Chapter 1 #2
He would have loved this. He would have figured out how to exploit the AI within an hour.
“So, um, the donation goal is set at $500.” He gestured to the local mental health awareness foundation logo he positioned in his overlay.
“I know it’s not huge, but it’s realistic for a channel my size, and anything helps.
Every dollar goes to crisis intervention programs that might help someone like—”
The words stuck in his throat like broken glass.
Say it. You can say his name.
“Like my brother,” he finished softly. “The foundation was the one that answered when I called one night. They talked me through... after.”
The chat exploded with hearts and supportive emotes.
FinalGirl_Sarah: You’re so brave for sharing that
BrokenArrow92: We’re all here for you
Guest4412: Lost my cousin last year. This matters.
They’re here because they care. Don’t let them down.
“Okay, let’s get this... thing... on my head.” He lifted the headset with the care typically reserved for handling live explosives. “It’s definitely not like any VR I’ve ever seen. The build quality is incredible—this feels like it should be military-grade hardware.”
The device’s matte surface seemed to drink in the light from his ring light, creating an almost void-like appearance in his hands. The neural interface ribbons hung from each side like flat cables, their surfaces covered in a grid of sensors.
“These are ‘neural interface ribbons.’” Levi consulted the manual. “They adhere to your temples using ‘biocompatible conductors and monitor electrical impulses from your brain to enhance immersion through targeted sensory feedback’.”
That’s a lot of fancy words for ‘sticks to your head and reads your thoughts.’ At least when my therapist does it, she uses actual words.
He demonstrated for the camera, placing one ribbon against his left temple where it adhered with a gentle suction that made his skin tingle. The sensation was neither painful nor comfortable, more like a mild static charge that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
“That feels weird,” he said, unable to suppress a full-body shiver. “Kind of tingly, like touching a doorknob after walking across carpet, but it’s pulsing. Definitely reading something.”
RavenQueen: Is that even safe??
xXmaleniasshoesXx: Technology is getting too creepy these days
Guest980345: The future is now old man
FinalGirl_Sarah: I’m worried about you putting that on your head
“The manual says it’s completely safe, just advanced consumer tech,” Levi replied, though he lacked conviction.
“Though there is a whole page of disclaimers about ‘psychological effects’ and ‘consulting a physician if you experience prolonged dissociation, memory fragmentation, or persistent auditory phenomena.’”
Memory fragmentation. That’s a new one for gaming warnings.
His right leg began bouncing under the desk, a nervous habit that helped dissipate some of the tension building in his muscles. The viewer count climbed to forty-two, small by streaming standards, but the most he had ever had at one time.
“A few more people joining—hey everyone, welcome to MercyPlays.” He waved at the camera, forcing his brightest smile despite the knot in his stomach. “We’re about to test this horror game from Virtual Vice Technologies. All donations tonight go to mental health crisis programs, so every bit helps.”
Smile. Look confident. They can’t see your leg shaking.
DeadPixel99: Treat it like a puzzle.
“That’s... good advice,” Levi said, reading the chat. “Ethan always said to think like a player, not a victim. Look for the system behind the scares.”
The neural ribbons pulsed gently against his temples as he connected the final cables and loaded the game software onto his PC.
His monitors displayed a pulsing logo—the Virtual Vice Technologies emblem rotating slowly while text beneath read “SCANNING AND CALIbrATING NEURAL BASELINE” in sterile white letters.
“Before we begin,” Levi said, his streaming voice softening into something more genuine, “I just want to say thanks to everyone who’s here tonight. This really means a lot to me. Especially to Sarah, Captain, and Broken—you guys have been with me since the beginning.”
His eyes found Ethan’s photo again, that confident smile that had never wavered even in his brother’s darkest moments. The same smile he wore while explaining game mechanics at 2 AM, patient and encouraging, even when Levi was too scared to pick up the controller.
“My brother would have been the perfect beta tester for something like this. He loved horror games, loved being scared. He said fear was just excitement without breath, whatever that meant. He was always trying to get me to play them with him, he said I was missing out by overthinking everything.”
The chat scrolled with condolences and encouragement, viewers sharing their own stories of loss and support. The community that had slowly grown around his small channel felt more real than ever.
FinalGirl_Sarah: He’d be proud of you
BrokenArrow92: You’re doing this for all the right reasons
TheCaptainSisko: Channel that analytical mind—make him proud.
“Let’s raise some money for mental health,” Levi said, his fingers hovering over the mouse. “And maybe I’ll finally understand what Ethan loved so much about being terrified.”
Think like a player. Find the pattern. Don’t just survive—figure out how to win.
With trembling fingers that belied his attempt at a confident smile, Levi clicked start.