DARK WEB DEMON/ A Short Dark Story

Beware of where your curiosity leads you; it can come with consequences. Don’t do anything that will later cause you regret.

Lyle had spent most of the spring counting down the days until summer.

At first, he'd imagined freedom. No classes. No alarms. No teachers reminding him that adulthood was waiting just around the corner.

Instead, he found himself alone.

His parents traveled constantly for work, leaving him with an empty house, frozen dinners, and more silence than he knew what to do with. Most days blurred together. Sleep late. Scroll endlessly. Watch videos. Repeat.

Boredom has a way of turning curiosity into temptation.

For months, he'd listened to stories about the dark web. Most of it sounded exaggerated—urban legends passed between teenagers desperate to impress each other.

Still, the stories lingered.

One evening, with rain tapping softly against the windows, Lyle finally decided to see for himself.

The internet he entered felt different almost immediately.

The pages were poorly designed, cluttered, and strangely disconnected from the polished world he was used to. Usernames flickered in anonymous forums. Conversations appeared and vanished without warning. Some posts were ridiculous. Others left him uncomfortable enough to close the tab.

Several times, he almost logged off.

Yet he kept scrolling.

Hours slipped away.

Near midnight, a new post appeared.

The title was simple.

Will Someone Watch?

Lyle frowned and clicked.

A woman's message filled the screen.

She claimed she intended to end her life before sunrise. Anyone willing to stay and watch would be paid.

Hundreds of comments had already appeared beneath the post.

Some mocked her.

Some encouraged her.

Others accused her of lying.

Lyle stared at the screen.

Finally, he typed.

Why?

The cursor blinked.

A minute passed.

Then a response appeared.

Not an answer.

A link.

Lyle hesitated.

His mouse hovered over it.

Something about the link felt wrong.

Not dangerous exactly.

Personal.

As though it had been waiting specifically for him.

He should have closed the browser.

Instead, he clicked.

The screen went black.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then a voice emerged from his speakers.

Soft.

Almost welcoming.

"Welcome."

Lyle sat upright.

The voice continued.

"Are you ready for something new?"

His mouth had gone dry.

He glanced toward the browser controls, searching for a way to close the page.

Nothing responded.

The cursor wouldn't move.

A message appeared.

YES OR NO

His pulse quickened.

Slowly, he typed.

Yes.

The screen flickered.

Then the voice laughed.

Not loudly.

Just enough to make the hairs on his arms rise.

"Good choice, Lyle."

Every muscle in his body tightened.

He hadn't entered his name.

He hadn't created an account.

He hadn't spoken.

Yet the voice knew exactly who he was.

The monitor brightened.

Words appeared.

Let's play a game.

Lyle swallowed hard.

Rules unfolded across the screen.

Pictures.

Questions.

Riddles.

Correct answers earned money.

Wrong answers carried consequences.

The details hardly mattered.

One sentence held his attention.

Something bad will happen.

Lyle typed immediately.

To who?

The reply came seconds later.

That depends on your choices.

His stomach twisted.

Another message appeared.

Do you wish to continue?

A countdown materialized beside it.

10

9

8

Lyle's breathing grew shallow.

7

6

5

His finger hovered over the keyboard.

4

3

2

No amount of money was worth this.

He typed.

NO.

The screen instantly went dark.

Silence filled the room.

Lyle sat frozen.

Then the computer shut itself off.

For several moments, he didn't move.

The room suddenly felt smaller than before.

He reached behind the tower and unplugged every cable he could find.

Only then did he step outside.

Cool night air greeted him.

For the first time in hours, he felt himself breathe.

Maybe it was over.

Maybe someone had been playing a prank.

Maybe—

His phone rang.

Unknown Number.

Lyle stared at the screen.

The call ended.

Then rang again.

Unknown Number.

A knot tightened in his stomach.

Against his better judgment, he answered.

The voice on the other end was familiar.

"Wrong choice."

The line went dead.

Lyle nearly dropped the phone.

A second later, his house phone began ringing inside.

The sound echoed through the empty house.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

He rushed inside and grabbed the receiver.

"Hello?"

For a moment, there was only static.

Then a woman spoke.

"Is this the residence of Tanner Lone?"

Lyle frowned.

"That's my father."

The woman paused.

When she spoke again, her voice sounded shaken.

"I'm sorry to call like this."

The knot in Lyle's stomach tightened.

She continued.

"I found a phone and identification near an accident."

The room tilted.

"What kind of accident?"

Silence.

A long, unbearable silence.

Then:

"The authorities are on their way."

Lyle felt the receiver slipping from his hand.

From somewhere deeper in the house came a sound.

Laughter.

Low.

Patient.

Waiting.

His eyes drifted toward the dark hallway leading back to the computer room.

The laughter came again.

Closer this time.

The woman was still speaking, but her words had become distant.

All he could hear was that sound.

That horrible sound.

Then the monitor in the computer room flickered to life.

The screen glowed through the darkness.

Words slowly appeared.

One letter at a time.

I OWN YOU.

Lyle stood motionless.

The receiver slipped from his hand and struck the floor.

The laughter stopped.

And somewhere within the silence, something smiled.

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