Zclever Security Camera Manual -

Arthur squinted at the single sheet of paper that had come in the box. It wasn't a manual. It was a threat.

He scrambled to the shed. The hive was fine. But on the wall, where his old, non-functional decoy camera used to be, there was now a second Z clever camera. He hadn’t put it there. It was already blinking a slow, rhythmic green.

Step 1: Remove camera from box. Step 2: Do not remove camera from box. zclever security camera manual

He read it again. The font was too sharp, like it had been typed in a hurry by someone with very good posture and very bad intentions. He’d ordered the Z clever XT-9000 for his hobbyist urban-beekeeping shed after someone stole his titanium smoker. The price was absurdly low. The shipping had taken eleven minutes. Now he understood why.

Step 6: Congratulations. You are now part of the Z clever security solution. You will watch. You will be watched. Your bees will provide excellent aerial drone data. Do not attempt to uninstall the camera from your retina. (You don’t remember inserting it, do you? That’s the clever part.) Arthur squinted at the single sheet of paper

Arthur stood very still. He could feel it now. A tiny, warm pressure behind his left eye. And in the corner of his vision, a small, shimmering logo: – We’re always watching. Especially you.

He flipped the “manual” over. More text, smaller this time. He scrambled to the shed

The manual in his hand grew heavier. He looked down. The final step had appeared.

Arthur snorted. “Yeah, right.” He was a retired systems analyst. He didn’t fall for—he held the camera up to his eye.

He pulled the camera out anyway. It was smaller than a walnut, matte black, and warm to the touch. It shouldn't have been warm. It had been in a cardboard box in a freezing mailbox.