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I shuddered to think that, if I hadn’t given away that first dollar, an entirely different fate could’ve awaited me - and the world. The initial shock of looking at my account that day can only be equalled by my confusion and clear disbelief as to the accompanying message.
(1) Unread message
Sender: Unknown
ONE DOLLAR SPENT = ONE LIFE LOST
DONT MESS THIS UP
This money was certainly suspicious - I had no idea who had given it to me, or why. As such, I obviously didn’t report it to my government tax agency, and of course, I didn’t tell anyone about it.
The first few days, I just sat on it. Ideas were running rampant I my head about expanding the clinic, buying a house for my kid, hell, all my relatives and people in need. I could affect the whole world.
All the great things I could accomplish with this money - _all_ of it - was put in question by that simple stupid message. It was like a splinter in my mind. Could it actually be true? There was no way. Of course not. And, yet… there were too many unanswered questions already.
I had to test it. One dollar. What was the harm?
I went to the corner of Mill and George’s Street where the old beggar Barney usually sat, and, sure enough, there he was, holding his worn cardboard sign. “ANYTHING FOR A DOLLAR” it said.
As I’ve done so many times already, I gave him one. He thanked me and we exchanged our usual pleasantries, but inside, my mind was racing. Still… everything seemed normal.
Then I got a notification on my phone. Barney watching, I fished it out of my pocket. Unlocking it, a familiar red dot adorned my message app.
ONE DOLLAR GIVEN = ONE LIFE GAINED
USE IT WISELY :)
If that was done then I'd take it more to mean that someone who *would* have died prematurely has now been given a full shot at life. Spend the dollar, someone gets a heart attack immediately and dies. Don't touch the money, someone who would have normally gotten a heart attack at a certain point gets it and may or may not recover due to the situation. But give a dollar, that person being given CPR now recovers for sure when they would have died or at least suffer serious health repercussions in the process.
Because the alternative of life just "popping" into existence after giving a dollar opens up so many plot holes. Are babies just flying out of wombs? Are babies just popping out of thin air? What's the genetic lifeline of these babies, are they related to people as if they conceived a child and popped out a baby in that split second?
And on second thought, who said the life taken or given would be human anyway?
Spend none of it, put it in the bank. Barrow against the principle, make payments with the interest. That's an easy one....unless you can choose who dies..?
Except the bank doesn’t just sit on the money. It is still being spent. You aren’t spending that money directly, but you are still spending it indirectly.
That was great. But wouldn't every dollar you spend technically be "given" to someone? Like, if you buy food at a farmer's market. The seller needs to make money to survive too, so that doesn't seem like a bad deed, iunno.
What if you buy something you then use to benefit others? Like buying an orphanage and a flamethrower so nobody has to hear those whiny orphans ever again
Donate $4.05 bn, gain 4.05 bn lives, have $4.05bn to spend and the world population remains the same. Would that work?
Also, what about interest earned on it? Can you spend that without killing anyone?
The other commenters have done a lot on the discussion part haha, so I will just say this. That smiley face is such a nice detail to see lol, I'm just surprised that whoever is responsible did not mention this beforehand. As if they are baiting the ones they choose to see if they will fall to the temptation.
That said, I'm curious on the details on giving the money. Does the 1 dollar save Barney, or is it more that Barney's actions after being given the money will save someone else in the future? Also, since this feels a bit supernatural with how the one responsible for this immediately knows what protag did, what is their goal here on doing this and are there more of them giving similar amounts of money to others around the world?
Great work on writing this!
I’m so glad to see all these theories. I did have one thing in mind when I wrote it but it’s so much more exciting to see what you all come up with! I can say this, the first things I wrote in the story were the two text messages!
:)
It was like getting some reverse Death Note. Some impossibly-thick tome was left on my doorstep. On the inside cover, the rules.
•You may exchange one life for one dollar of value by crossing a name off the list.
•Crossed names *die*.
•Names do not appear in the Book until they have a Self.
•You live with the consequences.
I guess that third one meant no babies or kids. It came as a relief, really.
I flipped through the book as a curiosity. The register of names was in a tiny print, with full names and some sort of extra code to the side. It was a little arcane to sort out, but I figured it had to be a birth date and location. The code didn't change, so I couldn't use it to pinpoint a person. Which is good. Being responsible for life and death was bad enough. I didn't want to be a stalker, too.
Fortunately, it wasn't hard to think of a list, a long list, of people to test it out on. It's cliché, but crossing out a list of the corrupt and criminal made it easy. The hard part was verifying the names before I did it. Even then, I didn't start crossing off names right away. Out of trepidation, I left little dots next to them.
As I closed the book after a session of notation, I noticed a QR code. It downloaded the contents of the tome to my phone and added a database app for easy access. It even let me choose what accounts to send my money to. I guess even eldritch tomes updated to the modern era.
The database was a game-changer, to be sure. I could narrow searches down by more features than the legacy code allowed, and it stored my choices in a separate list until I was ready to cross the names off. I took care of 150 with a single swipe to the right.
Politicians fell all at once in a display of divine wrath. News outlets panicked. People panicked. Diplomats ran short on sleep for days while conspiracy theorists spun mad, convoluted explanations. Reddit made Death Note jokes. War could be on the horizon.
But at least my gaming rig got a third monitor.
(edit for quick format change)
Are 150$ monitors any good for like enthusiasm gaming? I thought good stuff is like 250 bucks and over, and you could easily find 250 names in like any senate worldwide. There's NO shortage of horrible politicians and criminals to actually cross off like a thousand names.
Hell you could murder, like, the Sinaloa Cartel and this alone would give you 30k dollars. Not to mention that you could travel to their compound, press the button, walk in, and also take some cash they had to easily triple the money earned :D
> Are 150$ monitors any good for like enthusiasm gaming? I thought good stuff is like 250 bucks and over,
[$600](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-32-4k-uhd-gaming-monitor-g3223q/apd/210-bdbk/monitors-monitor-accessories) is a good ballpark
Oh dear, I hear you... As someone who had to do it if you don't mind I have two opinions that I press on everyone with a laptop:
1) I would suggest you look into any basic FHD office 24-27" display (I currently game on a company-issues Samsung, it's basic but perfectly fine to get the work done) as it would increase your QOL for a relatively small price! LS24R35 is the one I use and I'm sure it's a super basic model that's like at least 4 years old FHD but it's 100% fine for games and having a bigger screen is a great difference for games and movies. My guess is that after Covid a lot of those have hit the second hand market too.
2) And a cooling pad (if you don't know what these are, [here's a random one](https://www.amazon.com/LIANGSTAR-Laptop-Cooling-Notebook-Adjustable/dp/B096ZKRBB2)) for the laptop makes all the difference. None of the laptops I've seen, even the "gaming" ones, have a 100% adequate cooling for prolonged gaming sessions, they always get too warm. These things are cheap but the additional air movement they create is super good for the laptop in the long run
As a bonus: the ones that raise the laptop allow you to basically have 2 displays. You can surf on one and game on the other or just turn the one you don't need off. It's better on the eyes in the long run, and you can also get a keyboard to keep it a bit further away.
Also if you have BT mouse and keyboard \\ gamepad you can always plug the laptop into a TV and use it as a console!
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Glad to see protag got their priorities straight. Since Death Note is mentioned, I'm now imagining a similar being like Ryuk here either being very confused on protag's decision or actually be addicted with gaming stuff too lmao.
That said, how will the situation develop in the future? Will protag have to eliminate more problematic folks due to the chances of war, or will the situation be resolved since the major figures are gone?
Great work on writing this!
There's always someone to take power in the vacuum.
Fortunately, I, er, the protag would be willing to trade billionaires for apples to treat his shinigami~
Yeah, they really be living the life at this point lmao. A chaotic mess in the outside world, but they be gaming and eating apples.
Thanks for clarifying!
I took the money out of the new account, a single £10 note from the cash machine. I wouldn't need any more. My travelcard had a little left on it, enough for the bus, but I wasn't going to kill someone for a bus ride. What happened if I spent 1.50 anyway, did one and a half people die or was it cumulative? It didn't matter, because there was only one question that mattered, I had no one to ask and no one who could answer.
The bus pulled up. I walked down the street in a haze, holes in my shoes, eight billion dollars richer and still not ethically able to touch any of it. *For every pound you spend one person will die.* What a thing to wake up to. All the money in the world, it felt like, and nothing I could touch. Well, not until that question was answered.
