Five Who Own Him
1960 Words
Eli woke up to the hum of his laptop. His neck ached a little, and his body felt stiff and sore. Whoever said running in your dreams doesn’t tire the physical body clearly had never had to run for their life before.
Eli pushed himself upright, rubbing his eyes hard. His hands lazily searched beneath the pillow and grabbed his phone. Everything around him looked normal. Eli turned to the laptop; his neck still ached as he dragged his tired body to his desk.
For a moment, he just stared at the screen of his phone. The figures didn’t seem to make sense. He had gone to sleep with 400 dollars, and now his balance was a whopping two thousand.
His eyes snapped to the screen.
Four viewers.
A fourth person had joined.
The thought of them watching him felt unsettling. This wasn’t how he wanted to make money. In college, he had dreamed of becoming a reporter. Mass communication wasn’t just a degree; the honors didn’t just stand for best performance. His goal was to stand before the world, to show the people who had deserted him how far he had risen without their help.
But at the moment, life seemed unfair, as always.
Eli knew the dangers. He could see it staring back at him. Everything felt off, but whatever he was feeling couldn’t pay bills.
So he drew in a long, shaky breath, pulled his chair closer to his laptop, and gave a small wave.
“Eh… good morning, I guess,” he whispered.
Silence followed.
A faint unease settled in his chest, but he quickly ignored it.
“Th… thank you for the gift." He straightened up.
The little space fell into an uncomfortable silence. No one returned his greetings. No teasing… just four viewers.
“Stay online."
A message popped up.
Eli found himself too eager as he scrambled for the mouse.
It was from KingRed.
Eli quickly cleared his throat as he glanced around his little apartment. He had errands to run. Most importantly, now that he had money for rent and other expenses, he had to make sure his fridge was stocked, bills paid, and Mrs. Copper’s rent sent before the due date. She was a hefty, angry-looking woman; Eli didn’t want her knocking on his door.
“Uh… good morning again,” he said softly.
Still no response.
But he continued.
“That’s… I mean, I just woke up, and I have errands…”
“The bills have been sorted." A stern, cold voice came through the speaker. Eli froze.
The words were not typed…but spoken. His fingers halted on the keyboard for a second.
This was new; his heart beat doubled its pace. “…what?” he breathed. The air felt a little tighter around his airway.
“Don’t rush… we will always be here. 💙” —MiraCare. His name sounded female, but his voice was soft, reassuring, and calming, like a doctor calming an agitated patient.
Eli nodded before he could stop himself.
It was the first time one of them spoke directly instead of typing, and what did he mean by the bills being sorted? He was too broke to have any automatic payments set up.
“I… I have to…” Eli paused, then inched closer.
A while ago, it showed four viewers, but now he could see five.
Without a word, he clicked on their profiles. Like the others, it only showed their usernames, not real identities or professions. Nothing personal.
The newcomers were Violet and Shadow.
Shadow seemed to have just joined, while Violet had joined sometime after he went to sleep.
“Don’t rush… we will always be here," Miracare assured again… too reassuring.
Eli nodded, his uneven breath slowly steadying.
“I will host another stream when I get back, and I’ll have it run all through the night,” he whispered, as if he still had control.
His hand moved to the mouse, but no matter how many times he clicked, the stream wouldn’t shut down.
“Why isn’t it…”
“don’t”
Shadow’s stern voice came again. Eli’s hand stilled instantly.
“Go do your thing. “KingRed said, 'We'll be waiting,'" he added. Something about the certainty in his words made Eli’s stomach twist.
Unlike Shadow, who sounded cold and authoritative, KingRed felt… different. Like an older brother. The one who fixes everything. His voice was calm and steady, like still water.
“Do you guys not go to work?” Eli asked and chuckled lightly.
No one replied.
He shrugged and went about his day.
Like the previous day, he talked about anything. He moved from the kitchen, preparing something to eat, to having his bath, all in front of the camera.
This is just compensation.
For the money.
For the help.
That’s all.
That’s all it was.
He kept reminding himself.
When he stepped out to pay the rent…that world seemed to vanish behind him.
Standing before Mrs. Copper’s apartment.
He knocked once.
No answer.
Twice.
Still nothing.
By the third time, he was already tired, but Eli didn’t want to keep the money. The longer he stayed, the more it felt like no one was home.
As he turned to leave, a figure moved down the hallway.
The large woman came into view, carrying bags of groceries, some in her hands, one balanced on her head.
“Oh… hey there, Eli,” Mrs. Copper chimed with a smile.
Eli stepped back slightly, wary.
She had never been the kind to smile at him, not when every month she pounded on his door like she was trying to tear it down.
“Hi… hi, Mrs. Copper,” Eli stammered.
“Well, come on in. I know I said by now I’d have something, and I’m sorry, but don’t worry. My son just called. He found one, and the pictures are breathtaking.”
