You are scrolling through your social media pages on your phone, jealous of what your friends are doing. Traveling the world, living an exuberant lifestyle, while you are struggling just to pay for a single room flat in the less than pretty part of town. You have a job, but it's dreary and monotonous. It wouldn't be as bad if it were decent money, but it's not. So little that you are living below the poverty line. That degree has really screwed you over financially. It's not like it's being put to use either.
The weather outside is typical of what you've come to expect. Dreary and wet. There isn't even the slightest hint of difference that comes from having a thunderstorm. It's just a wet, cold, grey day. The only thing keeping you warm in your squalor of a flat is your bed. But even then it's surrounded by the cold, white brick walls and the obvious musk of dampness. The carpet may as well not even exist either, it feels so cold. Your warm bed is monument to your losing battle against the cold outside world.
Your phone vibrates at the receiving of an email. You sigh, you're sick of the constant 24/7 email notifications. You look up to it in the toolbar and read the title and who sent it. It's not from a company, nor is it business. It's a personal email from someone from your old class. Your heart skips a beat, you haven't talked to him in over a year, nor did you ever give him your email address.
You sigh, still a little scared and anxious. You open the email and read it.
'Hey Riley. Just wanted to say hi. I know we haven't talked or even seen each other in quite some time, but I'd like to talk. David'
You don't know what to do. On one side you don't want to talk to him because he will inevitability find out about your impoverished situation, and that's too embarrassing for you. On another side you do. You haven't talked to anyone outside of work for ages, and the fact that he's taken the time to find your email and contact you. Even if the former sounds a bit stalker-ish. You bite the bullet and reply.
'Hey. How's life been?' You type anxiously.
'Yeah. Alright,' he emails back.
'That's good.'
'Anyway. I'll cut straight to the chase. I'm having a presentation in England and I thought I'd choose you.'
'Really? Why?' You email back somewhat excitedly.
'Because you deserve a change in your life.'
'How did you know about my poverty?'
'Poverty? Sorry man. I didn't know about that. Just assumed that you were living an average life.'
'I'll take your offer anyway' you email back just before hearing yet another gunshot on the street below you.
'Okay. Meet up with you in the park in an hour.'
'Okay,' you type back both excited and nervous. You hadn't seen David in just over a year.
You wait in the park on a bench. It is still pissing it down with rain. Despite your raincoat you're still getting wet. You start worrying that David has made a fool of you. You're just about to get up when he arrives.
"Riley?" Is that you," he asks sounding concerned.
"Yeah," you reply.
"Poverty really has taken it's toll on you. Hasn't it."
"Yeah," you sigh, "I've once needed to go a week without food."
"Damn. Want to live with me?"
"Would love to but don't want to be a burden," you reply.
"You won't. I'm earning more than enough. If anything, you'll be more of a burden to society living by yourself."
"You sure?" You ask.
"I'm sure," replies David. You can't help but smile.
"Thank you man," you reply tearing up.
"Where do you live?" Asks David, "I can have your furniture moved into my house by within the hour."
"You own a removal business?" You ask jokingly.
"To some degree. But they're robots."
"Wait. So you're the one behind the robotic removalists?"
"Yeah. I made and programmed them myself."
"Cool," you reply, "My address is 323 Broke Street. Kind of ironic."
"It is actually," replies David,
Before too long David drove his fancy car to his house. You can't believe he made all this wealth in about a year. His house is an absolute mansion too. To sweeten the deal, David's robots had already put your furniture into your room. Life was definitely going to improve.
A few months pass. You quit your dead end job and severed ties with your previous landlord. You've been to England for David's presentation about transformation. It was far too complicated for you to understand. You had no idea why he wanted you to attend. But it was still a free trip. You've also been to countless job interviews but have never actually gotten any further. You're trying but it seems nobody wants to employ you.
David walks into your room. You're searching for jobs on the laptop he bought for you. "Any luck yet?" Asks David.
"Unfortunately not," you sigh.
"Seems you're having the same problem I had before starting my business."
"Yeah. Got any suggestions?" You ask.
"I kind of do. That's why I came in here."
"Okay. What are they?"
"Well I was thinking. Since I've got human transformation working I thought you'd try it."
"So that presentation was factual?"
"Yeah. But let's not tell anyone about it. Who knows what people in power could do with those tools."
"So what do you want to transform me into?" You ask.
"You choose," replies David.
"Nah. Since I've been mooching off you. It's only fair you pick."
"Okay," replies David pulling out a strange gun looking thing. He points it at you and pulls the trigger. On the spot you have become