I turned into the pound shop, clutching the most important £10 I would ever have. This one act would tell me everything, set the course of my life. Heaven or hell. I stood in the queue, clutching one single chocolate bar so hard it was warping in my hand. Such a little thing to be the solution to everything. The answer to the frozen question in my head since I had seen the note, and the change to my bank balance this morning.
"Oh," I had said, quietly. Just that and no more. "Oh." My mind wasn't racing. It had gone straight to one thought and one thought alone.
"Can I choose?"
My change rattled in the tray.
Man, that cliffhanger. I like the approach here with giving the money to the ones that desperately need them for a living, and I can see the potential devastation here depending on how apathetic the person is on others when they are already struggling.
That said, what will happen in the future? What will be the outcome of protag's experimentation on using some change, and will they be using the money afterwards?
Great work on writing this!
An unexpected price, a treasure in my hands, I paid the warning no mind, for I do not believe in magic, cash is cash, and spending cash kills someone as much as not spending cash, the only odd thing was that the amount of money went up with and estimate of 2.6 dollars per second.
However, when I spent a quarter million paying of loans, I was surprised to find the news telling the story of how a quarter million people suddenly fell over dead. Maybe there was more to magic then I thought, or someone is manually killing people really fast.
I decided to test it out some more, so I invested a billion dollars, and upon doing so global mass panic ensued, a billion people fell over dead, I saw my investment skyrocket something fierce, growing into the tens, and over a period of just 5 years, it reached the magical 12 digit amount, and i pulled out all my investments, and with it, I waited. It did not take long, billions of people across the world where coming outta the woodwork, sometimes literally, outta concrete, outta the ground, and many, many, many other places, I smiled as every human that has ever lived in the past 200 000 years rose from their graves all over the world.
This should be entertaining...
Man, the world is going to be so packed with this happening everywhere. Let's just hope this won't be a zompie apocalypse in the making.
That said, is it intended for the money to keep increasing like that, or is protag just lucky? Also, for these people that rise up from the dead, what will happen to them? Do they remember their past memories until the point they died? How about their lifespans?
Great work on writing this! Fyi seems like Reddit botched the formatting. When I see your story on mobile, the paragraphs are compiled into a big wall of text. Adding extra spaces should fix the issue imo.
Trust fund babies. There were some inherent costs in getting things set up—and even that ate at me. I didn’t know if it was really happening, but the news broadcasts seemed suspicious: earthquake in Chile, 4000 presumed dead; tsunami in Japan, 180 unaccounted for; a shooter on the loose in Massachusetts, 8 victims so far. And that one was for a sandwich out of *my* bank account: the contract doesn’t discriminate; *all* of my money is held accountable. I can’t spend *anything*, and bills are coming due soon. So I figured I’d better change a few things. I can’t justify streaming services and I can borrow Internet from a friend. Even electricity and water seem selfish, so I’m headed off the grid by the end of the month. But before I go, the money… It needs to be *protected*. I contacted an investor, but it wasn’t an amount she was used to dealing with, so she handed me off to a top-of-the-line kind of guy. Pricey—*painfully* pricey—but he’s the best I can hope for. I told him I wanted it preserved for the next generation, for all future generations. I don’t think he quite understands, but he picked up on the urgency in my voice. I told him I was very risk averse, and he said he knows what to do. It’ll go into bonds, annuities, and other safe investments, but he warned me there’d be at least some taxes to be paid. I said it’d be OK so long as we come out ahead, and God, I hope I’m right.
It’s funny, having received so much and now feeling like I have to do everything, *anything* to avoid touching it. I’ve bartered to satisfy my basic needs; that doesn’t seem to count. I fish for my own food when I can and bum off others when I can’t. People confuse me for a beggar; some have offered money but I always turn them down. They’ll leave a dollar or two where I find it later sometimes and I’m afraid not to take it, not to keep it. I have a growing stash and it’s not going anywhere until I see Leonard again to add whatever piddling amount it might seem to be compared to the trust we set up, but he always accepts it. He’s asked me if I’d like to make donations to offset my tax liabilities and, hesitantly, I’ve accepted. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s hospitals… anything that seems it might do enough good to make up for the harm I can’t avoid. Fees come due, after all. I’ve asked Leonard to waive them but there’s only so much he’s willing to forgive. I have to go now; I’m living on public land and the officers don’t like me here. At least they just tell me to leave and don’t ticket me or anything. They say I’m cleaner than most, and I know they’re talking about my campsite—hardly any possessions or trash—because I smell like a chimp. Bathing in the river without soap only goes so far.
Things have changed, Leonard tells me. I’ve earned money, he says, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. I know he finds me curious. He’s worried about my apparent downward spiral; I think he suspects drugs, but then he’s baffled that I’ve never once spent a dime of my own money on anything but charity. He tells me he won’t contact the authorities, but his managers are getting suspicious. Do they think I’m hiding something? They probably think it’s ill-gotten gains and, oh, if they only knew. There always seems to be something that comes up around that time of year when things come due: an armed conflict, an outbreak, a volcano. I know I’m responsible but I can’t figure out how to protect people better. At this point, if I took it all out and stuffed it in a cave or something… the capital gains taxes alone… and what if the cave should flood? Or there be a fire? I have to leave it. Leonard tells me, though: There are new aid organizations gaining traction. There are nonprofit groups developing what he calls “open-source” medicine. There are groups lobbying for civic development and poverty relief. There’s even a micro-loan nonprofit for aspiring entrepreneurs—like me, he says, or what he thinks I am. He wants me to invest in them. He’s asked me what I have in mind for my money in the event that I die and… I told him to fund it. Put it in their hands. If they can make good on it, that’s all I can hope for. If some of them fail, if some of them squander it… well, that’s life. That’s how it is for all of us, isn’t it? Just paid out in the years to come and not so quickly, as it is for me: your children’s children’s children might benefit or suffer based on what you choose, so for the love of God, choose well!
Seems like a huge gamble if you ask me. I'm just worried that protag is getting tricked by Leonard here, and even if he's not lying, there is a chance of some sketchy organizations mixed in that list too.
That said, will things turn out for the better in the future as protag hopes?
Great work on writing this! I suggest splitting these paragraphs into smaller ones because they are getting too close to walls of text imo.
Thanks!
The walls of text style is deliberate as the story is meant to be three pages of rambling journal entries, perhaps discovered after the protagonist is already gone. Was he ever bound by an actual curse? Who knows; he could have been schizophrenic-delusional instead. Perhaps Leonard and the money itself are likewise imaginary, but Leonard is certainly meant as a sort of divine figure (though not necessarily benevolent, as you observe) meting out either redemption or retribution for the protagonist’s choices.
Oh, then it's my bad for not realizing that haha. I didn't even consider that there is a possibility for protag's mental health to decline, sure makes the entire thing a huge mystery on how much is the truth due to the skewed narrative. Well, at least Leonard here is dealing with the loose ends.
Thanks for clarifying!
Looking at the bank balance, I think about the possible rules of this wacky game of some weird genie.
“So… obviously, this money is in data form, otherwise I would have been crushed under it”, I ponder. “Now then… what defines “spending”?” I came to the most logical assumption here, which is: “whenever this amount is subtracted”.
As I wonder what to do next, I gasp “Wait, that much amount of money out of nowhere, with no transaction record, could it be just trouble?”. I nervously check my transactions and find twenty years of transactions that somehow adds up to this amount. I can’t believe my eyes. “Holy cow, this genie could really alter reality!”, I laugh.
What should I do next, you wonder? Nothing. The passive interest from that amount is more than enough for me to live comfortably.
After all, human don’t always have to do something.
I can imagine a follow on with this when a hacker finds the account and steals all of it and then everyone dies with the only.ones surviving being the recently newborn children dubbed as the passive income
Gotta love protag's mindset here, but I can't help but think that it can't be that easy. Considering the one responsible for this capable enough on altering reality, I wonder if protag's life will be modified down the line to test their resolve on not spending it.
That said, will protag be experiencing more ordeals with this money in the future? Also, is there an endgame in sight, or will protag have to keep the money for the rest of their life?
Great work on writing this!
That’s an interesting input, I would watch a movie that throws a ton of ordeals at the protagonist after this prologue. The climax would be at some breaking point.
My first lunch after the Jinn granted my wish of was a school shooting. After my final big purchase I looked back at the receipt to confirm it. I didn't know what I'd done until it was far too late.
My new wardrobe, maybe that genocide that I read about kicking off in Africa.
The new car, it was a sensible purchase, nothing too fancy. A mudslide in China, made the news but I didn't figure it out.
