Messages flooded the channel with concern as we saw our online friend vanish from the screen. Some said it was a prank, ‘a stunt for content’ one user wrote… That was until we heard the screams, and saw the mist of blood spatter across the lens.
An unknown figure entered the shot, clade in dark clothes hand slamming the laptop closed.
The Broadcast Has Ended.
That was twenty hours ago.
I still don’t know exactly what happened there. Trust me when I say I spent the last day trying to find out. One second it was like every other night; people cracking jokes and memeing. He was genuine, high off the events of the day. Not playing out his usual role like some performance piece of a comic caricature.
I now understand you can never really know who the person behind the screen is. You only get what they want you to see, a curated image, a fantasy divorced from the reality of who that person is and what they are going through. This is the way of a Broadcast Jockey, or what’s more popularly known as… a ‘streamer’.
I guess I should start from a while ago, when all of this started.
I don’t know why, I started watching Ton exactly. It was during the shut downs. I was bored out of my mind watching streams and clicked on to the ‘IRL’ category. It was all the same; E-girls in cat ears and ‘competitive’ gaming. That’s when I saw a title that caught my eye.
I’LL BE THE WORLDS BIGGEST STEAMER IN ONE MONTH
I chuckled, thinking how absurd it was. Everyone thinks they’ll be the next big thing I guess… In thumbnail was a ‘nerdy’ looking guy in a dingy room.
‘Fifty viewers?’ I thought as I joined the stream. The clickbait title had worked.
“And that… is how it goes!” he said like it was some sort of catchphrase.
Messages began to pop up in response.
RadDawg305: TON YOU ARE INSANE, that’s hilarious.
JingoBalboa: I can’t believe this, I’m crying right now LOL
RosieRuth68 @ RadDawg305: KEKW KEKW KEKW
What sort of cult-of-personality was this? Was what he said that funny?
I looked at the room around him…. it was a pigsty.
Piles of laundry and dirty dishes, gray peeling paint, and broken window fixtures.
I watched in confusion. What was it that had drawn in 50 people? I watched closely trying to discern memes and slang like some sort of an alien language: oilers, donos, bits… a never ending slew of terminology you had to be ‘in the know’ to know.
Ton continued telling pointless stories for the next hour. If his voice had been AI generated, the presets would have been: point-Dexter and game show host. I sat perplexed as I tried to figure out what the appeal was.
Look, I don’t know if it was due to being cooped up for so long… maybe I had been suffering from some sort of ‘isolation cabin fever’… maybe it was just the sense of camaraderie in that chat that I had been lacking for so long, but, by the end of that stream…
I was hooked.
Over the next few months I watched Ton’s stream constantly. I began to uncover the meanings in the words and memes the chat used that had once confused me. The names in the group became as familiar as if they were friends. Ton, just a regular person like the rest of us. Living in a dump of an apartment, streaming to make some extra cash. Ton was our friend…
Before you say, it… I know.
Parasocial.
Another piece of ‘lingo’ I picked up while watching.
That was just how it was, that was how Ton curated his stream. I see it now. At the time I thought it was all organic.
As the months went on we watched Ton’s success grow. The ‘clickbait’ titles seeming less and less like a joke and more like a reality.
I’LL BE THE WORLDS BIGGEST STEAMER IN ONE MONTH
Ton went from being a guy joking in his apartment saying catchphrases and doing goofy dances, to someone actually starting to gain a following. He was gonna ‘make it’ the chat would joke.
Every time I watched, I learned more about the strange charismatic streamer.
RosieRuth68: Ton knows people, he’s friends with XKC in real life
TonHater305: This channel is a complete fabrication, it’s a comedy special for HBO
I never knew what to believe while watching.
In time I was surprised to see he did in fact know some bigger streamers. Sometimes they would appear in chat, just as soon to disappear. Other times they would leave big donations.
Who was this guy? I thought he was some random nerd like the rest of us…
As time went on the comments became more and more ridiculous.
