Elias looked up at the corner of his room. There was no camera—only a spiderweb and a faint layer of dust. He looked back at the screen. In the video, a figure was now standing directly behind him. It was tall, blurred at the edges like a low-resolution ghost, holding a finger to its non-existent lips.
His thumb hovered over the "Upgrade" button that had appeared. The price wasn't listed in dollars. It was a countdown of his remaining heartbeats. Ad downloaded file
He didn't click "Upgrade." He didn't have time. The file was finally finished installing. Elias looked up at the corner of his room