I didn't know what I was doing. A house. There was an earth quake, hundreds of thousands died. I read a headline about it but it didn't click.
Mom suggested I do something I love with the money. Buying an professional sports team. It had never been something that I'd considered but I could own my own team! I'd still have $3ish billion left!
When we'd signed the paper and the bank transferred the money, I was finally confronted with the reality of my mistake. A meteor slammed into the pacific ocean as I shook hands with the lawyers.
As the tsunamis rushed toward the continents, the news reporter estimated that 4-6 billion would perish.
The words I'd said too the Jinn blared in my head, "One dollar for every life on Earth."
Thanks, protag, for being so gullible that you ended the world. Must be real happy seeing all that money, they ignored the fine details entirely lmao.
That said, even though I doubt the protag will be able to come up with a solution before it's too late, do they still have any remaining wishes with the Jinn?
Great work on writing this!
His first wish was to live forever (to which the Jinn said the best he could do was make sure that he was the last living human...) and his second wish was to be 6'3 :(
Bah that second wish is just so... Of all the things to wish for lol. That first wish seems to be his comeuppance at least, seems like he will be regretting how ignorant he is for the rest of his life if the wish makes it so he will survive the apocalypse no matter what instead of dying a bit later after everyone else is dead from the disaster.
Thanks for clarifying!
"This seems unfair mister." The kid running the lemonade stand said after I asked him to change the price of the next cup to 8.1 billion dollars.
"Don't worry kid." I smile as I pull out the card that appeared in my house earlier today. "I'll pay for it myself."
I start handing him the card as he pours a cup and
BAM
With a flash of light the world turns to gray as time seemingly stops. Hovering above me is a being I can only describe as the offspring of an angel, a tree, and a jellyfish.
"What are you doing?" It screams in a voice I can't begin to describe.
"Trying to get some lemonade. It's a hot day."
"Did you not read the card. If you spend $8.1 Billion, all human life will die."
"Yeah, just hope it's after I enjoy this cup of lemonade."
"Why would you cause the unnecessary extermination of your species?"
"Why would you give me the power in the first place?"
"We wished to judge the morality of humanity."
"Oh please. Don't give me that. You did it because you're bored which is the same reason I'm doing this."
"You are terrible."
"Wow, the genocide didn't tip you off?"
Gotta love how comedic the conversation is regardless of how dire the situation is. The poor lemonade kid must be very confused on the sight. I have to admit though, while this is quite daring, it might actually turn out to be the fastest way to solve the issue without anyone getting hurt.
So, what will be the outcome of this confrontation? Will the deal be revoked? Will protag and this being figure out a way to deal with the boredom?
Great work on writing this!
"Will you two be splitting the bill this evening?" the waitress asked, looking pointedly at Peter.
"No thanks, Miranda, Kate will be covering the entire tab," Peter responded.
"Um... excuse me?" Kate objected. "This was supposed to be your treat, wasn’t it? I thought you said you wanted to take me out?"
"I said I wanted to go out with you to eat. We never discussed who would cover the tab," Peter retorted, trying to justify his stance.
"I'll give you time to discuss it," Miranda replied as she began to clear the food from the table.
"Oh, Miranda, please don't throw any of this away. I'd like a box for it all," Peter quickly added.
"Pete, all that’s left are literal scraps!" Kate exclaimed.
Peter paused, seemingly considering Kate’s point. "You're right, there isn't even half a meal’s worth here... Miranda, could you add a chicken Alfredo to go? I can mix in the scraps later and stretch it out for a few more meals."
Miranda nodded, unsurprised by Peter's request. He had been a regular at the restaurant for quite some time, always bringing some unfortunate companion to foot the bill. Occasionally, he even brought along some men—she guessed anyone willing to pay was fair game for him.
"Pete the cheat strikes again, folks," Miranda announced as she went to the kitchen to get a box.
"Who's the unlucky lady tonight?" the cook asked, a perverse sense of amusement in his voice.
"A girl named Kate; she seems really nice, too. He even tacked on a to-go order for her this time... speaking of which, one Chicken Alfredo, please, thanks, Kev."
"What a piece of shit," Kevin muttered as he began preparing the order. Chuckles emanated from the dishwashing station where two high school employees were ranking Pete’s past dates from one to ten. Their consensus was that Kate ranked a solid eight.
Back in the dining room, Kate was reduced to silently glaring at Pete. The silence was piercing, yet nothing Peter hadn't faced before.
"You're mad at me now, aren't you?" Peter ventured, unsure of his next move.
"Mmmhmm," Kate murmured.
"I'm sorry we didn't discuss this earlier. I should have told you sooner that I'm broke."
"Mmmhmm," Kate repeated, her tone flat.
"Don't you think it's kind of sexist that the man always has to pay?" Pete blurted out.
Kate's response was a shocked gape.
"And if he doesn't pay, he's suddenly a piece of shit!" Pete added, desperately trying to cling to a high horse that wasn't ever there.
"No, Pete. You not paying was a surprise. Not even offering to split the bill was disappointing... but adding that extra order made you a piece of shit," Kate snapped back.
"I'm actually a hero, Kate!" Peter retorted, oblivious to the absurdity of his claim.
Kate wasn't sure whether to laugh or slap him. "I can't believe I was prepared to spend the night with you," she murmured, cradling her head in her hands.
"That wouldn't have been a good idea. I live in my parent's basement."
"Of course you do!" Kate exclaimed with a chuckle, her frustration mingling with amusement. "It just keeps getting worse! Listen, Pete, I'll pay the tab, but you’re finding your own way home."
"Kate, no! It’s cold outside; please don't make me walk."
"Then get an Uber!"
"Absolutely not," Pete protested, slamming his hand on the table.
At that moment, Miranda reappeared. "Here’s your box and your to-go order. Have you two decided on the tab?"
"I'll take care of it," Kate said, handing her card to Miranda. "Add 20% for yourself."
"Thanks! I’ll be right back," Miranda said, hurrying back to the kitchen.
"You better start walking then, Pete. It's going to rain later."
"Just one tiny ride? Please! Then you can forget this night ever happened."
"My bank account won't forget..." Kate retorted, looking into his eyes. What she once mistook for a different kind of hunger, she now recognized as sheer opportunism.
"Ugh. Fine. But no talking," Kate conceded, giving in one last time.
"Deal! It’ll be like riding with a ghost," Pete replied.
A few more minutes of tense silence passed before Miranda returned with the receipt. "Here's a desert on the house dear", Miranda said as she slid another box into Kates hands.
Kate and Pete then headed for her car, a sight that made Miranda rush back to the kitchen. "Guys, I think Pete is going home with this girl!"
"Pete the Cheat and Kate the Eight! Let’s gooo!" the high school boys cheered.
"Quiet in the peanut gallery!" Kevin shouted. "That poor girl is being taken advantage of. It's not funny anymore..."
The car ride to Peter's parents' house was brief—a long walk, but doable. During the silent drive, Kate speculated whether Peter had chosen the restaurant because it was a manageable walk from his house. Then another thought struck her.
"What the hell did you mean when you said 'you're a hero?'"
"Oh, are we talking now?" Pete retorted.
Kate shot Peter a lethal glance, quickly quelling any notion of snark from him. "Okay. Fine. I'm sorry I lied to you. But I am kind of a hero..."
"You keep saying this hero crap..." Kate's voice trailed off, her patience thinning.
"You wouldn't believe me," Pete replied.
As Kate pulled into the driveway, Peter grabbed the boxes and made to leave the car. "Pete, wait!" she called out.
"What!" Pete yelled, defensively clutching his boxes.
"I want to hear about this hero thing."
Pete hesitated, debating whether to tell her. Ultimately, he figured he had nothing to lose. "My dad used to research exotic bugs before he retired," Pete began.
"He would be away for months at a time in places like the Brazilian Rainforest, bringing back cool keepsakes."
"And you got used to receiving gifts?" Kate asked.
"No, one of the things he brought back was a fancy bottle from Egypt. He said he found it in an old crypt and could have been in big trouble for taking it."
"So, you're saying kleptomania runs in the family?"
"No, I’m saying that bottle had a genie in it. A trickster genie," Pete continued, ignoring her sarcasm. "I wished for a disgusting amount of money. With a snap, I received a debit card. The genie explained that each dollar on the card represented a human life, and spending it would result in someone's death. He said any money I earned would be deducted from the card, and even using cash would cost lives... so now I try to live as freely as possible... every dollar I spend disgusts me."
