 00:02:05:000
Close-up of red eye.

00:02:10:000 –> 00:02:15:000
Little girl and red-eyed figure stare at each other again.

00:02:15:000 –> 00:02:19:000
Little girl bows her head to red-eyed figure.

00:02:20:000 –> 00:02:26:000
Little girl keeps bowing, then looks back up.


Mei Backof is one of Santa Clara University’s two Canterbury Fellowship-awarded scholars of 2025, currently developing a horror short story and essay collection entitled “Bitter-Milk Drunk.” Her previous works have been published in SCU’s The Owl, and others will be released in upcoming issues of Blood+Honey, Sardine Can Collective, and the engine(idling. Chill Subs: https://www.chillsubs.com/profile/audreybackof-mei