Genre: Psychological Horror

Prompt written by Gary Mucklow.

Element 1: Setting

Your setting is The Listening Room.

Hidden inside a neglected sound archive, the Listening Room is where damaged and deteriorating recordings are examined. Its walls absorb almost every sound. Inside, even breathing seems intrusive.

The archive holds thousands of donated tapes, many poorly labelled and some with no recorded origin at all. Voices wait in boxes for someone to give them their attention again.

Element 2: Character

Your character is The Archivist.

They are skilled at identifying edits, distortions and gaps that an ordinary listener would miss. Years ago, before entering the profession, they were the principal witness in a criminal case. Their testimony helped secure a conviction.

They remember being certain at the time. They can no longer remember why.

Element 3: Conflict

Your conflict is The Missing Minute.

While processing a newly donated collection, the Archivist discovers an unlabelled recording connected to the old case. They recognise the place and the voices gradually, having begun their examination believing it was merely another damaged tape.

One minute is missing.

When they compare it with the official recording, they find the same precise absence, even though the two recordings came from different sources. As the damaged tape is restored, fragments of the missing minute begin to surface.

One of the voices belongs to the Archivist.

What it says does not agree with the testimony they gave, or with the life they remember living afterwards. They must decide how much of the recording they truly want to recover, knowing that the missing minute could overturn the case, expose a carefully buried lie, or reveal that their own memory was never entirely theirs.

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