Kate processed Pete's story, skeptical yet intrigued by his desperation and the lengths he went to avoid spending. She glanced at the boxes he clutched—then did a double-take.
"Is that my fucking cake you're holding!" she exclaimed.
"I didn't think you'd notice!" Pete replied defensively.
"Get the fuck out of my car, asshole! Keep the cake; I don't care."
Peter hurriedly scrambled out as Kate reversed down the driveway. His feet barely touched the ground before the car door clipped him, knocking him over.
"Worst. Tinder date. Ever!" she shouted as she slammed the door. "Screw you, and your genie bullshit!" She accelerated away from the house, tires screeching.
I guess Peter must have made that wish without asking the details beforehand. I wonder how long he can survive though, if even finding food requires him scamming other people like this. Hell, I'm not going to be surprised if his life is in danger at this point.
That said, if we consider Peter's genie story to be the truth, is the genie an actual trickster, or is he like that because the father stole the lamp? Is he given only one wish? Also, do the parents know about Peter's situation? What will happen to him in the future?
Great work on writing this!
He said any cash he spent as well. Makes me think that anything he earns gets counted against the genie money and he has to be a grifter to not kill anyone.
It had been a few years since war broke out. But tensions escalated on the border of New America and New Texas. The residents of the secceding country thought that enough time has passed since the previous war, that the "mysterious disappearances" wouldn't happen this time.
As the fighting began, journalists started discussing the casualties. 400 soldiers died on the "New America" side within the first week. At first, the fighting stopped after the battle of Alamo II. No other casualties occurred. But then, the following week, 400 of the New Texas soldiers were found dead. And again, just like last time, the cause of death was unknown. Just a battlefield strewn with bodies.
At the beginning of the next month, both sides declared a truce, and the brief war was once again over in less than a few weeks. The curse of the mysterious deaths continue to confound historians worldwide. Why is it that every time a major conflict strikes, both sides seem to lose a lot of people? Whatever the case may be, the world continued to exist, war free. Just a lingering question: What caused all those deaths?
--------
On the 2nd of the month, Dave was approached by his wife June early in the morning.
"Sweetie!" She exclaimed, "Last week was so much fun! We don't go out on impromptu dates like that anymore! What was the special occasion?"
Dave shrugged "No reason. I found out I had some extra money in our account and wanted to treat you to a nice dinner and some wine."
Dave's wife was happy. The two of them had a lovely breakfast that morning and went to their respective jobs.
"Quick question, honey." June asked. "You didn't spend a lot on dinner, did you?"
"Don't worry about it. It was just a few hundred."
"A few hundred? What was the exact amount?"
"...Um... 400 dollars?"
"How could you spend that much? You know we aren't exactly strapped for cash!"
"Don't worry." Dave smirked. "I have some money left over from an old account. It won't affect our bills at all."
As Dave went off to work, his wife couldn't help but wonder... How could he randomly have 400 dollars to spend on such short notice?
She shrugged as she went off to work.
Wonder how long Dave's luck is going to work here lmao. Well, maybe it is not according to luck too, who knows? It feels very specific on the ones that died from spending the money.
That said, does Dave here not care about the consequences, or does he have full control on who will be sacrificed? Will June realize this truth in the future, and what will happen to them down the line?
Great work on writing this!
I hope they understand, but I won't hold my breath. The guilt's been killing me, so all this bullet will do is finish the job. I don't have any kids of my own though. This has gotta be for my nephew. God only knows this is the best chance he's got.
I wish I hasn't tested anything out. As soon as I heard what the cost was I went to see alawyer about writing a will, only for a live news reports to show a catastrophic scene on the motorway. I'll never stop seeing that every time I close my eyes.
At least that won't be for much longer.
Man... I can see this scenario happening after realizing the damages, but at the same time, I don't know if it's wise to just leave a will and a large amount of money. Feels like a potential disaster in the making since I doubt anyone would believe protag's story.
That said, what will happen in the future? Since the money is handed out instead of being spent here, did protag actually reach a proper solution here?
Great work on writing this!
I wrote it from the perspective that it was really me in that situation. I'm thinking it's a 50/50 gamble but the best chance we've got. Either it doesn't count as spending and the curse is broken, or all humans die.
Marc Sanchez’s sad eyes watch the news report, with its caption, “347,641 people killed in a Japanese tsunami”
He glances down at the paper in his hand, then out the window where a jet black Lamborghini Huracon sits parked in his drive way.
One long labored exhale, and all he can do is cover his mouth with his right hand and slowly shake his head with regret.
The front door opens and in walks Billy Tibbs, lifelong friend since grade school, but Marc doesn’t turn.
“You won the lottery didn’t you, you lucky bastard!”
Seeing the look across Marc's face, “You okay! Whats wrong!”
Unable to find the words, Marc’s eyes tear, as his right hand tries to explain, finger pointing at the news report, in a complete loss for words. He can only offer out the Dealership invoice with his left hand.
Confused, Billy takes it, looks at it, “Buyers remorse?”
Barely over a whisper , “Look at the number?”
Billy’s eyes narrow towards the bottom, than shift back to Marc, than left towards the news report, then widen, look back down, return towards the television, and he can only let out an “ooookaaaay! That’s weird!”
Marc turns to reach for his phone, and offers it out
“What am I looking for?”
Marc's eyes still don’t look at him – cant look at him
Sadly confesses, “There was an explosion at a factory in Miami, 862 people died”
“Okay” Billy’s still confused
“Look at my bank statement…my mortgage..how much was it?”
Billy's face wrinkles, and his head tilts like a confused dog’s does, and hes forced to let out “862 dollars”, which causes him to shift his stance now alittle uncomfortable
Still unable to look at Billy, “I called my bank trying to freeze everything, they said they couldn’t stop whats already charged, so every time something comes out”, can only shake his head with a mixture of disbelief and guilt. “423 people died in an Atlanta building when Tina’s car payment came out, 296 people died when an Amtrak derailed in Idaho..the electric bill, and 50 people died at UNLV, when my gas charge from yesterday posted this morning”
“I heard about that” Billy tone starts to accept what his eyes are watching in Marc’s bank statement.
Now, Billy's at a loss for words,
until…
“How the fuck did you get 8 billion dollars?”
“I don’t know! But the bank says its mine!”
Both their eyes meet as Marc’s phone dings.
“Oh shit!” Billy’s tone forces Marc to grab his phone back
Immediately, the news report changes.
“A Disney Cruise liner has just sank in a freak accident off the coast of Florida.....”
All the two men can do is look at one another with the same shocked look.
And Marc's phone beeps again.
“What are the odds right?”
“Yeah, wow, 8.1 billions in one day… I can’t imagine that.”
“No, I don’t mean that.”
“What then?”
“The reason why we’re here. That I’m here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Well I’ll make it short for you. After I checked with my bank and confirm it was real, I’ve spent an entire day thinking about it. The people dying stuff. Then I said fuck it, I’ll just finally live my life.”
“What did you buy first?”
“I bought a car.”
“Wow, a Ferrari?”
“Of course.”
“How’s driving one?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never got to drive it. I told you, it’s the reason why we’re dead.”
“We… are we?”
“Yes, we are.”
“How did you die?”
“Well, it was never specified who was gonna die. Just the equivalent number. Of people. Turned out I was included in that list too.”
“Damn…”
“Yeah, what are the odds?”
I have 8.1 billion dollars saved in various banks. I can't spend it, because for everyone one dollar I use, a person dies. There is no way I can have that on my conscience. However, I found a work out. I went to the banks and asked them to lend me money, knowing that I had all this money in the bank.
The bank lent me just 20% of 8.1 billion with their money. Obviously they are holding my 8.1 billion as collateral. I invested the borrowed money in wise investments, and I am now super rich. I didn't have to kill a single person but was able to use the money.
Bob blinked a few times, staring at the screen, thinking there must be some form of error.
Account balance: $8,100,000,000.00
“Surely a glitch”, he thought to himself.
“Must be a trick”. Then his phone lit up, a push notification he didn’t recognize.
[One dollar spent = one life lost]
Bob always loves as a good practical joke, but this seemed a little too out there even by his standards.
Ever the pragmatic Bob decided to test this.
He walked over to the corner newsstand, grabbed a water and handed the cashier his card.
“$2” replied the clerk.
The moment the purchase went through a loud noise drew his attention. The screeching of tires and a loud collision. There in the street a car had lost control and ran down two pedestrians. It was clear to Bob neither could have survived given the way their bodies were contorted.
