Epilogue

The recording pauses on an image of Earl diving through a gap barely wider than his shoulders. Behind him, a dinosaur with glowing red eyes makes one final attempt to eat him.

“The eyes aren't, like, magic glowy. They glow like a flashlight. Just like the fae queen, and the train passengers, and that terminator thing.” Lowgun tells the man who’d paid to see his footage before he posts it to the forums.

The recording resumes at one tenth speed, the dinosaur moving in extreme slow motion on screen. With a reverse-pinching gesture, the man zooms in on the iris.

“Not a lot of people know that the game is constantly recording, and if you know the right guy, you can get anybody's P.O.V..” Lowgun continues talking, uncomfortable in silence. “I mean, it’s in the T.O.S., but who reads that?”

The cornea is solid red from a distance, but as the man zooms in further, it becomes a dense scrolling text.

“I heard the other guys got a million bucks for the recordings they posted. They posted it publicly anyway, but if you pay double, I’ll delete my copy. Promise.” Lowgun says.

“An equitable arrangement, provided that you include the key to the encrypted address to the forums where the other videos are posted.” The man tells him.

“Well…” Lowgun begins “It’s kind of a fight club thing, you know?”

“Indeed I do.” The man nods.

“So… Do we have a deal?” Lowgun presses. “I have places to be”

The man does not answer. He stares at Lowgun in silence, waiting. Moments pass in the quiet room, before a loud bang echoes through Lowgun’s microphone. Shouting, something crashes to the floor. A crunch, followed by a collapse. The scraping sound of a headset being removed from one head and placed onto another.

“We’ve got it sir. The files are all here, and the webpage was already open on his screen.” someone who is not Lowgun speaks through his lips.

“Collect the hard drive and burn the rest.” The man orders them.

“The boy, sir?” the body snatcher asks.

“Leave him.” Iwanttobelive says, sneaking one more glance at the red eye.

LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT