The Be Right Back screen still covered Zoey's stream. Her viewers had been staring at it for several minutes by the time the doorbell finally pulled Zoey away from her setup.
Out in the entrance, safely beyond the camera's view, Zoey hurried to the front door.
The microphone she'd left behind picked up little more than distant movement: footsteps, a soft thud somewhere in the apartment, the faint click of the lock.
Zoey opened the door.
Layla was standing on the other side.
"H-hi! Uh-hi!"
Whatever composure she'd managed to gather on the way to the door hadn't survived opening it.
"You're-uhm-wow, okay. You're here."
A small, nervous laugh escaped her before she managed to continue.
"Yes. You're here. Come in, please."
Only faint sounds of movement reached the distant microphone as Zoey stepped away from the entrance.
"Watch the... there's a-yeah, sorry. There's wires everywhere. Don't trip."
The footsteps moved inside.
The chat immediately exploded.
CHAT:
is that her ?
SHOW US
LAYLA???
what is she wearing
IS SHE REAL OR DID ZOEY HALLUCINATE A GHOST
The camera came back to life with Zoey rushing into frame as if she'd covered considerably more distance than the few rooms separating her from the front door.
She immediately straightened her clothes and brushed at dust that wasn't there, apparently needing something for her hands to do before facing the webcam.
Her cheeks were pink, and the smile she aimed at her chat was doing a terrible job of looking casual.
"Okay, so!"
She lowered her voice as if someone might overhear her.
"She's here."
Her eyes darted toward the side of the room.
"She's, like, actually here."
She pointed vaguely behind the camera.
"I mean, she's off-camera right now, but..."
Zoey nodded several times.
"She's here."
CHAT:
WHAT'S SHE WEARING
ZOEY TURN THE CAMERA
WE WANNA SEE THE GHOST
Zoey laughed nervously.
"No, no, she's real."
She ran a hand through her hair.
"She's-okay."
She looked toward the door again.
"She's stunning."
The admission came easily enough. The embarrassed smile immediately afterward was another matter.
"And I'm not okay."
The chat started flying even faster.
"I just opened the door and it was like-"
Zoey snapped her fingers.
"-bam."
She threw one hand outward as if that somehow explained the experience.
"Elegance."
She leaned closer to the camera.
"Parasol. Gloves. The dress?"
She shook her head.
"She's like..."
Zoey searched for the right words. Usually searching for another word was seemingly taking her considerably less time.
"You know when the weather changes and everything suddenly feels different?"
She took a deep breath.
"Yeah."
She pointed toward the door off sight from the camera angle.
"That."
Zoey reached for the camera to adjust it, her fingers trembling just enough for the movement to show.
"I told her she could get settled first while I finish setting everything up here."
She smiled.
"She's super polite."
Her smile faded into a slightly nervous expression.
"Like... scary polite?"
She immediately lifted both hands, waving them like to make a plane land on a piste.
"Not in a bad way!"
That apparently hadn't come out right either. She glanced toward the door again.
"Just... I don't know."
Zoey lowered her voice.
"She looks like she should be gliding."
She looked down at herself.
"Not walking."
CHAT:
ALIEN confirmed!
DID SHE HOVER IN
Zoey pls BREATHE
Zoey started pacing in a tiny circle in front of the setup.
"And she brought her own parasol."
She pointed toward the entrance.
"Like, an actual parasol."
Her hands went up in surrender.
"I've never felt less prepared in my life."
The chat was already laughing.
"I almost offered her sparkling water."
Zoey covered her face.
"And then I panicked and said, 'Do you want a... glass?'"
She slowly lowered her hands.
"That's it."
She stared at the camera.
"No question. No drink. Just..."
She mimed holding out a glass.
"'Glass.'"
The chat flooded with messages.
CHAT:
LMAOOOOO
You said GLASS???
ZOEY WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN
Zoey shook her head at the messages still pouring in.
"Don't."
Her attention shifted away from the monitor. Whatever she'd heard from the other room had her straightening almost immediately.
"Oh!"
Her voice became softer.
"You can come in whenever you're ready."
She smiled toward someone off-camera.
"No pressure."
Zoey quickly stepped aside, running both palms down the front of her pants, apparently trying to get rid of whatever nervous energy was left in them.
Then she looked at the camera.
"Okay."
She pointed directly at them.
"Okay, chat."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Be normal."
Zoey leaned toward the webcam.
"I swear to God, if any of you..."
She stopped herself.
Any threat she'd been preparing died before it made it out, her expression softening into pleading desperation.
"...just be cool."
She gestured helplessly.
The camera adjusted its focus as soft footsteps approached from just outside the frame.
Zoey turned toward the sound.
Chat noticed immediately how whatever she'd been about to say to chat disappeared. Her attention left the camera completely, and the nervous performance she'd been putting on for her viewers gave way to something much quieter.
CHAT:
OH MY GOD
it's happening
ZOEY REMEMBER HOW TO SPEAK
BE NORMAL
We're all watching