About Last Night

The Paperboy

Billy and Lucy have been inseparable since the night at the cafe. They are on the For You page when they see another post from Mr. Creepy on the TikTok app.

"This is getting really scary..." Lucy says.

"Maybe we shouldn't keep watching."

"I have to know what's going on."

The following post is more violent than any of the others. It depicts two kids dressed like the age-old painting The Kiss by Gustav Klimpt. The girl has the young man by the throat and makes a slicing motion across his neck. They then show the bloody, lifeless body on top of the girl.

Lucy asks, "How do they make it look so real?"

"I don't know, but it's freaking me out."

"I feel like they're watching us... How do you think they got the detective?"

"I don't know, but let's not worry about it until they post again. I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven."

Back at the Cyber Crimes division, an agent browsed the usual sites and apps when he got a notification that The Paperboy just posted a new TikTok.

He calls out to Detective Edmond Gates, "Sir, I think you need to see this."

Ed grunts as he turns to see what the fuss is all about. "What the fuck is this shit?" He asks as he watches the short video.

In it, two kids are sitting at a table. One reads while the other stares into the camera as if looking right at the viewer. It's uncomfortably direct for a video meant to be shared online. The final shot shows the reader's throat being viciously slashed by the other—a massive spray of blood coats the camera lens as the video ends. The agent tells Ed not to worry that all the videos are faked. They use some sort of editing app, but we have been tasked to keep an eye on the account.

"Who's all on this?" Ed asks.

The agent tells him that they got the best of the best working on it. In fact, he has a friend in New York that is helping out as well, which is where the first video originated from. He tells Ed it's almost certainly a marketing scheme for some horror movie or something, and the sooner they shut it down, the better.

The next video shows a kid's head sandwiched in a doorway. He is still alive and tries to escape, bashing his head back and forth as the frames close in on his torment.

"Jesus Christ, I had nightmares after seeing that movie, The Doorway," Ed says. "Appears this guy has some good taste."

"Yeah, but look at these kids," the agent points out, "Don't you think they look like they are being forced to do this stuff?"

Ed takes a closer look at the kids in the videos and can see the uneasy expressions on their faces.

The next video is a jump-scare. The clip begins with the camera looking at the floor as a line of blood drips into the shot. As the viewer watches, more blood falls, and the line gets longer and longer until it is a steady flow. Then, suddenly, the screen turns red, and what sounds like a scream is heard.

"Alright, turn that fucking shit off," Ed says as he jumps back.

They sit in silence for a bit, "Fuck, this is a bad angle." Ed says, trying to get comfy in his chair.

"What do you mean, angle?" the agent asks.

"Nothing." Ed says then starts, "Just have a feeling something isn't right about this like there is more to it. I mean, kids don't just wake up and do shit like this."