The Vanishing Viewership

Nick Sullivan awoke with a start, the remnants of a restless night still clinging to him. Tossing and turning had led to a slew of vivid dreams: one where the show was a resounding success, followed by another where it was an utter failure. As the first light of dawn crept through his blinds, Nick sprang from bed, skipping his usual morning routine of brushing his teeth and washing his face. Instead, he rushed to his computer, eager to check the show's viewership statistics.

The numbers were grim—133 views after ten hours. Despite bracing himself for the disappointment, the reality was hard to swallow. To add salt to the wound, there were negative comments. One user named "Fish That Can't Fly" had left a scathing review: "The show lacks creativity, clearly inspired by Hong Kong and Taiwan productions. The production is too crude, and the ghostly figure in the mirror from Blackwood Mansion was obviously added in post-production."

Nick's frustration boiled over. He couldn't believe the audacity of these trolls. After risking his life to explore Blackwood Mansion and recording what he thought was a compelling episode, the harsh critique stung deeply. In a fit of anger, he created a secondary account to fire back. His reply was fueled by indignation: "I think the show is quite engaging, though it feels a bit rushed. The Blackwood Mansion segment was genuinely eerie. Critics should give us a chance to improve. It's disappointing to see such negativity for something that's clearly trying."

As he stared blankly at the screen, the satisfaction of having retaliated quickly faded. With nothing else to occupy his mind, he felt an empty void on this Saturday, his day off. The morning dragged on as he mindlessly refreshed web pages, hoping for a change in fortune, but to no avail. His inbox remained barren of any promising leads.

In the midst of his disheartened haze, Ethan Blackwood called him. Ethan needed help setting up a new computer, and Nick reluctantly agreed, figuring it would be a welcome distraction. After a quick freshen-up, Nick descended to find Ethan's hearse parked outside, honking impatiently. The constant presence of the hearse made Nick feel self-conscious, especially when neighbors looked at him with peculiar glances as he climbed into it.

At the computer store, the two grabbed a bite at a nearby fast-food joint. Over lunch, Nick asked Ethan what kind of computer he needed. Ethan replied he wanted something capable of video streaming and internet browsing. Nick assembled a top-notch computer for 7,000 dollars. As he saw the happiness in Ethan's eyes, he felt a brief lift in his own mood. The saying about shopping easing stress suddenly felt true, even though the money wasn't his.

After setting up the computer in the funeral home's internet room, Ethan eagerly navigated to the show's website. Seeing Nick's reply to the negative comments made Ethan's face light up. He was genuinely excited. "Look! There are people defending us! Why are you so glum?"

Nick's heart sank. He confessed, "That was my comment."

Ethan was taken aback. "Well, teach me how to register an account."

Nick walked him through the process, and Ethan, taking the task seriously, noted the details in a small notebook. With a determined look, he responded to the negative comment with a retort of his own: "If you don't like it, leave!"

Nick was left in disbelief, feeling a mix of helplessness and resignation.

Monday morning arrived, and the show's viewership was still dismal, barely reaching a thousand. The failure weighed heavily on him. He put on a brave face and prepared for work, needing to focus on the next episode despite the mounting pressure.

Upon arriving at the office, Daniel approached him with a facade of encouragement. "Ethan, I watched the show. Overall, it was decent. Given the lack of promotion, the results aren't terrible. For the next episode, make sure to refine the content. I'll arrange for some promotional support to improve its visibility."

Daniel's words, though seemingly reassuring, did little to alleviate Nick's concerns. Back in his sparse office, he reflected on the first episode's failure. He had envisioned that a decent viewership would naturally lead to more leads and intriguing content for future episodes. Now, it was evident that finding material would be a struggle.

Just as Nick was lost in thought, the office door burst open. It was Daniel's secretary, rushing in with a frantic look. "Nick, there's trouble. The director needs you urgently."

Confused, Nick asked, "What's the problem?"

"You'll find out when you get there. It's not something that can be explained briefly," the secretary urged, hastily leading him to Daniel's office.

The commotion inside was palpable. A woman was shouting furiously. As Nick hesitated at the door, the secretary pushed him inside.

Inside the office, Daniel was sweating profusely, trying to placate a man and a woman. The man, appearing in his forties, looked nervous and reserved. The woman, however, was the picture of anger—a face flushed with rage, heavily made up, and not holding back her fury.

Daniel's eyes lit up when he saw Nick. "This is the host of 'The Friday Phantom,' Nick Sullivan. You can discuss the matter with him. I need to step out for a bit."

As Daniel made his escape, the enraged woman lunged at Nick. "Your ridiculous show has ruined my life! If you don't give me an explanation today, I'm going to make sure you regret it!"

Taken aback, Nick pushed her away. "Don't touch me. I have a heart condition. If you have a problem, let's talk calmly, or I'll call security."

Dealing with aggressive individuals required a tough stance, and Nick, accustomed to handling difficult situations, managed to remain composed. With the assistance of the nervous man, who began to calm the woman down, the situation started to de-escalate.

The woman, Liu Ling, revealed her grievance. Her son, Lucas, a fourteen-year-old student, had watched Nick's show with a friend. The excitement of the show led them to dare each other into visiting Blackwood Mansion, resulting in Lucas falling into a coma after an apparent supernatural encounter.

The ordeal had been exacerbated by a tabloid journalist who suggested Liu Ling demand compensation from the show. Though Lucas had eventually regained consciousness, he displayed unsettling symptoms. Liu Ling had since become increasingly agitated, leading to today's confrontation.

Nick was taken aback by the gravity of the situation and the unexpected escalation. Liu Ling's claims that the incident had been reported in the "Daily Echo" only added to his alarm. Hastily, he skimmed through the newspaper on Daniel's desk and confirmed the article detailing the incident.

Panicking, Nick reopened the show's website to find the viewership had surged past ten thousand.