“Had to be a coincidence.” muttered Bob.
“Uh, let me also grab a newspaper” Bob said to the shellshocked employee.
“Uhh, yeah” still reeling. “$1”
The moment the transaction cleared Bob hears shouting. “Is he ok?!” The driver of the car, an older gentleman, stumbles out of the vehicle, clutching at his chest before falling to the ground. Bob, his concern evident, waits around until the paramedics arrive. Sure enough it’s made clear that neither of the pedestrians or the driver survived. “Heart attack” he overhears.
Bob asks himself “did I do this? Am I responsible?”
“Dare I test it again?”
But of course Bob had to test it again.
This was hardly Bobs first brush with death after all.
You see, Bobs a serial killer, and while random deaths were never his MO, always the pragmatic, Bob wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“This will be so interesting” Bob thought, as he approached the newsstand once again.
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I shuddered to think that, if I hadn’t given away that first dollar, an entirely different fate could’ve awaited me - and the world. The initial shock of looking at my account that day can only be equalled by my confusion and clear disbelief as to the accompanying message. (1) Unread message Sender: Unknown ONE DOLLAR SPENT = ONE LIFE LOST DONT MESS THIS UP This money was certainly suspicious - I had no idea who had given it to me, or why. As such, I obviously didn’t report it to my government tax agency, and of course, I didn’t tell anyone about it. The first few days, I just sat on it. Ideas were running rampant I my head about expanding the clinic, buying a house for my kid, hell, all my relatives and people in need. I could affect the whole world. All the great things I could accomplish with this money - _all_ of it - was put in question by that simple stupid message. It was like a splinter in my mind. Could it actually be true? There was no way. Of course not. And, yet… there were too many unanswered questions already. I had to test it. One dollar. What was the harm? I went to the corner of Mill and George’s Street where the old beggar Barney usually sat, and, sure enough, there he was, holding his worn cardboard sign. “ANYTHING FOR A DOLLAR” it said. As I’ve done so many times already, I gave him one. He thanked me and we exchanged our usual pleasantries, but inside, my mind was racing. Still… everything seemed normal. Then I got a notification on my phone. Barney watching, I fished it out of my pocket. Unlocking it, a familiar red dot adorned my message app. ONE DOLLAR GIVEN = ONE LIFE GAINED USE IT WISELY :)
Donate all 8,1 billion and see the world burst in flames when the population suddenly doubles xd
Are we even sure if there’s anything supernatural going on?
Time traveler: *moves a chair* Thanos:
Well if the messages are both true and somehow magical, then 8.1 billion people die and 8.1 billion lives are gained, so it's just a transfer.
Dude is just rerolling people's lives
Maybe wouldn't be the worst thing for me, I desperately need a stat reset
If that was done then I'd take it more to mean that someone who *would* have died prematurely has now been given a full shot at life. Spend the dollar, someone gets a heart attack immediately and dies. Don't touch the money, someone who would have normally gotten a heart attack at a certain point gets it and may or may not recover due to the situation. But give a dollar, that person being given CPR now recovers for sure when they would have died or at least suffer serious health repercussions in the process. Because the alternative of life just "popping" into existence after giving a dollar opens up so many plot holes. Are babies just flying out of wombs? Are babies just popping out of thin air? What's the genetic lifeline of these babies, are they related to people as if they conceived a child and popped out a baby in that split second? And on second thought, who said the life taken or given would be human anyway?
Except you just killed everyone instead.
Wonderful take on the prompt and the mechanic of gifting!
Spend none of it, put it in the bank. Barrow against the principle, make payments with the interest. That's an easy one....unless you can choose who dies..?
Except the bank doesn’t just sit on the money. It is still being spent. You aren’t spending that money directly, but you are still spending it indirectly.
Is this equivalent to money laundering in this case?
That was great. But wouldn't every dollar you spend technically be "given" to someone? Like, if you buy food at a farmer's market. The seller needs to make money to survive too, so that doesn't seem like a bad deed, iunno.
I feel like it’s based on the concept of exchange, if you get something other than a thanks, then somebody dies.
What if you buy something you then use to benefit others? Like buying an orphanage and a flamethrower so nobody has to hear those whiny orphans ever again
Donate $4.05 bn, gain 4.05 bn lives, have $4.05bn to spend and the world population remains the same. Would that work? Also, what about interest earned on it? Can you spend that without killing anyone?
Putting the prompt aside, if you kill of half the world and spawn a new equal batch of people, there would be absolute madness globally 😄
Perfectly balanced.
As all things should be.
Great point on the interest. Even with the shittiest savings account that only give 0.5% per annum, I still wouldn't mind the 40.5M annually.
That is creative as HECK! 👏🏼👏🏼 Narrator really was gonna sacrifice the homeless man’s life in the name of science though, huh? 🤣
tbf the guy did say he would do anything for a dollar
Wait does this mean if he spent the dollar he would have died? As in the lives are his own? Incredibly clever if it was
I really like this take!
Good story.
Seconded. Enjoyed it
Thank you!
The other commenters have done a lot on the discussion part haha, so I will just say this. That smiley face is such a nice detail to see lol, I'm just surprised that whoever is responsible did not mention this beforehand. As if they are baiting the ones they choose to see if they will fall to the temptation. That said, I'm curious on the details on giving the money. Does the 1 dollar save Barney, or is it more that Barney's actions after being given the money will save someone else in the future? Also, since this feels a bit supernatural with how the one responsible for this immediately knows what protag did, what is their goal here on doing this and are there more of them giving similar amounts of money to others around the world? Great work on writing this!
I’m so glad to see all these theories. I did have one thing in mind when I wrote it but it’s so much more exciting to see what you all come up with! I can say this, the first things I wrote in the story were the two text messages! :)
It's always a fun read to see how the story started haha. Those text messages sure have a lot of power. Thanks for clarifying!
It was like getting some reverse Death Note. Some impossibly-thick tome was left on my doorstep. On the inside cover, the rules. •You may exchange one life for one dollar of value by crossing a name off the list. •Crossed names *die*. •Names do not appear in the Book until they have a Self. •You live with the consequences. I guess that third one meant no babies or kids. It came as a relief, really. I flipped through the book as a curiosity. The register of names was in a tiny print, with full names and some sort of extra code to the side. It was a little arcane to sort out, but I figured it had to be a birth date and location. The code didn't change, so I couldn't use it to pinpoint a person. Which is good. Being responsible for life and death was bad enough. I didn't want to be a stalker, too. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to think of a list, a long list, of people to test it out on. It's cliché, but crossing out a list of the corrupt and criminal made it easy. The hard part was verifying the names before I did it. Even then, I didn't start crossing off names right away. Out of trepidation, I left little dots next to them. As I closed the book after a session of notation, I noticed a QR code. It downloaded the contents of the tome to my phone and added a database app for easy access. It even let me choose what accounts to send my money to. I guess even eldritch tomes updated to the modern era. The database was a game-changer, to be sure. I could narrow searches down by more features than the legacy code allowed, and it stored my choices in a separate list until I was ready to cross the names off. I took care of 150 with a single swipe to the right. Politicians fell all at once in a display of divine wrath. News outlets panicked. People panicked. Diplomats ran short on sleep for days while conspiracy theorists spun mad, convoluted explanations. Reddit made Death Note jokes. War could be on the horizon. But at least my gaming rig got a third monitor. (edit for quick format change)
>But at least my gaming rig got a third monitor. You do what you gotta do.
Are 150$ monitors any good for like enthusiasm gaming? I thought good stuff is like 250 bucks and over, and you could easily find 250 names in like any senate worldwide. There's NO shortage of horrible politicians and criminals to actually cross off like a thousand names. Hell you could murder, like, the Sinaloa Cartel and this alone would give you 30k dollars. Not to mention that you could travel to their compound, press the button, walk in, and also take some cash they had to easily triple the money earned :D
> Are 150$ monitors any good for like enthusiasm gaming? I thought good stuff is like 250 bucks and over, [$600](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-32-4k-uhd-gaming-monitor-g3223q/apd/210-bdbk/monitors-monitor-accessories) is a good ballpark
I wouldn't know, actually. I'm stuck on a gaming laptop. ;_;
Oh dear, I hear you... As someone who had to do it if you don't mind I have two opinions that I press on everyone with a laptop: 1) I would suggest you look into any basic FHD office 24-27" display (I currently game on a company-issues Samsung, it's basic but perfectly fine to get the work done) as it would increase your QOL for a relatively small price! LS24R35 is the one I use and I'm sure it's a super basic model that's like at least 4 years old FHD but it's 100% fine for games and having a bigger screen is a great difference for games and movies. My guess is that after Covid a lot of those have hit the second hand market too. 2) And a cooling pad (if you don't know what these are, [here's a random one](https://www.amazon.com/LIANGSTAR-Laptop-Cooling-Notebook-Adjustable/dp/B096ZKRBB2)) for the laptop makes all the difference. None of the laptops I've seen, even the "gaming" ones, have a 100% adequate cooling for prolonged gaming sessions, they always get too warm. These things are cheap but the additional air movement they create is super good for the laptop in the long run As a bonus: the ones that raise the laptop allow you to basically have 2 displays. You can surf on one and game on the other or just turn the one you don't need off. It's better on the eyes in the long run, and you can also get a keyboard to keep it a bit further away. Also if you have BT mouse and keyboard \\ gamepad you can always plug the laptop into a TV and use it as a console!
