He didn't turn around. Instead, he watched the video. A shadow moved into the frame behind his on-screen self—a tall, flickering shape that didn't seem to have a solid form. It reached out a hand toward the Elias on the screen.
Elias froze. The air in the room suddenly felt ten degrees colder. He could hear the soft hum of his refrigerator and, faintly, the sound of a floorboard creaking in the hallway. Download File pv2.m4v
He didn’t remember clicking a link or authorizing a transfer. He lived a quiet life in a coastal town where the most exciting thing that happened was the tide coming in twice a day. But there it was, a progress bar creeping toward 100% with a steady, rhythmic pulse. He didn't turn around
When the download finished, the icon sat on his desktop, a generic white rectangle. Elias took a breath and double-clicked. It reached out a hand toward the Elias on the screen