I'm not really a newbie. I've been here before. I'll tell my story from the start. I feel like I've kept silent too long.

It was October, 2007. I was only17. So many troubles at home. No stable relationships. I'd attempted suicide once, but only half-heartedly. I found this site through the referral of a fellow tribe member, now long gone. I was not only new, but naive as well. I met a member here who had this elaborate online game going. He was the ruler of the kingdom of Yserbius and all of his "friends" were his loyal subjects. I became friends with this person, not knowing that he was also the person behind a handful of other dummy accounts. Shoulda figured it out since their pictures looked so good. I'd post a comment on his page(s) every so often, and would usually try to initiate contact with others who posted on his page. Friend of a friend introductions.

That's when I met Scarlet. My attempt at friendship was met with pure hostility. Seems she didn't think any other female should be talking to the King of Yserbius but her. According to her profile, she was years older than me, but I had more maturity in my pinkie than she had in her whole body.

Scarlet began stalking me through her own collection of dummy profiles. It's funny now, yet at the time when I was so young and vulnerable, it was near devastating. If I began talking to other men on DT, she would flood that member's page with posts. It was like she was competing for my attention. She made a cyber-wh*re out of herself. She would send me private messages, coyly hinting at how she could take any man from me. She didn't get it… I wasn't after any man. I was just seeking friendship from those who had been down my road. I was looking for older people, with more knowledge, more experience.

I ultimately left the tribe because I couldn't handle the hostility. But before I left, I did end up having an interesting conversation with the King of Yserbius. Seems Scarlett had stalked him for years, despite the fact that she is a married woman.

And the reason why I merely refer to this man as the King of Yserbius is out of respect for his memory. He ended up keeping in touch over the years, via email. Right up until the end. The King passed away last year. They said it was a heart attack.

Long live the King.