The first time I heard about the deep web was in middle school. It was only ever talk as computers were still relatively new. We were young and ignorant to the dangers of the internet. It was uncharted territory. Anyone could be anything and it was exciting. We knew what our parents told us about not trusting strangers online and watching out for sketchy websites. No one really explained in any great detail how to tell a sketchy website from a safe one. Many of our parents tried their best to monitor our internet access, but as kids will do, we found ways to play online in secret.
The second time I heard about the deep web I was a freshman in high school. Some seniors were talking about all of the creepy things you could find there. I didn't pay much attention at first. I assumed it was just stories made up by the seniors to sound more impressive than they really were.
One Saturday night I was staying over at a friend's place. She pulled out her laptop so we could watch videos in her room without waking her parents. Having a laptop was kind of a big deal at the time as not very many of us had our own. After a while of watching a few of the usual videos, things like cats and people hurting themselves, she asked me if I wanted to see something really crazy. Naturally I agreed. For the sake of saving her reputation, I'll refer to her as Jane. Jane went to a hidden folder on her laptop and clicked on Tor browser.
I hadn't seen this browser before, but I had heard about it when seniors talked about the deep web. The browser was slow, taking a while to load. I found it difficult to believe the legendary deep web had to be accessed by some thing so archaic. When I asked Jane about it, she just told me to be patient.
She produced a note cared with a hand written URL on it "John gave this to me" she proclaimed with excitement. I rolled my eyes as she'd had a crush on John since the sixth grade "He says you can only find this site if someone personally invites you". After another session of loading a new website popped up. It looked like any other shopping at first, but upon closer inspection there were some more unsavory listings.
It was all the usual stuff you'd expect to find on a forbidden site various drugs and prescriptions, people selling sex, an assortment of weapons, and just about everything. It wasn't too impressive "What's so crazy?" I say, "We all know this kind of thing exists on here" as I was about to finish my statement a pop up appeared on the screen. CHECK OUT OUR NEWEST LISTING, it read. Not long after a chat box popped up with another link.
Spurred on by curiosity we followed the link. We were not prepared for what we found next. Shining bright on the screen was a picture... of Jane. She was posing in a beautify green dress and her hair and makeup was done to perfection. Jane was panicking about the picture; I was more concerned with the name of the seller.
The person selling Jane... was me.
It's been a few years since mine and Jane's encounter with the deep web. I am now in my third year of college. Since losing Jane I have sold eleven other people. I am debt free and my future is secure, if you're interested in doing business, download Tor and wait for an invitation from John.
