Finally, he wrote everything out in his notebook and split it into several parts. The second video would be a longer introduction about who he was and what his so-called “afterlife abilities” were.
Of course, he couldn’t prove a single one convincingly. No need for food or sleep? The ability to stop breathing?..
Even if he showed it on camera, who would be impressed by powers like that?
So he didn’t bother trying too hard. Instead, he walked the viewers through the basics. He recorded all the objects he owned, showed the glowing water gushing from the pump, panned once more over the abyss and the grotto, and talked about the daily routine that had become his means of survival.
The end result: a clumsy, twenty-minute, low-resolution video. The tablet just wasn’t built for anything heavier. His mistakes and awkward stammering remained, but Noah had stopped caring. After a few failed takes, perfectionism had drained away along with his imaginary nerves.
Impatiently, he uploaded the video to his YouTube account and sat at the table to wait.
Time dragged on.
The only way to keep track of it was by watching the timestamps under other people’s uploads:
Uploaded 45 minutes ago.
Uploaded 1 hour ago.
Uploaded 2 hours ago.
Uploaded 4 hours ago…
The hours ticked by, but nobody watched his video, nobody commented.
Noah hauled two more buckets to the abyss. Then two more. Still nothing. Even Frozen Drunkard, his lone viewer, had vanished, becoming Missing-in-Action Drunkard.
Finally, in desperation, Noah dug up Drunkard’s old comment and replied with an invitation to check out his new video. Then he wondered: was he just wasting time? Should he forget about waiting and start filming the next one already?
Uploaded 8 hours ago.
Uploaded 12 hours ago.
Uploaded 18 hours ago…
At last, something shifted. His video got a view. Then five. Then seven. Not much, but it was enough to spark new hope. Noah’s eyes lit up as he stared at the screen, waiting for his hallelujah moment.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Beep!
YouTube: Your video has received a new comment.
“Hallelujah!” Noah sighed with relief, jabbing his finger at the notification.
It was him again—Frozen Drunkard. Apparently, the only person on the platform who was willing to watch boring content, posted by unknown creators.
@FrozenDrunkard (a few minutes ago)
Not sure if this is a sequel to the first video, or if you just started over… One thing’s for sure—you’ve found yourself a good cave. Lots of interesting stuff you could film there. Is it some abandoned mine? Which state?
“Well,” Noah thought, “that’s better than nothing.”
He typed back that he was from Lithuania, where there were no abandoned mines. That he was dead, and this was his afterlife.
It was the sort of reply that would make anyone question his sanity.
But it could also be seen as method acting. Noah was dead—full stop. Let others watch the video from that perspective.
@FrozenDrunkard (less than a minute ago)
Then say hi to God for me.
Noah stared at the words.
Should he reply that he hadn’t met any god? Some Americans were ridiculously religious. They might take it as a personal insult. For now, in the Drunkard’s eyes, Noah was just a guy playing a game in an abandoned mine.
While he mulled over an answer that wouldn’t offend, another comment appeared:
@FreshPotato (less than a minute ago)
Creepy! I love the underground atmosphere and how you show simple things like they’re something extraordinary. Hope this idea grows into something big! Good luck!
“…at least they’re polite,” Noah muttered to himself, typing a quick thank-you to Fresh Potato. It wasn’t the reaction he wanted, but beggars can’t be choosers...
Over the next few hours, Fresh Potato left another comment, but it was just an exchange of pleasantries. The rest of the viewers stayed quiet. Perhaps they weren’t interested, or maybe they were waiting for a continuation.
Finally, Noah couldn’t take the waiting anymore. He decided to record a third video—this time showing the last secrets of the grotto, including the black doors. Maybe those would draw more interest. Then again, if glowing water hadn’t impressed anyone, why would featureless doors? He couldn’t exactly capture on video the blast of icy pain that shot through him when he grabbed the handle. People would think he was acting.
At this point, though, he had only two choices: to film or sit and wait.
So Noah opened the notebook app and began scripting his next movie.