Quasar3495: Ton is actually from Mozambique and his parents are Mongolian spies
BANNED
KingOfTV123: Ton killed a man in his home country and is on the run…
BANNED
I know you shouldn’t believe gossip but there was something about Ton and the channel that made me wonder. Were any of the rumors true?
He would ban them instantly. I could swear he almost looked… guilty.
“Don’t come into my channel saying something like that! What do you know?!” His dorky demeanor gone, voice raised. Seconds later re-gaining composure and returning to his ‘normal’ self, or at least what he showed it to be…
Ton stopped streaming from his apartment and would now broadcast himself around town. This is when he really started to get popular. His awkward interactions with unknowing bystanders was hilarious and he would make a fool of himself in public for only a small dono.
Who would have thought allowing anonymous strangers to speak through TTS in public would result in anything other then utter embarrassment and depravity? Thankfully no one ever took it too far and it was usually good nurtured… usually.
It was hard to believe the success he was having. Watching him go from having only fifty viewers to numbers in the hundreds was really cool. The chat knew he was going to get somewhere, once he started collaborating with ‘real’ streamers.
His stream titles began to reflect the change.
LolTubby is visiting! Will I finally be famous?!
Going to stream snipe XKC. Do I really know him?
We never thought apartment dweller Ton would ever be streaming with people who had thousands of viewers. Our secret awkward unknown streamer was going to make it big…
Some of the chat wasn’t happy about it.
RadDawg305: TON! You never respond anymore I donated 100$ and all you said was thank you! YOU CHANGED TON.
SnideDishes12: Rad chill out dude! Do you see how many people are here. Just be happy for Ton’s success!
RadDawg’s message was lost in sea of all the rest. He had been there from the beginning, and now his streamer… his ‘friend’ would hardly acknowledge him. A lot of the other people in chat started to get the same way.
It was during this time of success that Ton started to get a little weird on stream. His numbers would dwindle on days he wasn’t with already established streamers. He would apologize to chat for not being able to always respond and said he would never forget their help getting him to where he was.
The first thing that happened was this.
One day Ton was eating in the food court of a local mall, when young guy in a hoodie approached him.
“Ton it’s me!” the man said eyes wide and glossy, his voice shaking from excitement.
“Oh… are you a sniper?” Ton said clearly uncomfortable.
Even though he was an ‘IRL’ streamer, he often mentioned he wasn’t really a big fan of ‘getting sniped’ (visits from viewers). Not really the best mentality for a live streamer, but that’s what he said.
“Ton it’s me Rad, buddy!” the man in the hoodie clamped his arms around him tightly. Ton stood there motionless not reciprocating.
“Woah… okay. Hey Rad… nice to finally meet you.”
After the two got past the initial awkwardness, I suppose Ton warmed up to the idea of meeting a ‘fan’ and they sat and ate lunch together. They both loosened up and were having what seemed like a good time. The chat loved it and Rad ended up becoming sort of a channel meme after that point.
That same stream, right after Rad got on the bus and said goodbye, is when it happened. The ‘weirdness’. Ton was talking to the camera and signing off for the day…
“GUYS! Thank you so much, it’s been a great stream. I’m gonna head home now as well but I really enjoyed today and…” he stopped mid sentence.
The camera pointed to the ground and the sound was muted.
RadDawg305: Hey guys watching from the bus right now just wanted to say…
RadDawg305: Wait wtf why is the stream silent? What is he doing?
SusanneObi: Yeah… kinda weird. He’s never done this.
The screen began to shake as if Ton was running and then it went black.
Suddenly the screen flicked back on. Ton staring at the camera, his face wet with sweat. He looked terrible.
Ton spoke, or tried to at least “Guys… hey guys… listen… sorry” he was out of breath.
MemeStunter34: WTF?! He looks like he saw a ghost LULW!
GrimyPockets: Dude… he sounds like a wreck
Ton wiped his forehead and cursed under his breath ‘shit…’
His voice calmer now “I gotta go guys… I’ll try to stream this week…”
SusanneObi: Ton what happened?