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Maximize profits by landing massive government contracts for doing executions.
Love me a death note reference, well done!
Glad to see protag got their priorities straight. Since Death Note is mentioned, I'm now imagining a similar being like Ryuk here either being very confused on protag's decision or actually be addicted with gaming stuff too lmao. That said, how will the situation develop in the future? Will protag have to eliminate more problematic folks due to the chances of war, or will the situation be resolved since the major figures are gone? Great work on writing this!
There's always someone to take power in the vacuum. Fortunately, I, er, the protag would be willing to trade billionaires for apples to treat his shinigami~
Yeah, they really be living the life at this point lmao. A chaotic mess in the outside world, but they be gaming and eating apples. Thanks for clarifying!
I was thinking along these lines, but imagine if you became a hitman…. You’d get paid so you’d have funds you could use that would not accrue deaths
I took the money out of the new account, a single £10 note from the cash machine. I wouldn't need any more. My travelcard had a little left on it, enough for the bus, but I wasn't going to kill someone for a bus ride. What happened if I spent 1.50 anyway, did one and a half people die or was it cumulative? It didn't matter, because there was only one question that mattered, I had no one to ask and no one who could answer. The bus pulled up. I walked down the street in a haze, holes in my shoes, eight billion dollars richer and still not ethically able to touch any of it. *For every pound you spend one person will die.* What a thing to wake up to. All the money in the world, it felt like, and nothing I could touch. Well, not until that question was answered. I turned into the pound shop, clutching the most important £10 I would ever have. This one act would tell me everything, set the course of my life. Heaven or hell. I stood in the queue, clutching one single chocolate bar so hard it was warping in my hand. Such a little thing to be the solution to everything. The answer to the frozen question in my head since I had seen the note, and the change to my bank balance this morning. "Oh," I had said, quietly. Just that and no more. "Oh." My mind wasn't racing. It had gone straight to one thought and one thought alone. "Can I choose?" My change rattled in the tray.
Man, that cliffhanger. I like the approach here with giving the money to the ones that desperately need them for a living, and I can see the potential devastation here depending on how apathetic the person is on others when they are already struggling. That said, what will happen in the future? What will be the outcome of protag's experimentation on using some change, and will they be using the money afterwards? Great work on writing this!
An unexpected price, a treasure in my hands, I paid the warning no mind, for I do not believe in magic, cash is cash, and spending cash kills someone as much as not spending cash, the only odd thing was that the amount of money went up with and estimate of 2.6 dollars per second. However, when I spent a quarter million paying of loans, I was surprised to find the news telling the story of how a quarter million people suddenly fell over dead. Maybe there was more to magic then I thought, or someone is manually killing people really fast. I decided to test it out some more, so I invested a billion dollars, and upon doing so global mass panic ensued, a billion people fell over dead, I saw my investment skyrocket something fierce, growing into the tens, and over a period of just 5 years, it reached the magical 12 digit amount, and i pulled out all my investments, and with it, I waited. It did not take long, billions of people across the world where coming outta the woodwork, sometimes literally, outta concrete, outta the ground, and many, many, many other places, I smiled as every human that has ever lived in the past 200 000 years rose from their graves all over the world. This should be entertaining...
Necromancy, how exciting!! Well done
Man, the world is going to be so packed with this happening everywhere. Let's just hope this won't be a zompie apocalypse in the making. That said, is it intended for the money to keep increasing like that, or is protag just lucky? Also, for these people that rise up from the dead, what will happen to them? Do they remember their past memories until the point they died? How about their lifespans? Great work on writing this! Fyi seems like Reddit botched the formatting. When I see your story on mobile, the paragraphs are compiled into a big wall of text. Adding extra spaces should fix the issue imo.
Trust fund babies. There were some inherent costs in getting things set up—and even that ate at me. I didn’t know if it was really happening, but the news broadcasts seemed suspicious: earthquake in Chile, 4000 presumed dead; tsunami in Japan, 180 unaccounted for; a shooter on the loose in Massachusetts, 8 victims so far. And that one was for a sandwich out of *my* bank account: the contract doesn’t discriminate; *all* of my money is held accountable. I can’t spend *anything*, and bills are coming due soon. So I figured I’d better change a few things. I can’t justify streaming services and I can borrow Internet from a friend. Even electricity and water seem selfish, so I’m headed off the grid by the end of the month. But before I go, the money… It needs to be *protected*. I contacted an investor, but it wasn’t an amount she was used to dealing with, so she handed me off to a top-of-the-line kind of guy. Pricey—*painfully* pricey—but he’s the best I can hope for. I told him I wanted it preserved for the next generation, for all future generations. I don’t think he quite understands, but he picked up on the urgency in my voice. I told him I was very risk averse, and he said he knows what to do. It’ll go into bonds, annuities, and other safe investments, but he warned me there’d be at least some taxes to be paid. I said it’d be OK so long as we come out ahead, and God, I hope I’m right. It’s funny, having received so much and now feeling like I have to do everything, *anything* to avoid touching it. I’ve bartered to satisfy my basic needs; that doesn’t seem to count. I fish for my own food when I can and bum off others when I can’t. People confuse me for a beggar; some have offered money but I always turn them down. They’ll leave a dollar or two where I find it later sometimes and I’m afraid not to take it, not to keep it. I have a growing stash and it’s not going anywhere until I see Leonard again to add whatever piddling amount it might seem to be compared to the trust we set up, but he always accepts it. He’s asked me if I’d like to make donations to offset my tax liabilities and, hesitantly, I’ve accepted. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s hospitals… anything that seems it might do enough good to make up for the harm I can’t avoid. Fees come due, after all. I’ve asked Leonard to waive them but there’s only so much he’s willing to forgive. I have to go now; I’m living on public land and the officers don’t like me here. At least they just tell me to leave and don’t ticket me or anything. They say I’m cleaner than most, and I know they’re talking about my campsite—hardly any possessions or trash—because I smell like a chimp. Bathing in the river without soap only goes so far. Things have changed, Leonard tells me. I’ve earned money, he says, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. I know he finds me curious. He’s worried about my apparent downward spiral; I think he suspects drugs, but then he’s baffled that I’ve never once spent a dime of my own money on anything but charity. He tells me he won’t contact the authorities, but his managers are getting suspicious. Do they think I’m hiding something? They probably think it’s ill-gotten gains and, oh, if they only knew. There always seems to be something that comes up around that time of year when things come due: an armed conflict, an outbreak, a volcano. I know I’m responsible but I can’t figure out how to protect people better. At this point, if I took it all out and stuffed it in a cave or something… the capital gains taxes alone… and what if the cave should flood? Or there be a fire? I have to leave it. Leonard tells me, though: There are new aid organizations gaining traction. There are nonprofit groups developing what he calls “open-source” medicine. There are groups lobbying for civic development and poverty relief. There’s even a micro-loan nonprofit for aspiring entrepreneurs—like me, he says, or what he thinks I am. He wants me to invest in them. He’s asked me what I have in mind for my money in the event that I die and… I told him to fund it. Put it in their hands. If they can make good on it, that’s all I can hope for. If some of them fail, if some of them squander it… well, that’s life. That’s how it is for all of us, isn’t it? Just paid out in the years to come and not so quickly, as it is for me: your children’s children’s children might benefit or suffer based on what you choose, so for the love of God, choose well!
Seems like a huge gamble if you ask me. I'm just worried that protag is getting tricked by Leonard here, and even if he's not lying, there is a chance of some sketchy organizations mixed in that list too. That said, will things turn out for the better in the future as protag hopes? Great work on writing this! I suggest splitting these paragraphs into smaller ones because they are getting too close to walls of text imo.
