I was so excited the first day I went live. Yeah, I know it’s a lame thing to be excited about. But considering you need a minimum 1000 followers, it does require some work to build an audience. So, try not to judge me too hard.
I already knew exactly what I wanted to do on my first live stream. I’ve been obsessed with watching lottery scratch offs for months.
I’ve never made it a habit to buy scratch offs in the past, but I would occasionally pick one up when checking out at the gas station. I never spent more than five dollars on the rare occasion I did buy some. But for some reason, I’ve been completely addicted to watching scratch-off live streams. Something about the way they scratch the tickets gives me those ASMR tingles and has been really helpful to reduce my anxiety. I saw one live streamer make 2000$ from follower gifts alone on a 5 hour live stream. When I saw that, I started thinking “Hey, maybe I could make some extra money on this?”
After moving across the country last year, things have been hard and I don’t have many family members. The ones I do have don’t really keep in contact with me. I guess that’s one of the reasons I started my account. It gets really lonely sometimes and thought I was lucky to find a community of people who have been dealing with the same thing.
I started making some teaser videos, shared basic information about myself, and encouraged people to follow me so I could go live. I was amazed at how many people wanted to support me. And when I finally saw that ticker go from 999 to 1000, I couldn’t contain my elation. I already had a huge stack of scratch offs ready to go that I had been stock piling the last few weeks. I posted a video letting my subscribers know I’d be going live in a few hours.
I went out to get a coffee and celebratory donut before getting the last few supplies I needed. I always go to the same spot for coffee because Rockies is the best is town. One of my subscribers in the area recommended it to me - & it’s amazing! It tasted a little off this time, but even so. Nothing could bring me down today.
When I arrived back home, I got everything organized, my clipboard ready to go, and a nice 3 hour mix of Lofi on a playlist to perfectly craft an ideal environment for other people who might have anxiety like me and just wanted to watch something to relax. I noticed the last video I made notifying my subscribers of the live had an above average number of views.
“This is going to be great!” I thought.
I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to get started. After I got everything set up, I started the live and could barely contain myself. I waited for a little while to see if anyone would join, but it took a good 3 songs before I saw the watch eye go from 0 to 1.
My voice squeaked as I tried to welcome them to my live stream. The number quickly went back to 0. I thought to myself “ok maybe that was a bit too eager. I’ll just start doing the scratch offs, and keep my eyes on the chat function to see if anyone says anything.” I took in a massive gulp of my disgusting coffee and got back to it.
My favorite cards are the crossword puzzles, so I started doing that and just mindlessly talking about my day, the card, what I would do if I won the biggest prize, and anything else I could think of honestly. I got really into it, and looked up a few minutes later to see there were a few messages in the chat window I hadn’t noticed. I cursed myself for not seeing them sooner. But when I read the messages, they didn’t look like the normal comments I’m used to seeing.
“Notification - Delta & Gamma have started viewing your livestream.”
The messages read:
“Delta: auction candidate identified. network active, primary location.
Gamma: Your submission has been accepted.”
What the hell is this? I’ve seen internet trolls before & I know people can be weird. But what are they even talking about? I completely forgot I was on camera while I was reading it. I looked up to see a dumbfounded me staring back at me through my video monitor. I realized I needed to get myself together and tried to keep going through my cards. But another message came through.
The chat read:
“Alpha: Your submission has been accepted. Adding submission to auction now.”
Auction?
Suddenly, my computer screen went completely black. It blinked to life after a few seconds & an old windows chat room browser was open. I stared bewildered as I saw a barrage of hundreds of messages flooding the screen.
The messages weren’t words - but numbers. I noticed the numbers started getting bigger and bigger. It almost looked like they were bidding on something. I tried to click out of the screen but my laptop wouldn’t respond. I hit the power button but nothing happened.
The weird message that came up before the live went down mentioned something about an auction, didn’t it? My computer was completely frozen, so I couldn’t go back and check what it said. I only looked at it for a few seconds, but I’m pretty sure it said something about an auction. Finally, the chat messages started coming in slower. Then a message finally came through that wasn’t just cryptic numbers.
It read:
“Doctor Bonesaw: Can you confirm the treat will be fresh on arrival?
Alpha: Confirmation check being initiated now. Three knocks.”
Adrenaline hit me with a sharp wave as I heard three knocks loudly on the window beside me. The sound shot through my body as fresh terror coursed through my veins. My terrified brain slowly started to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
A new message appeared.
“Doctor Bonesaw: funds transferred.
Alpha: confirmed. congratulations on your purchase. proceed to location.”
What. The. Hell.
I shut my laptop as fast as I could, grabbed my phone and I started dialing 911. I stared at my phone, waiting the familiar ring that would bring the most beautiful words I would ever hear. A dispatcher saying “Don’t worry. Help is on the way and the psycho outside your house won’t sell you to someone who wants to wear your flesh while eating a soup made of your ground up bones and eyeballs.”
But no. My phone hadn’t even initiated the call. It was completely frozen just like my laptop. My flight response kicked in and I decided I would take my chances to make a run for it. In my haste, I ran down the stairs as fast as I could but tripped and came crashing down the last two stairs. As I looked up from the floor to the front door, I saw the outline of three massive figures through my front door’s window. They were staring straight at me. They didn’t even react when they saw me. They just stood there like hell’s guardians. Watching me. But I think I saw one of them holding in a laugh after watching me fall down the stairs.
Bastard.
I peeled myself off the ground, and ran to my back door. The motion activated flood lights in my backyard were already on and illuminated five more hulking figures standing shoulder to shoulder.
I ran downstairs to the basement. My only hope of salvation - a 50 year old revolver given to me by my late grandfather. I wasn’t even sure if the damn thing worked, but I would have to take my chances. What else could I do at this point?
As I opened the basement door, my stomach turned. I raised my shaking hand to hit the light switch. As the light flicked on, my hopes of making it out of this alive were dashed.
I hadn’t got around to renovating the basement since moving in last year, so it has been used to store my old boxes and furniture. All of my things were pushed aside and in their place was a dark chamber of absolute horrors.
Chains on the walls, tables set up with rusted, dirty medical equipment. A tv monitor showing a bone-saw with a dark red substance coating it. A large chair with restraints around the arms and feet. And a camera pointed at it.
My small relief was that I seemed to be the only person in the room. I quickly locked the door and began searching for the safe that held my grandfather’s revolver. When I found it, my last hopes were crushed. The door had already been opened and I as stared into the empty safe I felt anything but.
I tried to pick it up but it seemed much heavier than normal. My arms were weak as my adrenaline started to wear and a heaviness fell over my body. I tried with all the leftover strength I could muster to move the safe in front of the door so I could maybe buy myself a few extra minutes before those monsters come crashing through the door and introduce me to Doctor Bonesaw.
As I set down the safe in front of the door, I collapsed beside it in exhaustion. I reached in my pocket and took out my phone. It showed I had received a new message notification. After reading it, any hope I had of escaped was gone. My only saving grace was they unlocked my phone so i could receive their grim message. But my relief was short lived. I still can’t make outgoing calls but I’m taking full advantage of this moment to write all this out and try post it before it goes down again. I know I don’t have much time.
My eyes are heavy and I curse myself for drinking that damned coffee even though I knew it tasted wrong. To anyone reading this, be careful about the personal details you put on the internet. You never know who could be watching.
And I know why they haven’t come bursting through the door yet.
The message I received read: “Sleep well. The doctor will see you soon.”