Quasar3495: LOL!
The stream went offline.
Ton did end up streaming next week.
He was calm and composed. He acted like nothing had happened.
We tried to press him for answers but he kept brushing it off. It seemed like he had done a complete 180. What had he been so freaked out about last stream? We pestered him so much he threatened to start banning people who brought it up.
After banning five different people most of the chat let it go. I rationalized that whatever happened must not have been a big deal. But I knew, the look in his eyes that day had said different.
He started talking about how next week he planned to stream with a really big user, but… he had to keep their name secret. Everything seemed okay, and for a while it even felt like one of his older streams; at least, that was until it didn’t.
Ton’s phone began to ring. He looked down at the number off screen. His demeanor changed. One second he was laughing and the next, pained and anxious.
“G-guys… one second. I have to take this” he said, muting the stream.
We watched as picked up the phone.
“Hello…” he mouthed.
He stood up, his hand on his head pushing his hair back. He was walking in circles pacing around frantically. What was going on?
SnideDishes12: Dang is this guy gonna have a freak out every time he streams now! LUL!
GravelFlingger @ SnideDishes12: STFU dummy. Can’t you see this isn’t a joke.
D4ndilionGal: You guys are dumb. Sorry you can’t see it. This is just another one of his ‘memes’. Everything Ton does is an act! He doesn’t even need to stream, his parent’s own like 5 companies overseas. 2Head
JingoBalboa @ DandilionGal: He isn’t rich. Why do you guys keep saying that? I used to be friends with him, he is not rich. Just stop with the cap please!
I tried to ignore the nonsense in the chatroom staring discerningly at Ton’s expression. What had this guy so stressed? Were his parents Mongolian spies? Was he rich? Regardless of what was true, anyone could see that he was dealing with something heavy.
He almost looked afraid, his arm waving in the air as he talked. He grabbed the phone with both hands and held it close to his mouth speaking rapidly.
Finally he sat at his desk and put his head in his hands.
D4ndilionGal: Okay… maybe it’s not an act.
SusanneObi: He looks sick… what’s wrong Ton?!
LolTubbyFan: This is messed up. Can’t he deal with this off stream?
He looked up into the camera, and wiped his eye. He had been crying.
“Guys…” he sighed.
“I’m sorry… I’m not feeling very well. I need to go…”
He had only be streaming for ten minutes.
SusanneObi: Ton! Tell us what is wrong!
Suddenly a donation SFX chimed, the stupid song that played along with it completely out of place with the situation at hand.
The Text-to-speech’s robotic voice began.
Ton, what has gotten into you? The last few streams you have been acting extremely weird. Are you okay? Were you crying? Who was on the phone? Please. Tell us what’s wrong.
He started shaking his head and laughing to himself bitterly. He pinched his eyes.
“Guys, you know what… everything is fine. It’s okay, really. I’m fine. Tomorrow I’m going to stream with the surprise streamer and you guys are going to love it. Sorry for the jebait stream today, but I promise tomorrow will make up for it.”
He waved to the camera and logged off.
The next day I clicked on the stream early. Everyone in the discord channel was excited about who the special guest was going to be. I guess word had got out because Ton had hundreds of viewers while the ‘stream starting soon’ graphic played. Most of whom, I figured had no idea of the drama from the night before.
The stream started and the chat was going insane. Ton had somehow managed to collaborate with TinyBCJ. Her stream constantly had viewers in the thousands and sometimes tens of thousands. Ton’s ‘love’ for Tiny was also a running joke in the chat.
NoLifeViewer: LOL! When is the marriage? How did he manage this?
D4ndilionGal: Tiny! I watch her stream too!
One comment stood out as kind of out of place, but I don’t think Ton was bothered by it. He started to read it out loud and stopped, ignoring the rest of it.
TonFan1: Why would Ton stream with such an ugly and stupid streamer as Tiny! Ton is supposed to be with me! Stop shipping them. They are not getting married!