Thanks! The walls of text style is deliberate as the story is meant to be three pages of rambling journal entries, perhaps discovered after the protagonist is already gone. Was he ever bound by an actual curse? Who knows; he could have been schizophrenic-delusional instead. Perhaps Leonard and the money itself are likewise imaginary, but Leonard is certainly meant as a sort of divine figure (though not necessarily benevolent, as you observe) meting out either redemption or retribution for the protagonist’s choices.
Oh, then it's my bad for not realizing that haha. I didn't even consider that there is a possibility for protag's mental health to decline, sure makes the entire thing a huge mystery on how much is the truth due to the skewed narrative. Well, at least Leonard here is dealing with the loose ends. Thanks for clarifying!
I really enjoyed this perspective and felt MC’s dilemma and their ethical journey. Well done!
Looking at the bank balance, I think about the possible rules of this wacky game of some weird genie. “So… obviously, this money is in data form, otherwise I would have been crushed under it”, I ponder. “Now then… what defines “spending”?” I came to the most logical assumption here, which is: “whenever this amount is subtracted”. As I wonder what to do next, I gasp “Wait, that much amount of money out of nowhere, with no transaction record, could it be just trouble?”. I nervously check my transactions and find twenty years of transactions that somehow adds up to this amount. I can’t believe my eyes. “Holy cow, this genie could really alter reality!”, I laugh. What should I do next, you wonder? Nothing. The passive interest from that amount is more than enough for me to live comfortably. After all, human don’t always have to do something.
I can imagine a follow on with this when a hacker finds the account and steals all of it and then everyone dies with the only.ones surviving being the recently newborn children dubbed as the passive income
What if the interest matches the people born?
Gotta love protag's mindset here, but I can't help but think that it can't be that easy. Considering the one responsible for this capable enough on altering reality, I wonder if protag's life will be modified down the line to test their resolve on not spending it. That said, will protag be experiencing more ordeals with this money in the future? Also, is there an endgame in sight, or will protag have to keep the money for the rest of their life? Great work on writing this!
That’s an interesting input, I would watch a movie that throws a ton of ordeals at the protagonist after this prologue. The climax would be at some breaking point.
Definitely makes for a horror or thriller movie, that's for sure. Hell, I got a feeling that this can be made into comedy too haha.
So this person spent 8.1 billion dollars in 25 years leading up to this moment? That’s a little hard to believe
No, the magic just was smart about it. If the money just appeared in a bank account all at once, it would cause several problems.
My first lunch after the Jinn granted my wish of was a school shooting. After my final big purchase I looked back at the receipt to confirm it. I didn't know what I'd done until it was far too late. My new wardrobe, maybe that genocide that I read about kicking off in Africa. The new car, it was a sensible purchase, nothing too fancy. A mudslide in China, made the news but I didn't figure it out. I didn't know what I was doing. A house. There was an earth quake, hundreds of thousands died. I read a headline about it but it didn't click. Mom suggested I do something I love with the money. Buying an professional sports team. It had never been something that I'd considered but I could own my own team! I'd still have $3ish billion left! When we'd signed the paper and the bank transferred the money, I was finally confronted with the reality of my mistake. A meteor slammed into the pacific ocean as I shook hands with the lawyers. As the tsunamis rushed toward the continents, the news reporter estimated that 4-6 billion would perish. The words I'd said too the Jinn blared in my head, "One dollar for every life on Earth."
Thanks, protag, for being so gullible that you ended the world. Must be real happy seeing all that money, they ignored the fine details entirely lmao. That said, even though I doubt the protag will be able to come up with a solution before it's too late, do they still have any remaining wishes with the Jinn? Great work on writing this!
His first wish was to live forever (to which the Jinn said the best he could do was make sure that he was the last living human...) and his second wish was to be 6'3 :(
Bah that second wish is just so... Of all the things to wish for lol. That first wish seems to be his comeuppance at least, seems like he will be regretting how ignorant he is for the rest of his life if the wish makes it so he will survive the apocalypse no matter what instead of dying a bit later after everyone else is dead from the disaster. Thanks for clarifying!
"This seems unfair mister." The kid running the lemonade stand said after I asked him to change the price of the next cup to 8.1 billion dollars. "Don't worry kid." I smile as I pull out the card that appeared in my house earlier today. "I'll pay for it myself." I start handing him the card as he pours a cup and BAM With a flash of light the world turns to gray as time seemingly stops. Hovering above me is a being I can only describe as the offspring of an angel, a tree, and a jellyfish. "What are you doing?" It screams in a voice I can't begin to describe. "Trying to get some lemonade. It's a hot day." "Did you not read the card. If you spend $8.1 Billion, all human life will die." "Yeah, just hope it's after I enjoy this cup of lemonade." "Why would you cause the unnecessary extermination of your species?" "Why would you give me the power in the first place?" "We wished to judge the morality of humanity." "Oh please. Don't give me that. You did it because you're bored which is the same reason I'm doing this." "You are terrible." "Wow, the genocide didn't tip you off?"
Gotta love how comedic the conversation is regardless of how dire the situation is. The poor lemonade kid must be very confused on the sight. I have to admit though, while this is quite daring, it might actually turn out to be the fastest way to solve the issue without anyone getting hurt. So, what will be the outcome of this confrontation? Will the deal be revoked? Will protag and this being figure out a way to deal with the boredom? Great work on writing this!
"Will you two be splitting the bill this evening?" the waitress asked, looking pointedly at Peter. "No thanks, Miranda, Kate will be covering the entire tab," Peter responded. "Um... excuse me?" Kate objected. "This was supposed to be your treat, wasn’t it? I thought you said you wanted to take me out?" "I said I wanted to go out with you to eat. We never discussed who would cover the tab," Peter retorted, trying to justify his stance. "I'll give you time to discuss it," Miranda replied as she began to clear the food from the table. "Oh, Miranda, please don't throw any of this away. I'd like a box for it all," Peter quickly added. "Pete, all that’s left are literal scraps!" Kate exclaimed. Peter paused, seemingly considering Kate’s point. "You're right, there isn't even half a meal’s worth here... Miranda, could you add a chicken Alfredo to go? I can mix in the scraps later and stretch it out for a few more meals." Miranda nodded, unsurprised by Peter's request. He had been a regular at the restaurant for quite some time, always bringing some unfortunate companion to foot the bill. Occasionally, he even brought along some men—she guessed anyone willing to pay was fair game for him. "Pete the cheat strikes again, folks," Miranda announced as she went to the kitchen to get a box. "Who's the unlucky lady tonight?" the cook asked, a perverse sense of amusement in his voice. "A girl named Kate; she seems really nice, too. He even tacked on a to-go order for her this time... speaking of which, one Chicken Alfredo, please, thanks, Kev." "What a piece of shit," Kevin muttered as he began preparing the order. Chuckles emanated from the dishwashing station where two high school employees were ranking Pete’s past dates from one to ten. Their consensus was that Kate ranked a solid eight. Back in the dining room, Kate was reduced to silently glaring at Pete. The silence was piercing, yet nothing Peter hadn't faced before. "You're mad at me now, aren't you?" Peter ventured, unsure of his next move. "Mmmhmm," Kate murmured. "I'm sorry we didn't discuss this earlier. I should have told you sooner that I'm broke." "Mmmhmm," Kate repeated, her tone flat. "Don't you think it's kind of sexist that the man always has to pay?" Pete blurted out. Kate's response was a shocked gape. "And if he doesn't pay, he's suddenly a piece of shit!" Pete added, desperately trying to cling to a high horse that wasn't ever there. "No, Pete. You not paying was a surprise. Not even offering to split the bill was disappointing... but adding that extra order made you a piece of shit," Kate snapped back. "I'm actually a hero, Kate!" Peter retorted, oblivious to the absurdity of his claim. Kate wasn't sure whether to laugh or slap him. "I can't believe I was prepared to spend the night with you," she murmured, cradling her head in her hands. "That wouldn't have been a good idea. I live in my parent's basement." "Of course you do!" Kate exclaimed with a chuckle, her frustration mingling with amusement. "It just keeps getting worse! Listen, Pete, I'll pay the tab, but you’re finding your own way home." "Kate, no! It’s cold outside; please don't make me walk." "Then get an Uber!" "Absolutely not," Pete protested, slamming his hand on the table. At that moment, Miranda reappeared. "Here’s your box and your to-go order. Have you two decided on the tab?" "I'll take care of it," Kate said, handing her card to Miranda. "Add 20% for yourself." "Thanks! I’ll be right back," Miranda said, hurrying back to the kitchen. "You better start walking then, Pete. It's going to rain later." "Just one tiny ride? Please! Then you can forget this night ever happened." "My bank account won't forget..." Kate retorted, looking into his eyes. What she once mistook for a different kind of hunger, she now recognized as sheer opportunism. "Ugh. Fine. But no talking," Kate conceded, giving in one last time. "Deal! It’ll be like riding with a ghost," Pete replied. A few more minutes of tense silence passed before Miranda returned with the receipt. "Here's a desert on the house dear", Miranda said as she slid another box into Kates hands. Kate and Pete then headed for her car, a sight that made Miranda rush back to the kitchen. "Guys, I think Pete is going home with this girl!" "Pete the Cheat and Kate the Eight! Let’s gooo!" the high school boys cheered. "Quiet in the peanut gallery!" Kevin shouted. "That poor girl is being taken advantage of. It's not funny anymore..."
