The Influencer

Elena—a food influencer now rendered invisible by the algorithms—arrives at a dimly lit studio for a… Elena—a food influencer now rendered invisible by the algorithms—arrives at a dimly lit studio for a social media livestream that could save her career. The caretaker—an anonymous, glacial figure—deposits her in a damp dressing room-turned-storeroom and leaves, abandoning her to the cold glare of the camera and the digital silence that threatens to suffocate her. She starts the stream. Zero viewers. Then *he* appears: a faceless profile, nothing but emojis. He flatters her, then challenges her to use a zucchini in a lewd manner. Elena hurls insults; he vanishes. But the seed has been planted. Facing the lens, she tells herself she isn't the type to give in... yet she begins the motion—slow, angry, intimate. A few users trickle in. Likes appear. The chat springs to life. The zucchini slides across her body, and she lets go, her breathing quickening as the viewer count skyrockets.
The phantom returns, demanding more action; for Elena, the desperate need to exist in the eyes of others becomes stronger than any resistance. What began as a simple livestream slowly morphs into an ambiguous territory, where the boundary between observer and performer dissolves. Starved for attention, Elena drags the caretaker onto the set. The two lock in a desperate embrace under the gaze of thousands of strangers. She directs the scene in a state of ecstasy; amidst cunnilingus, fellatio, doggy-style thrusting, and plenty of anal play, the online crowd goes wild—and for the first time, Elena feels seen, desired, *alive*. But among the viewers watching the stream, someone isn't following along with excitement—and a phone call abruptly cuts the show short! Amidst Elena’s screams, the "LIVE" broadcast comes to an end—yet it will remain online forever, archived on servers, ready to be rewatched by anyone, at any time. The success she has begged for years to attain comes at a price: her life, sold off in real time. One more like. One less piece of yourself. How much are 0you willing to lose just to be seen?