Pictures?
Found something?
Eli wasn’t following.
“Well… I came to pay my rent,” he said, handing over the cash he had just withdrawn.
Mrs. Copper glanced at him, then chuckled.
“Did Santa come twice this year, boy?”
Eli blinked.
“I don’t understand. My rent is due in two days,” he said.
“I know, and your agent paid. Also, the new apartment he requested has been found. You can move in whenever you’re ready.”
Eli blinked again. His breath hitched.
It was far too early to be drunk, and he didn’t even drink.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand anything. First, I haven’t paid my rent, and second, I do not have an agent.”
Mrs. Copper stared at him tiredly.
“I’ve been up all night trying to get you the best apartment. You’re Eli Mercer, and the amount was paid in full. I cannot be mistaken.”
A chill ran through Eli’s body.
His hands trembled.
“Y-you… do you have the payment details?” he asked.
Mrs. Copper nodded and brought out her phone.
Eli froze.
It wasn’t just one of them, but two.
MiraCare had covered his rent.
KingRed had covered the cost of the new apartment.
He glanced at the timestamp; it matched exactly what she said.
Late into the night.
When everyone should have been asleep.
Eli apologized and walked out.
Was this what Shadow meant by everything being sorted?
No.
Eli refused to believe it.
One time could be a coincidence.
He needed to talk to Lena.
But as always, she was busy.
Eli bought some cookies and a cup of vanilla coffee. He purposely stayed out late, hoping this nightmare would end the moment he got home.
If only he knew it was only getting started.
At 5 PM, Lena was finally done with her shift, but she looked exhausted. Dark circles framed her eyes like hollow makeup gone wrong.
“You look terrible,” Eli whispered.
Lena sighed. “I know. I feel worse," she lamented.
“I’ll walk you to the bus,” he said.
They talked about everything… normal things, and for a moment Eli forgot the creepiness caged within his little bedroom. He had wanted to tell her everything, but seeing how exhausted she was, he chose not to.
They walked to the bus stop, Lena filling him in on the court progress and everything else.
“And most importantly, I got a job, a full-time job!” she squealed.
Eli’s lips stretched into a smile.
“Wow… then what are you still doing here?”
Lena rolled her eyes. “It’s the end of the month. I don’t want to lose my paycheck, not that it helps much. My new job comes with an apartment, a car, and health insurance.”
That was good news.
Eli squealed so loudly that passersby stared.
“I… I know! This is the dream job, Eli. I’ve waited all my life. Now I’ll finally break free from them.” But was he?
Eli congratulated her, and soon her bus arrived.
They said their goodbyes.
As the bus arrived.
The moment he stepped into the complex, he felt it: something was wrong
A brand-new Lexus sat outside.
Mrs. Copper stood nearby, at her feet… His box,
“What’s… happening here?” Eli asked.
“You’ve been moved," Mrs. Copper announced casually.
“Your agent has signed everything. You no longer live here.”
Eli’s breath hitched.
His nails dug into his skin. The words hit harder than they should have.
“What do you mean, I no longer live here? I was just here this morning!"
Mrs. Copper didn’t argue; she just walked away. Eli glanced around. He had nowhere to go…no one would open their home to him.
“Get in, Mr. Mercer.” The driver’s voice was neutral and Professional.
“Your agent says you have to be home before 7.”
Agent…
This had to be some kind of joke.
But reluctantly, he got into the car. Where else was he to go? Renting a motel, and the money will quickly run out. Without a job, he would be back to where it all began.
The ride lasted ten minutes.
They drove into one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city.
Eli’s fingers clenched tightly around the box.
The car turned and pulled into a duplex.
The design matched the others, but as the garage door opened and closed behind them, something felt… off.
This was where he should have run.
But he didn’t.
He followed the driver inside.
The man handed him the car keys.
“If you need a ride, your agent will contact me.”
Before Eli could ask anything, the man left.
He was alone.
The house was spacious. Well-equipped. Beautiful couch. Full fridge. Even the bed looked inviting, like someone had prepared it for him…for a long time, for it all matched his color, liking, and taste.
Eli placed the box in the bedroom.
In one corner, a monitor.
A brand-new laptop.
The latest iPhone.
All registered in his name. It showed he owned it all, but Eli didn’t feel that way. As he checked the cupboards, he stumbled on it.
Inside the bedside table drawer.
A deed.
Owner: Eli Mercer, his breath slowed, his hands caressed the name. Blow it, Five husbands. No name, no identity, no explanation, just ownership. In that moment, something inside him shifted.
He should have screamed, run out, called for help, or even gone to the police, but Eli just stared. He didn't feel like he was being taken …no, he felt like he was already theirs. The money, the care, the support. That was all he ever craved, and now he was getting it from five people.
Certainly nothing could go wrong, right?...WRONG.
- Writer
