Page 16 of Web of Lies
My body stiffens as my eyes scan the dark room again. Something is wrong. Something is off—way off. A red light, barely visible, seeps out of the vent in the ceiling. It’s almost as small as the end of a pen cap.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
The red flashes at me, capturing my every move. I swallow hard and look around my room again, searching for any other lights. But that’s the only one. My tongue runs the length of my top teeth, as my brain tries to calculate my next move. My limbs freeze, fingers stuck around my conditioner bottle.Blink. Blink. Blink. More red flashes invade my darkened sanctuary, just barely. If I didn’t know what it is, I would have missed it. If I hadn’t been standing in a pitch-black room, I would have missed it.
But I didn’t.
Someone I don’t know entered my room. They may not have taken anything from me, but they left something behind. As small as a pen’s end and as visible as a mosquito, I don’t know how I didn’t think of it before. How could I not have suspected someone would put surveillance on me when I’m doing the same thing to them? How could I not suspect someone in this school would want to record my every move, just as I’m doing to them?
Someone put a damn camera in my room.
Someone wants to watch my every move.
Which means someone knows who I am and why I’m here.
From: [email protected]
August 21st, 2020
Hey. How’s everything going with you? I hope it’s better than how I’m doing. Which sounds morbid, I know. I really wish you were here…things have gotten weird.
I told you about my date; it didn’t go well. We just didn’t connect like I thought we would, that’s okay though. I’m only 16. Who needs love like that at this age? But things after that are weird. It’s like one day people are good with me and then the next? Some prick named Carter threw me into the pond after class……. and like…held me there. I saw stars. They say before you die you see your life flash before your eyes…and it’s true.
Sorry, I’m such a bummer, I wish I had more to say, but the kids here have turned mean. Even my new friends have turned distant. It’s like I have the plague…or something…. It’s plain bullying, but I’m not sure what I did to deserve it? I haven’t offended anyone. You know me…I’m just a fly on the wall trying to make it through. But whatever, this is only week one. Hopefully, it’ll all blow over by next week and I’ll be back to myself.
I miss you Kace. I’m hoping to get a weekend pass or something so I can go home and just relax.
I love you, Kaycee.
Magnolia xoxo.
The world keeps moving around me—people going about their business in the surrounding apartments. Some clank cooking pots and pans, stomping around their kitchens. Loud music fills the air, a party raging in the apartment below me, rocking me with heavy bass. Overpowering shouts from the lawn three floors down reach my buzzing ears. My classmates act as if nothing has happened—it’s an ordinary day, in their ordinary lives. But something terrible has occurred.
There’s a camera in my room. Tracking me. Watching my movements, dissecting my plans.
On one hand, if I remove the camera, they’ll know I know. And who knows why they even want it there. Did they catch on to my plans? How would they even know? Only two people know the full details. My siblings, Bodhi and Callie, and Tristan barely knows. He knows I’m investigating something here, but that’s it. I gave no specifics.
So, who the fuck? Why the fuck? I close my eyes and squeeze them shut.Think, Kace, think!Weigh your options and make a move.
There’s no way in hell I can investigate the people I need to look into with a camera in my room. I couldn’t access the school’s information on an outside server, so this is my only shot to crack it. I can’t stand by and let some weirdos watch me parade naked or pick my nose.
My entire body shudders violently at the privacy violation. Tiny, invisible ants crawl up my flesh, starting at my feet and working towards my elbows. My fingernails dig up and down my arm, scraping away at my reddened flesh—burning. I hear my doctor’s voice in my head. Calm down, count to ten, lock your eyes on five things around you. My bed. My dresser. My precious computers. The carpet beneath my feet. One last deep, calming breath enters my lungs, and I know what I must do. No matter the consequences.
A tiny toolbox lays in the palm of my hand, courtesy of my father. He insisted, on more than one occasion, I would need these vital screwdrivers and wrenches—or whatever tools they are. So, I guess he was right. Thanks, Dad, for your wisdom I take advantage of every day. Remind me to thank him in person.
Once I have the tools, I head to the stupid vent nestled in the ceiling. What a perfect place for a vent, high up and out of reach. Especially for my short ass, all five foot five of me. I pray to whatever God lives in the sky; the camera doesn’t have night vision. But with the technology these days, it’s probably the camera’s second nature. And besides, if I really had some weird stalker, they’d want to watch me in the dark too. Sleeping. Investigating. My fingernails scratch at my other arm.
I lift myself onto the tiny corner of my desk. Reaching up high, I stand on my tippy toes. The end of the screwdriver barely reaches the screws. If I could have elastic arms or something, it’d help. I groan, sweat trickling down my back. The screws don’t want to twist, stuck like they’ve been welded in place.
My toes ache, stretch, and compress. But I press myself further up, reaching higher. With one last grunt, I undo each of the screws and take off the vent’s front. My heart thumps wildly, my breaths coming out in heavy pants. Or maybe I’m hyperventilating? Ugh—there it is. The smallest camera I’ve ever laid eyes on. If I was a normal person, I wouldn’t have seen it.
Bringing the overhead lights on, my apartment illuminates my tiny suspect. I place the now covered camera on the counter, making sure the black piece of tape is secure over the lens. Can’t have my spy’s looking at me now. I narrow my eyes on it. If it were my prisoner, I’d rough it up a little to get some answers. But alas, it can’t speak to me directly, so I resort to other forms of punishment.
It’s small, square, and completely wireless. Whoever installed it used the school’s network to send the signal back to them. Making my job ten times easier than I thought. Once the camera is plugged into my computer, I track the signal. Turning up jackshit. Fuck! Whatever IP address the person used leads to a false dead end, giving me a bright red error message. No matter how hard I try to break through the dead brick wall, the other end seems too secure.
Time for plan B.