BANNED
Moderator: Please do not make fun of or belittle other streamers, especially when they are on stream. Thank you!
It was the best stream Ton had ever done.
The chat was laughing the entire time. The dynamic between the two was great. Ton also made more money then I had ever seen him make on stream. Tiny gave him advice and said she would help grow his channel.
It was everything Ton could have hoped for, he was elated.
He signed off and said he would stream from home later that night to recap.
Ton did turn on the stream later that night, I thought it might have been his last…
And now we are the point where everything I have told so far is coming to a head.
I guess it’s time to confess… please do not get the wrong idea.
The thing is… Ton and I… well, we live in the same city.
I was just as surprised when I found out. I think it had to do with algorithms or something. Maybe it was a way to drive engagement? I know that sounds unlikely but it really is true.
I guess it’s also time to confess that… well… I sniped Ton during one of his IRLs
and well…
I followed him home.
I’m not proud of it, but it happened.
I PROMISE I HAD NO ILL INTENT. It was simple curiosity… that’s it!
I just became so interested in the stream and everything… and Ton was getting so popular. I was going to say something to him and the stream but when I saw him I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just sat there watching him, like some kind of… idk stalker or something.
When I saw him say goodbye to the stream I thought “it’s to late, I can’t say anything now”.
So I just.. followed him… home.
I know, it’s bad.
Last night Ton started off beaming. He was so happy with how the stream went. He told us that all of the issues he had been having would soon be solved. Everything was going to turn around. He even promised he would hire some of us, if his channel really took off like Tiny had said it would.
He would not become “the biggest streamer”, but he would no longer be the dingy apartment dwelling weirdo. He was now going to be a certified “partnered” streamer.
Well that was the idea anyway…
Twenty minutes into the stream we heard a loud knock at the door. It sounded like someone was trying to break it down. Ton looked at his phone momentarily confused as if something wasn’t adding up.
“Hold on guys one sec.” he stood and disappeared off camera.
“Wait… you’re not… Who… are you?” I heard him say.
GrainyCrocs420: Enough of the pranks Ton! I’m sick of this ‘content’.
TrollguuyXO: Lol, bad stunt content is bad.
Then the carnage started.
We couldn’t see it but we could hear it… Ton’s screams were brutal. If I were to base it off the screams alone, well… I wouldn’t have said he was alive.
I looked on bewildered as Ton’s bloody hand clawed it’s way into the frame, seemingly drained of all strength.
D4ndilionGal: TON! WTF TON! I’M CALLING THE COPS
GrainyCrocs420: Fake AF! Fake Fake Fake
RadDawg305: No… TON! PLEASE! WHAT IS THIS?!
RosieRuth68L: Ton? Ton it’s not funny. Please stop.
I stared at the screen in disbelief. Was Ton really just murdered live on stream? I started to feel dizzy unable to process what I had just seen. I couldn’t just sit there. I had to do something. I grabbed the biggest knife I could from my kitchen and threw on my coat.
I had to help Ton.
By some stroke of fate Ton had only lived 20 minutes away. If the cops took 30 minutes to figure out where he lived and another 10 to get there that would give me 20 minutes to find out what had happened.
Thankfully Ton’s apartment was low security… well actually, no security. It was really more of a building; the point being that I had no trouble getting in. There were only four other residences. Could it have been one of his neighbors?
No.
I recalled his shock, and the last thing I heard him say… ‘who are you?’.
I turned the handle and pushed on the entry door. It was unlocked. Each suite had it’s own entry so I suppose they just left the main one open. I looked at the two doors near the entry way. A pile of old newspapers outside of one, clearly no one had been here for a long time. A sign hung on the other “The Stiltons”.
I looked up the stairs, where the doors to the two other apartments were.
One was open a crack.
No amount of video games or horror films could mentally prepare me for the amount of blood in that room.
Why would someone do this?
