All I wanted was freedom over my own life. I was desperate for an alternative to my dead-end, mind-numbing job. I repeatedly dreamt of telling my boss, “I have unfortunately run out of time to decide if you’re a sociopath or merely a narcissist. Goodbye.” Sunday nights are always a time of deep depression and desperate fantasizing. Monday morning is only hours away and here I am starting another week of empty repetition punctuated only by small bursts of aggravation. Behind me lay the carnage of a half a dozen failed work-from home jobs and a lot of disapproving looks from relatives.
Monday was approaching again and I found myself staring as the early a.m. hours ticked by on my clock. I was using some of the leftovers from the last start-up in essential oils to try and alleviate the pulsating migraine I was suffering.
It was 1:33 a.m. The private message alert on my phone startled me. A friend, Schmetts, whom I had just met in a RPG the week before, wanted to know if I was up.
Me: Yeah, stupid migraine.
Schmetts: sry to hear :( glad I didn’t wake you. 7:34 am here
Me: Oh, what’s up?
Schmetts: i want to help you
Me: Ohhhkaay, how?
Schmetts: you sed you were unhappy with your life, correct?
Me: mostly my job
Schmetts: :( that sucks. I have great news tho. You heard of cryptocurrency?
Me: Sure.
Schmetts: good :) I wanted to help you get in on a ICO
Me: ICO???
Schmetts: Right :D Initial Coin Offering. You have the chance to invest in a coin early while cheap. Profit margin could be ENORMOUS!
Me: OK
Schmetts: Don’t worry. :) This will be HUGE!
Me: How do I invest?
Schmetts: Sending you a link to a video with all instructions.
Me: What’s the name of the coin?
Schmetts: PineCoin :)
Me: A crypto for wood?
Schmetts: No, my friend. Def NOT. :D
I decided to click the video link Shmetts sent me even though my migraine was getting worse. Oddly, the video started with bursts of light and sounded like a twisted ASMR video. My head was throbbing, but I couldn’t look away. Cold chills and nausea swept over me as I was losing consciousness. Blurred forms were looming over me and I heard one say,”Another catch for the Belgian. Where do we take this one?”
