The First Viewer
1038 Words
The room smelled like failure, that kind of scent that made the stomach churn for no reason. The room was clean, laundry neatly folded, a few plates cleaned, and the floor spotless… but cleanliness didn’t pay bills, jobs did.
Eli sat on his half-fallen chair, another rejection email staring back at him.
“We regret to inform you…”
The rest blurred like reawakened memories as his grip tightened on the chair. His breath hitched, and his hand roughly ran through his hair, muttering curses under his breath.
The job description clearly stated it needed fresh minds… they were open to new ideas.
He paused, then leaned back.
Wasn’t a new college graduate a fresh mind?
He had not only just graduated but also with honors... and here he was, back in his dingy, cramped room. No job. Bills are piling up. Even his phone line would be out in a few days.
He drew in long breaths. His stomach growled like a hungry lion, but he pretended not to hear. It was better that way.
His fridge was empty.
All his life, he struggled to put himself through school. Life, they say, isn’t fair... and that was his case.
Eli Mercer wasn’t just a child born into a middle-class family, but one who had lost his father to another family. His parents were high school sweethearts. Their love bloomed and blossomed, making everyone envious of them, but pregnancy and marriage didn’t come with a prepared manual.
Things began falling apart so quickly.
His father strayed... a calm lady from a socialite family. She had the money and the power. He didn’t look back… not onces at his ex and not a glance at the child that shared his DNA.
Left with his mother, she struggled to put him through school with the help of her friend. Yes, she always said it was a friend... but Eli had learned early that “friend” eventually became husband or wife.
And so it happened.
A man who had come with an older son, roughly six years older than him.
Life quickly took a dark turn after the marriage.
He was cut off.
His mother moved on, and like a discarded rug, no one sought him... except when they needed something cleaned or done.
Just like his father, his mother moved to the other side of the city, and within five years, she had two kids.
Eli quickly became the forgotten one.
The one no one came for. The one that picked up after himself.
Not for his shows. Not for his victories. Not even for his failures.
She had paid for his apartment for two years before he entered college, and as he moved into the dorm, every contact halted.
She barely returned his calls.
Never checked up on him.
Birthdays became ordinary days.
The two people who had caused the mess simply moved on... leaving him trapped in a world he didn’t ask to be in.
Eli wasn’t the kind to lose hope.
He studied.
Did everything.
Part-time barista at the campus café. A librarian. He even taught others for small change just to get by.
But now…
He stared at his bank balance.
$12.43
An amount he had kept for the rainiest of days.
It wasn’t enough for his bills... but it was enough to feed his growling stomach for a day.
Yet the haunting question remained....
What happens after?
What if he can’t get a job?
Or what if he gets one… how does he even make it to work?
All these questions burned into his brain like an implanted chip.
Rent was due in three days.
“f**k,” he cursed.
His finger hovered over the sensor of his laptop, and job listings spread before his eyes.
Three years’ experience…
Five years’ experience…
Twelve years’ experience…
Even for a barista listing, it demanded two years of knowledge in the field.
A disgruntled chuckle escaped his lips.
But he didn’t stop.
He scrolled even further, reading every listing, every advert... anything titled hiring.
Then a new ad popped up on the screen.
Before he could click the “X,” Eli paused.
It was for a streaming platform that promised fast income and audience engagement…
Fast income was all he needed.
And he clicked.
Whatever followed, Eli did not read.
“I will just take a look,” he convinced himself.
But deep down, a decision had long been made.
Eli explored the interface.
A few streamers were online. Some were welcoming new viewers, others were playing video games… it was all random.
“Okay,” he said under his breath, as if negotiating with himself. “Think… think, Eli.”
His gaze shifted to one of the top streamers.
He clicked without a second thought.
The moment he entered the chatroom, his breath seized at the flood of gifts.
Massage chairs. Castle coins. Luxury cars…
“Thank you… Thank you!”
The streamer’s voice echoed through the mic.
Eli stayed a little, hoping to catch what he was doing... but unlike the others, the streamer just sat on his chair, calling out viewers and answering questions one after another.
Eli quickly checked his profile.
“Damn…”
He jolted backward.
“Five million views and two million subscribers…”
His back instantly straightened, his gaze sharpening.
He glanced at the Start Streaming button.
“People do this all the time,” he whispered.
“Some even do worse things for money,” he murmured.
But the words didn’t help.
Streaming wasn’t just about games.
He had seen people turn it into something else entirely. He had heard stories... rumors back in school... and none of it was pleasant.
Without thinking much, Eli left the browser open and went to bed.
Just maybe tomorrow would rise from a better angle.
As he slept, his old, faulty laptop began one of its usual glitches... self-manipulating.
The Start Streaming button was clicked.
The camera burned red.
His sleeping figure was clearly displayed on the screen.
And for hours, it remained like that.
No views…
No views…
Then...
1 view
“cute”
A message popped up from KingRed.
Then his phone lit up.
A bank alert.
$200 USD.
- Writer
