Chapter 12 · Don't Stream at the Moon

The stream counter hit fifty-two thousand and Cole wasn't moving.

I could see his hand under the concrete slab. Blood pooling dark on the carpet. My mic was hot. Chat was losing their minds—half thought it was a stunt, half were screaming to call 911. The webcam was still angled at my setup but the wall behind me was gone. Just gone. Rebar and drywall dust everywhere.

"Ivy." Leah's voice came through the hole. Calm. Like she hadn't just blown up my apartment. "Turn off the stream."

I didn't.

Cole made a sound. Wet. Wrong. The slab had him from the ribs down and I could smell the blood now. Copper and panic. My hands were shaking so bad I knocked my mouse off the desk.

Chat scrolled faster.

MOONLIT_GAMER THIS IS INSANE

IS THIS REAL

SOMEONE CALL COPS

BEST STREAM EVER WTF

"Ivy." Leah again. Closer. I could see her shadow through the dust. "You can't lift that. Turn it off and I'll help him."

Liar.

I looked at Cole's hand. Fingers twitching. He was trying to say something but it came out as a cough. More blood.

Fifty-three thousand viewers.

I stood up. My chair hit the wall.