My best friend always talked about the dark or deep web. All of what he said sounded fake...until I witnessed them first hand.
I checked the lost and found everyday. The same laptop was there for at least a month and the policy was if it hasn't been claimed within two weeks someone else can take it. So, that is exactly what I did. I bought a charger that matched the laptop and hooked it up at my apartment. After an hour or so I turned it on and checked out all the files that were on it. Most of them just had some downloaded videos of cats and dogs. The old owner must've liked watching these stupid videos because there are at least four files full of them but what really caught my attention now was a file hidden from the others titled 'My videos'.
Of course I clicked it. Wondering what was in it and it pulled up hundreds of videos. A lot had girls' names. The first was Jessica:Week 1. Curiosity got the best of me and I clicked the file, opening up the video. At first, it was just black and quiet then it flashed on and heavy, raspy breathing and strained cries filled my ears. My heart started to thump as footsteps neared the camera. Finally, the camera was picked up and carried closer to the cries. It pointed to a girl. She had a gag tied around her mouth and drool wet it, trickling down her chin. My heart stopped for a second. Her eyes were red and her hair was knotted and mangled. She was handcuffed to a pole and she had very clearly been struggling because her wrists were bruised and cut up. The camera was set on something, making sure to show the girl. A man came into view. He was wearing all black and a complete hood that covered all of his face. It almost reminded me of a skin suit face cover. He kneeled in front of the girl and turned his head to the side as she screamed through the gag. He put his finger over where his lips would be and hissed out a 'Shh'. She continued to cry as he ran the back of his hand over her cheek. He almost made a scoff noise then stood up, still looking down at the brunette. He walked out of view for a few seconds leaving me to watch the girl continue her struggle against the cuffs. He came back with multiple chains. He took the gag off the girl. She automatically screamed out a help. The man laughed a deep, ominous laugh. It sounded perfect for a cheap horror movie. All he said after was no one can hear you when you're underground.
He put a chain around her neck and connected it to the same pole she was cuffed to. He did the same to both wrists despite her cries and pleas. With that he took the camera and walked around the girl showing how she was unable to escape and it ended, showing the girl's face. I don't know why but I watched every one of the 'Jessica' titled files. Everyday, he found a new way to torture the girl. He found new ways to turn the girl into an animal. He got her so scared of him to where she would roll on her back like a beat dog. She wasn't fed for two weeks and when she was it was canned dog food. He would set it down in the middle of the dimly lit room and she would bolt towards it half the time he would put it too far and she would fling back against the chain. She got to week 12 before he killed her. I couldn't move. It has got to be a prank, right? What got me out of my trance was a notification going off on the laptop's messenger. I opened the app up and my heart sprung from my chest.
'Curiosity killed the cat'
This has got to be to the old owner. It went off again.
'Enjoying the videos?'
I couldn't reply. If he knows I have his laptop...can he find me? Was it all just a trap? To leave it there and just wait until someone picked it up? Will he come after me?
'I can see you'
'I want my laptop back'
I reached for my phone but it went off again.
'Call anyone and I'll kill someone'
He won't know if I do. I can keep it off screen. I started to dial in '911' but the computer dinged again.
'I've hacked into your phone. You aren't the smartest of people, are you?'
*Video attachment*
I hesitantly opened it and saw a girl strapped to a chair. He moved the camera around her showing the all of the bruises and gashes on her face and arms. He lifted her head up and chuckled. Her head fell back despite her efforts. He showed a small knife before stabbing it towards her but before I saw any sort of contact between the small blade and her bruised throat the video shut off. I jumped from my chair.
'You can't leave'
'I'll find you either way'
Does he want me to believe this bull? This is a prank, it's gotta be. I shook the thoughts from my head and closed the laptop. I grabbed my phone and jacket and walked out of my apartment. I locked the door behind me and walked down the stairs. I got out of my apartment building and halfway down the road before my phone buzzed in my pocket. I froze. What if it's him? I took in a deep breath and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I sighed in relief as I opened the text messages from both of my friends as they continued blowing up my phone.
Blake-'Someone sent me a live video of your apartment!!!'
Jacob-'Your window just opened'
Jacob-'Someone is in your apartment'
Jacob-'They're walking around your room'...'I can't see them anymore'
Blake-'Where are you!?!?'
Blake-'Adam answer!'
Blake-'They are hiding!'
Blake-'Be careful'
Jacob-'They are leaving!'
Jacob-'They walked out'
Blake-'I think my door just opened'
I got a video sent to me from my friend Blake's phone. I opened it seeing my apartment. I got a text from an unknown number.
'We are in both your friends' houses'
'And you get to watch them die'
I opened the video that was sent. It was a split view from both Blake's and Jacob's room. Jacob walked into his room running his hands through his hair. I called him biting my lip as I ran back to my apartment. I burst through my door seeing the same video of Blake's and Jacob's house on the opened laptop. Jacob answered as he walked back towards his laptop.
"Jacob, you need to leave your house, now!" I said desperately.
"Adam, what are you talking about?" I watched as the same hooded guy came stalking from both of Jacob's closet and Blake's. Blake was sitting at his computer while Jacob was on his bed.
"Jacob!" I yelled as Jacob was stabbed from behind. Blake got a plastic bag pulled over his head. Both hooded men were staring at the computers and the screen went black.
'Told you...I'm coming for the laptop' At that moment I heard my bathroom door open. I turned towards it but saw nothing. I turned back to the laptop as it set off another notification.
'You can't hide Adam'
'The more you try, the more people die'
'Watch your video Adam'
I swallowed nothing but air as the laptop opened the file all the videos were on and at the bottom it was titled "AdamCam". It showed cameras in every part of my apartment. Everything, I did was there. Where I slept, when Blake and Jacob were over, my rage quits on stupid games...then the day I brought home the laptop. Me watching the videos and then it glitched out. Now, it was the same cameras but a live version. I walked towards the laptop, the cameras showed it. I looked around my room for the cameras. In every room but I couldn't find them. I walked back to the laptop but now it was a single view, from a camera that was being carried. I swung around and saw the man with the camera in the hall.
"Look, I'll give you the laptop,"
"We don't want the laptop Adam," The camera man said.
"We want your life," I heard another voice. I turned around and saw Blake. Suddenly, a cold blade connected to my throat and sliced into it. As I fell to my knees the one with the camera took off the hood with a grin...it was Jacob...
"Adam. Lasted twenty two weeks. You did good Adam," And with that, my eyes closed and the pain and worry flooded from my body.
