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969words2026-01-26 09:04

I lost my job.When I returned to the rented apartment I saw all my luggage thrown out in the corridor just as I had expected.
A pleasant voice interrupted my thoughts.

A woman was sitting at a fortune-teller's stall.
"Do you know that great disaster is looming over you?"
I glanced at her,didn't stop,and continued walking forward.
"You're gonna die."
The woman rushed up and grabbed my arm.
I shook off her hand in annoyance.Before I could say anything,she took out a tattered paper talisman and almost shoved it in my face.

"You're in luck today that you met me!"
"As long as you carry this Life-Saving Amulet,you can turn all your misfortune into good luck!"
So she was a salesperson!
What a clumsy sales tactic!

I looked at her pretty face,and somehow,I couldn't bring myself to refuse.
I secretly told myself that I wasn’t after her pretty look.I just felt bad saying no.Aftet all we're all just trying to make a living,and we all got our crossed to bear.
So,I took the amulet and lowered my head to take out my wallet.
"Alright,I'll buy one then."
"How much is it?"
"I’ll give you a discount since you’re sincere. It's nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars."
"What?"
I stared at her in disbelief.
Her calm expression was unmoved as if it was a perfectly reasonable price.
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars."
My face twitched slightly,and I threw theamulet right back at her onto her face.
"You're fucking crazy!"
Even if someone is looking for a sucker to swindle,this is all going way too far,isn't it?
She was slightly taken aback and stared at me in surprise.
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?What do you mean what's wrong?"
"I said you're fucking crazy!Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars?"
"Damn it,I'd be fucking crazy myself if I buy one!"
After cursing a few words,I turned around and left.
"Wait a moment!"
She actually had the nerve to chased after me and grabbed my hand again.She eyed me up and down and drew in a deep breath as if she had made a huge decision.
"How about a hundred dollars?"
Now I’m really pissed off at this “huge sidcount”!
It not only confirmed that she was a scammer,but this tentative inquiry had also stung my pride.
I shook off her hand with force.With the pent-up anger from all the bad luck I had today building up in my chest,I roared.
"Get lost!"
I walked away quickly,completely ignoring her shouts behind me.
It seemed like she was saying something like"You actually value money more than your life?"
I hadn't gone far when someone stopped me again.
This time,it was a well-dressed middle-aged man with a greasy hairstyle that was really annoying.
"Is this ever going to end!"
"I'm not buying any amulets!"
The man with the greasy hair smiled faintly.
"I'm not selling amulets."
"I just want to ask you if you want to make money while all you have to do is lie down?"
My anger was shattered by the keyword"money".I stared at him wide-eyed in surprise.
The man with the greasy hair handed me a business card.
It said"Lucky Mansion Sleep-Tester Agency",General Manager,Jack Foster.
Just as I was about to give him a scrutinizing look,the man with the greasy hair played his trump card.
"It's two thousand dollars per night,and I can pay you one thousand dollars in advance."
"Okay!"
Before I could even think,words blurted out of my mouth.
Not only could it provide me with a place to crash tonight,I could also earn some extra cash.Who could refuse such a good deal?
As for whether he was a scammer or had other motives?
Driven by poverty,I had nothing to fear!
To my surprise,the man with the greasy hair didn't take me to a hotel,but to an unfinished building on the outskirts of town.
He smiled and said that this was a soon-to-be-promoted bed and breakfast project.
"The way the rich play,you wouldn't understand."
I was completely silenced by the man's words.I surveyed at the old building in front of me.
I wasn't sure if it was my imagination,but the building seemed to be shrouded in a faint layer of black mist,and I gave an inexplicable shudder.
Subconsciously,a thought popped into my mind.Could it be haunted?
As soon as this thought came to me,the man with the greasy hair chuckled.
"Are you scared?"
"Don't tell me you're afraid of ghosts?"
I was taken aback,then snorted.
"Nonsense.I'm not even afraid of poverty.Why would I be afraid of ghosts?"
After saying that,to show that I wasn't afraid,I deliberately strode ahead with with fast pace.
The moment I stepped into the lobby on the first floor of the building,I was slightly shocked.I wouldn’t call the decoration of the lobbyextravagant,but it was definitely exquisite.
I estimated that it must have cost at least six figures.
Since even the small lobby was decorated so elaborately,it seemed that the man with the greasy hair wasn't lying to me.
Thinking of this,I relaxed a bit.
The room for the sleep test was on the 18th floor.So far,the only thing that seemed a bit off was that there was no elevator!
There wasn't even a light on the stairs.
The man with the greasy hair attributed it to some irresistible reasons.
With great difficulty,I reached the door of the room on the 18th floor.I leaned against the wall,gasping for breath.
I watched as the man opened the door.As soon as the door cracked open,a faint scent of sandalwood wafted over.
I didn’t know if it was because I was too tired, but my feet just refused to move even an inch at the man’s gesture beckoning me to enter.That unease feeling in my heart stirred restlessly,and I even had the urge to turn around and leave.