The Government Vlogger

Chapter 23: Six Months Later

It's been six months since the "incident". Both Max and Brody have healed physically but not mentally. They go to therapists who help them, but they do not help much. The therapists tell them that the bear is gone, dead, and can no longer hurt them. But, Brody and Max know that the "bear" is still out there, waiting to find the smallest chance to attack. Other than that, their lives are back to normal. Riley and Max are still a thing and Brody is the captain of Ridgemore High's football team. The three of them hang, but Brody feels more like a third wheel when they hang out. The still watch videos together from other vloggers. Max always wants to watch a makeup guru, whereas Brody wants to watch a prankster. The three of them visit Christine at the cemetery every Friday after school. Alan Fred was eventually expelled from school. The room they used to watch videos in has not been entered since that fateful Friday. Everything was left to rot.

The police are still searching for Sheila's family. People of Ridgemore believe she told her parents she was dropping out of school so her parents gave her up for adoption. Kids at Ridgemore High says she dropped out of school and made it big time. Max and Brody cannot stand it when people talk about her. It makes them sick to their stomachs. As for Sheila, she has become one of the most popular vloggers. She does everything from makeup reviews to conspiracy theories. She has gained over fifteen million views in the last month. Everyone talks about her.

Sheila goes by a new story, a new person. She is no longer Sheila Lysotu. She is Sheila Reid. She says she was adopted by her dad and mom a few months ago when her parents abandoned her. She is an only child, a homeschooled child. She never goes out because "everything she will ever need is with her, always". She records in her bright pink room, decorated with pictures of her new family and plants. She has done room tours and house tours. She provided everything a usual vlogger puts online. She told her story, and the only people who knew it was a lie was Max and Brody. Everyone talked about how she is such a nice, caring, and selfless girl. But she was really a monster in disguise. She was gaining new followers every day. Whenever someone asked either Max or Brody if they watched Sheila's vlogs, they lied and said they did occasionally. Each time they hear her name their stomachs turn.

It was a regular Friday night. There was always a party the two were at together. Usually, Max hangs out with Riley at these parties but Riley was out of the state visiting family. So, Max slumped down into a beanbag chair in the corner of the living room. Brody realized he was alone so he joined him on the next bean bag chair.

"So, no Riley?" Brody asked.

"He's out of state," Max replied.

"Bummer...so, no one I really hang out with is here, besides you. Wanna go back to my house?" Brody questioned.

"Sure!" Max responded.

The two stood up, threw out their plastic cups and walked to the door. The opened the door and walked out onto the porch. Surprisingly, no one was out there. As they begin to walk off the porch, both of their phones buzz in their pockets. They both stop in their tracks and get out their phones. There was a giant notification displaying a triangle with an exclamation point in the center, signifying that the message was urgent and important.

"You get the same thing?" Max questioned.

"Yeah. We better sit down and read the message if it is this important." Brody stated as the two sat down on the cement stair connected to the porch.

The two tapped on the message and the first line shocked them.

"Good evening, Brody Cox and Max Harrison." The message began.

"What the..." The two said in unison.

"I knew you two were together so I figured I would just send the same letter to the both of you. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you who this is! It's me, your dear old friend, Sheila. I am surprised you two have kept your mouths shut this long. I know you fear me, and I enjoy that. Even if you had the guts to go tell on me to the police, nothing would happen. I own the police now. I run the government. The whole world is putty in my hands. You two think you can just go on with your lives pretending I do not exist. Sadly, for you, you two can not. You can't hide from me. I know where everyone and everything is. I see and hear all. You can try to run, but you can't hide from the government vlogger."