I looked around the suite, Ton was nowhere to be found. The place familiar, even though I had never stepped foot in it. I looked to the computer desk where Ton had sat moments before he was attacked. Were there answers there? I looked at the clock.
I had 15 minutes left before the cops showed up and pinned this all on me.
I shook the mouse frantically. His computer whirled on. I looked at the desktop… It didn’t take long to piece together what had happened… it was all there in the open.
DEBT REPAYMENT
LOTUS BROTHERHOOD - 15K
BANK - 10K
Lotus Brotherhood? That was a local gang…
It all made sense now.
The frantic phone calls, running from someone on stream, the worried looks.
Ton owed Lotus… and they had come to collect.
No… I shook my head in disbelief. Ton? Our Ton? Loan sharks? This was absurd. I opened up the browser and pulled up his social media profile.
1 DM from TinyBCJ: Hey Ton, I’m definitely willing to stream with you and will earnestly try and help you get a break. To be honest I think your stream is kind of funny, I’ve seen it a few times. I think for 10 grand we can make the collab happen. Let me know what you decide!
Ton paid… Tiny to collab? I could hardly believe what I was reading. I opened his e-mail client next.
*“Ton if you send us the money, we have no problem at all donating back to you on stream. It’s no sweat off my back and if it generates some clips or content for you then it’s a win win**.” -Carbon
The donations from Carbondrinker and the other big streamers were fake… Ton had planned it to generate clips and views?
I felt like I had been betrayed. It was all fake…
The last message explained everything.
“Cousin… I never figured you would have anything to do with my walk of life. I do know people that can help you with your financial issues… However… let me tell you this. If this doesn’t pan out like you hope. Your blood won’t be on my hands. MAKE SURE you pay them back or you’ll be a walking dead man!”
The full picture of Ton’s desperation came into view. He wanted to be a streamer so bad he was willing to risk his entire life borrowing money from the mafia?
His quest for popularity had killed him… I shook my head.
Suddenly I heard the ringing of a phone. Whoever took Ton had left it behind.
I picked it up wearily.
BZZ BZZ Hai Chang - Lotus BZZ BZZ Hai Chang - Lotus
Why would Lotus be calling if they had killed Ton?
Against my better judgment I answered the phone.
“Hello…”
“Ton is that you?! Listen close you piece of sh-t! Out of respect for your cousin… we gave you an extension. But soon is the time to collect!”
“Extension…” I said confused.
“Yes, the extension? Are you stupid or something? Listen, if we don’t get the money back after the big deal you told us you were getting… I don’t need to say what’ll happen!” The mans voice peaking as it strained through the phone.
“Of course… of course” I said as I hung up.
The mafia didn’t take Ton… well at least not yet.
So who did?
I stared at the clock. I likely only had a few minutes until the police arrived and I was no closer to figuring out what had happened.
I opened up the stream and clicked on the message icon. I couldn’t believe it.
message: DEAR TON, WHEN CAN WE MEET?
message: DEAR TON PLEASE RESPOND
message: TON TON, I’M THE ONLY ONE FOR YOU
message: TON DON’T IGNORE ME
Someone was obsessed with Ton… he had ignored every single message. Why didn’t he just block them? Did he not take it seriously? He had mentioned weird people messaging him online but he never told us it was like this…
I looked at the dates, there was one from yesterday.
TON WHY DON’T YOU RESPOND TO ME? I SAW THE STREAM WITH YOU AND TINY. IT MADE ME SICK. SHE’S A DISGUSTING BRAT! SHE DOESN’T DESERVE TO BE WITH YOU! DOES SHE THINK BECAUSE SHE’S FAMOUS SHE CAN JUST TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME? I’LL DIE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS. I MUST PUNISH YOU, BUT IT IS OUT OF LOVE. TOMORROW I AM COMING TO VISIT. WE HAVE MET BEFORE, BUT TOMORROW IT WILL BE JUST YOU AND ME. LET’S RETURN TO OUR SPECIAL PLACE…
-YOUR NUMBER 1 FAN.
