Maya screamed. She lunged for the power cord, ripping it from the wall. The laptop’s battery died, the screen going dark.
The screen showed her own apartment, from the angle of her own webcam. She saw herself, pale and gaunt, sitting on the floor with her laptop. She looked pathetic. She looked watched.
It said: CONNECTION ESTABLISHED. YOU ARE NOW THE CONTENT.
A single, silent keystroke appeared on the screen. She didn’t type it. Someone else did.