Rafael's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Rafael can't stop thinking about those monitors. He wanders through the lodge until he finds himself back in front of the wall of screens. Each one shows a different angle of Whitehaven. The cameras never stop watching. He leans closer to the control panel, watching footage cycle through. A contestant slipping on ice. Another crying in their cabin. Someone burning dinner while the smoke alarm screams. His finger hovers over the archive button. These moments could make him the hero who brings drama to the show. He pictures his face on every screen across Whitehaven, narrating the chaos through the outdoor projection system mounted near the lodge. Fame delivered on a silver platter. But his hand freezes. On screen twelve, he sees himself from yesterday, grinning at a camera and making what he thought was a smoldering expression. It looks ridiculous. His stomach twists. He backs away from the controls. If he broadcasts everyone else's worst moments, they'll find his. And he has so many more.