I felt sick. This person was completely deranged.
Special Place? Where had I heard that before? They had met before? It was completely vague… yet something about it in this context made it feel relevant.
Why?
Suddenly I heard sirens in the distance. There was no more time.
No.. no.. no… I still had no idea where Ton was. I had to leave. None of this would matter if I was found here like this. I had to go, clues or not. I made my way out the apartment and stopped dead in my tracks.
The neighbor stood in her doorway eyeing me suspiciously.
My heart stopped. She would tell the police I was here. I would be implicated. I tried to find words, anything to say, anything at all. I stood there mouth open sounds coming out, but nothing with any semblance of reason.
“It was the girl… the brown haired girl. I saw her you know. She had a mean look to her I tell you” the old woman told me as if I had asked…
“The brown… haired… girl” I stuttered out.
“Oh yes, brown hair, with a streak in it, like they used to do. That was after Disco.”
A girl with a streak in her hair…
It felt my mind shatter into pieces as the memory returned…
Her voice so shrill and annoying, she was only on stream for a minute.
The chat had kept saying to ditch her…
“This is our special place, hah hah! You and me Ton!”
That girl…
I never would have imagined… she was annoying, not psychotic! It was the only thing that made sense. I knew it was her, she was the Number1Fan.
“Thank you ma’am” I said as I ran down the stairs and out onto the street, into the black engulf of the night.
Ton was probably bleeding out, the waterfront area was all the way across town.
I saw a younger guy with a broccoli cut across the street getting into his car.
“Hey, bro! You do ride sharing?”
“Uh… no… well, I have…but”
“How much to the docks? I’ll pay you well” I said desperately
“Are you… is this a prank video? Is this for click-clock or something?”
I grabbed him by his vest in desperation, tears nearly running down my face.
“Please… I have to get to the docks…”
He looked at me like I was crazy, which I probably was, but after thinking for a minute he said
“I’ll take you, you don’t need to pay. I’m going that way anyways.”
Maybe humanity wasn’t dead after all… the cynic in me couldn’t believe it.
“Thank you bro, you might have saved a life” I said as I jumped out.
He looked at me confused unsure if I was serious not and then drove off. I was certain he would hear about whatever would happen by the morning.
I ran to the spot where Ton and The Girl had been that day. ‘The special spot’.
It wasn’t really special. It was simply a bench and a plaque to some old industrial era tycoon who helped finance the area. I looked around for somewhere she could have taken him. The port was mostly silent other than sound of highway traffic in the distance and the waves lapping against the walls of the dock.
I noticed an old car parked to the side of one of the buildings next to the benches. Trunk half closed, a trail of blood leading away from into one of the warehouses. It was her… she was here, right now, with Ton! Or whatever was left of him. My brain struggled to grasp that situation was actually happening, it didn’t feel real.
I picked up my phone and dialed 9-1-1.
“I’m at the waterfront. I think someone has been murdered. I’m at the North Port. I’m going in there, there might still be time…”
“Sir please can you repeat that. Just wait for me to ask you the questions…” his voice droned out.
I hung up, they should be able to trace the call.
I followed the trail of blood to the warehouse. The door had been broken open. The building was so old, it must not have had any security. The space was large and empty, the only light from the moon that streamed in through the linear panes that wrapped around the building.
In the center of the room was Ton.
He was tied to a chair and covered in blood. His head hung lifelessly over his shoulder.
“Ton…” I yelled under my breath.
I looked around. I could see no one.
“Ton wake up! Ton wake up man! Ton!”
I thought he was dead for sure.
Suddenly his head twitched awake. He looked at me bewildered.
“Ton!” I said happier than I had ever been in my life.
“Who…” he barely had strength to speak “are you?” he his head fell back over his shoulder.
Ton… Ton had no idea who I was. Even after I had come to save him, to protect him. I was going to be his hero… and he didn’t even know my name.
Suddenly I felt the wind knocked from me. I had been tackled from behind.
