A Glimmer in the Dark

Someone drugged me and locked me in a room with a man. Under high-definition cameras, our every move was being livestreamed on the dark web. The viewers were thrilled, betting on how long we could hold out. Now I had two choices. Either let the drug torment me to death, or sacrifice my dignity and put on a show with this man in front of thousands of people. “Hehe, welcome to the show ‘How Long Can You Hold Out?’” “One is a cool, aloof illustrator, the other a celibate CEO!” “We spent a whole year preparing for this show! We hope you enjoy it!” An electronically synthesized voice echoed through the sealed room, and the huge screen on the wall flickered on with a click. The white glare of four industrial spotlights stabbed into my pupils. The pain made me hiss. “Awake?”