Recorded for Posterity

‘Tell me you caught that,’ Dan groaned from the bottom of the stairs. He could faintly hear his skateboard rolling away from him, but he needed the air to start cooperating with his lungs again before he could chase it down.

‘We got it man!’ Alex chuckled, skipping down the steps to show him the camcorder. ‘We got it all!’

Dan propped himself up on his shoulders to look up into the lens. ‘You’re still filming?!’ he groaned, shoving the camera out of his face.

‘Mate, after that fall I don’t think I’m ever gonna stop filming you again!’

Dan tried to fake-laugh, but his ribs protested — apparently unaware that the lungs had already refused.

‘I wonder what we could use this for?’ Alex mused out loud, playing back the footage.

‘Aren’t we just chucking it up online like we always do?’

‘Think bigger, Dan! This could go viral! And then what? We just go on with our lives? What if..’ Alex got a glint in his eye. ‘What if this is the start of something? What if we send it to a marketing video production company to really make the video shine?’

Dan was starting to get convinced. ‘Going viral would be awesome! Maybe one day that could turn us into an animation!’ ‘Exactly! I’m so surprised you’re on board!’

Dan looked hurt. ‘I thought we were friends Alex. I thought you knew it was my dream to go viral with the help of the best corporate video production company in Melbourne.’

Alex teared up. ‘I’m sorry man. I had no idea.’

‘It’s okay,’ Dan said, welling up too. ‘I should be more open with my feelings.’

The two boys embraced.

The projector flicked off, and the lights were turned back on. Daniel and Alexander, in slick suits from their newfound fame, strode to the front of the table.

‘And that,’ Daniel said, gesturing with his thumb, ‘is why you can trust us with your business.’

The boardroom burst into spontaneous applause, as the two men hugged.