“Number1Fan…” I said
“He’s mine!” she yelled as she began to claw at my face with her disgustingly long and filthy nails. She grabbed my collar and smashed my head into the concrete floor of the warehouse repeatedly. I feel my consciousness fading. My eyes refocused in time to see her take hold of the blade she had on her waste and unsheathe it from the holster.
I don’t know if it was adrenaline but when the first puncture was made, I didn’t feel a thing. It wasn’t until the third or forth that the searing pain forced my body to convulse in agony.
“AGGHHHH” I screamed, my vocal chords ravaged by the force my lungs had set on them.
She would kill me… I was going to die in this place…
I was barely conscious when I heard it.
POP. POP. POP. POP.
Bullets like firecrackers, my assailant fell on me limply. I faded into sleep as her blood seeped onto me and pooled around.
They had traced the call.
In her rage she took no care in hiding her tracks. It was never about getting away with what she had done. She had never planned to.
It was about control.
I awoke in the hospital this morning.
The nurse told me I was lucky to have lived. The blade had narrowly missed my heart.
I ask about Ton. Was he okay? Was he even alive?
She told me Ton was fine. He had been beaten bloody but hadn’t sustained critical injuries. I wondered when I would be able to speak to him… when he would thank me for saving his life.
“I need to speak with Ton.” I said almost in desperation.
“You are still wounded, you need to rest. Even if you and Ton were both in good health… well… I don’t know… I don’t think that would be possible” she said with a touch of pity.
“What… why not?” I said confused
“Well the police still want to question you about your involvement. They still don’t have the full picture of what happened that night… the girl, well she was killed. Nobody knows why you were there…”
“What… no… no… I was there to help Ton. I was there to save him!”
“Ton said he doesn’t know who you are dear… the police want to know why you were at the crime scene, how you knew where the girl would take him. They think… they think you might be an accomplice….”
“I… I… no, no no, I’m the hero here! I was going to save him, so we would finally met and become irl friends.”
“I really shouldn’t be privy to this… but the rumor is that you were obsessed? I heard they confiscated your computer. Apparently there were hundreds of hours of clips and VODs saved… I’m sorry dear… but I hope you have a good lawyer.” she said leaving the room.
The world spun around me. The wounds in my chest were painful… but to think Ton thought I was involved with what happened to him! I couldn’t breath, I started to hyperventilate. I heard the heart rate monitor beeping faster and faster.
No… no… you got it all wrong. I’m the good guy Ton!
I plugged in my phone and loaded up the browser. The TV in the room began playing a news segment about the incident.
“Police are still investigating a bizarre story of two crazed fans who kidnapped a streamer and savagely beat him, before turning on each other. Police say the suspect that survived the raid is in custody and is expected to recover soon.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing…
I loaded up the streaming app on my phone.
100 messages.
KingOfTV123: HOW COULD YOU!
D4ndilionGal: I saw your username on the news. You make me sick!
GrainyCrocs420: Wow you’re f-ed up m8. Enjoy time in the pen. LOL!
RadDawg305: I don’t even know what to say… I thought I knew you. So many laughs, so many jokes… it was all fake. Your a psychopath and you almost killed Ton…. I guess you never really know someone.
No… please. I felt weak. How could they believe the news? My friends… my online friends. Why did they assume it was true?
I had to message Ton… he would believe me. He’d have to. He’d clear everything up.
I hurriedly typed in his profile name and clicked on the icon.
Message User.
This user has either tuned off private communications or blocked you. Message service unavailable.
How… how could they do this to me? They were my friends. My online friends…
Just like that I was out.
I guess in the end Ton was right. He really did become the biggest streamer for some time. The story was picked up by many major news outlets around the world.
I would always have my part in that, regardless of what they thought that part was.
And maybe they wouldn’t ever let me back into the group. So what?
I would just have to find a new stream… a new group.
I could find another jockey who wanted to make it to the top.
And just like Ton, I could help them…
I already knew exactly how.