In the video, the camera operator’s hand reached out. It was pale, the skin pulled tight over bone, and the fingernails were missing. As the hand touched the handle, the video began to degrade. Digital artifacts—purple and green blocks—tore across the screen.

The hum in the room grew louder. On the screen, the camera finally finished its turn. Elias saw his own room, filmed from the corner of his ceiling. He saw himself sitting at his desk, staring at the screen. The video reached the 3:01 mark. The hum stopped.

The video didn’t end. When the door in the footage finally creaked open, the screen went pitch black for exactly ten seconds. Then, the hum returned, and the video started over. But it wasn't an exact loop.