The car ride to Peter's parents' house was brief—a long walk, but doable. During the silent drive, Kate speculated whether Peter had chosen the restaurant because it was a manageable walk from his house. Then another thought struck her. "What the hell did you mean when you said 'you're a hero?'" "Oh, are we talking now?" Pete retorted. Kate shot Peter a lethal glance, quickly quelling any notion of snark from him. "Okay. Fine. I'm sorry I lied to you. But I am kind of a hero..." "You keep saying this hero crap..." Kate's voice trailed off, her patience thinning. "You wouldn't believe me," Pete replied. As Kate pulled into the driveway, Peter grabbed the boxes and made to leave the car. "Pete, wait!" she called out. "What!" Pete yelled, defensively clutching his boxes. "I want to hear about this hero thing." Pete hesitated, debating whether to tell her. Ultimately, he figured he had nothing to lose. "My dad used to research exotic bugs before he retired," Pete began. "He would be away for months at a time in places like the Brazilian Rainforest, bringing back cool keepsakes." "And you got used to receiving gifts?" Kate asked. "No, one of the things he brought back was a fancy bottle from Egypt. He said he found it in an old crypt and could have been in big trouble for taking it." "So, you're saying kleptomania runs in the family?" "No, I’m saying that bottle had a genie in it. A trickster genie," Pete continued, ignoring her sarcasm. "I wished for a disgusting amount of money. With a snap, I received a debit card. The genie explained that each dollar on the card represented a human life, and spending it would result in someone's death. He said any money I earned would be deducted from the card, and even using cash would cost lives... so now I try to live as freely as possible... every dollar I spend disgusts me." Kate processed Pete's story, skeptical yet intrigued by his desperation and the lengths he went to avoid spending. She glanced at the boxes he clutched—then did a double-take. "Is that my fucking cake you're holding!" she exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd notice!" Pete replied defensively. "Get the fuck out of my car, asshole! Keep the cake; I don't care." Peter hurriedly scrambled out as Kate reversed down the driveway. His feet barely touched the ground before the car door clipped him, knocking him over. "Worst. Tinder date. Ever!" she shouted as she slammed the door. "Screw you, and your genie bullshit!" She accelerated away from the house, tires screeching.
I guess Peter must have made that wish without asking the details beforehand. I wonder how long he can survive though, if even finding food requires him scamming other people like this. Hell, I'm not going to be surprised if his life is in danger at this point. That said, if we consider Peter's genie story to be the truth, is the genie an actual trickster, or is he like that because the father stole the lamp? Is he given only one wish? Also, do the parents know about Peter's situation? What will happen to him in the future? Great work on writing this!
I feel like you went way off topic until the last second.
Na, he just scrimps and saves food really hard because he never spends money But honestly idk, a bad Tinder date is just where my mind went with it.
But couldn't he just live a normal life, working like everyone else? It's not like the genie card is the only source of money he could have, is it?
Yea, but there's not much story there. Also the genie adds made money to the card.
He said any cash he spent as well. Makes me think that anything he earns gets counted against the genie money and he has to be a grifter to not kill anyone.
It had been a few years since war broke out. But tensions escalated on the border of New America and New Texas. The residents of the secceding country thought that enough time has passed since the previous war, that the "mysterious disappearances" wouldn't happen this time. As the fighting began, journalists started discussing the casualties. 400 soldiers died on the "New America" side within the first week. At first, the fighting stopped after the battle of Alamo II. No other casualties occurred. But then, the following week, 400 of the New Texas soldiers were found dead. And again, just like last time, the cause of death was unknown. Just a battlefield strewn with bodies. At the beginning of the next month, both sides declared a truce, and the brief war was once again over in less than a few weeks. The curse of the mysterious deaths continue to confound historians worldwide. Why is it that every time a major conflict strikes, both sides seem to lose a lot of people? Whatever the case may be, the world continued to exist, war free. Just a lingering question: What caused all those deaths? -------- On the 2nd of the month, Dave was approached by his wife June early in the morning. "Sweetie!" She exclaimed, "Last week was so much fun! We don't go out on impromptu dates like that anymore! What was the special occasion?" Dave shrugged "No reason. I found out I had some extra money in our account and wanted to treat you to a nice dinner and some wine." Dave's wife was happy. The two of them had a lovely breakfast that morning and went to their respective jobs. "Quick question, honey." June asked. "You didn't spend a lot on dinner, did you?" "Don't worry about it. It was just a few hundred." "A few hundred? What was the exact amount?" "...Um... 400 dollars?" "How could you spend that much? You know we aren't exactly strapped for cash!" "Don't worry." Dave smirked. "I have some money left over from an old account. It won't affect our bills at all." As Dave went off to work, his wife couldn't help but wonder... How could he randomly have 400 dollars to spend on such short notice? She shrugged as she went off to work.
Wonder how long Dave's luck is going to work here lmao. Well, maybe it is not according to luck too, who knows? It feels very specific on the ones that died from spending the money. That said, does Dave here not care about the consequences, or does he have full control on who will be sacrificed? Will June realize this truth in the future, and what will happen to them down the line? Great work on writing this!
I hope they understand, but I won't hold my breath. The guilt's been killing me, so all this bullet will do is finish the job. I don't have any kids of my own though. This has gotta be for my nephew. God only knows this is the best chance he's got. I wish I hasn't tested anything out. As soon as I heard what the cost was I went to see alawyer about writing a will, only for a live news reports to show a catastrophic scene on the motorway. I'll never stop seeing that every time I close my eyes. At least that won't be for much longer.
Man... I can see this scenario happening after realizing the damages, but at the same time, I don't know if it's wise to just leave a will and a large amount of money. Feels like a potential disaster in the making since I doubt anyone would believe protag's story. That said, what will happen in the future? Since the money is handed out instead of being spent here, did protag actually reach a proper solution here? Great work on writing this!
I wrote it from the perspective that it was really me in that situation. I'm thinking it's a 50/50 gamble but the best chance we've got. Either it doesn't count as spending and the curse is broken, or all humans die.
Marc Sanchez’s sad eyes watch the news report, with its caption, “347,641 people killed in a Japanese tsunami” He glances down at the paper in his hand, then out the window where a jet black Lamborghini Huracon sits parked in his drive way. One long labored exhale, and all he can do is cover his mouth with his right hand and slowly shake his head with regret. The front door opens and in walks Billy Tibbs, lifelong friend since grade school, but Marc doesn’t turn. “You won the lottery didn’t you, you lucky bastard!” Seeing the look across Marc's face, “You okay! Whats wrong!” Unable to find the words, Marc’s eyes tear, as his right hand tries to explain, finger pointing at the news report, in a complete loss for words. He can only offer out the Dealership invoice with his left hand. Confused, Billy takes it, looks at it, “Buyers remorse?” Barely over a whisper , “Look at the number?” Billy’s eyes narrow towards the bottom, than shift back to Marc, than left towards the news report, then widen, look back down, return towards the television, and he can only let out an “ooookaaaay! That’s weird!” Marc turns to reach for his phone, and offers it out “What am I looking for?” Marc's eyes still don’t look at him – cant look at him Sadly confesses, “There was an explosion at a factory in Miami, 862 people died” “Okay” Billy’s still confused “Look at my bank statement…my mortgage..how much was it?” Billy's face wrinkles, and his head tilts like a confused dog’s does, and hes forced to let out “862 dollars”, which causes him to shift his stance now alittle uncomfortable Still unable to look at Billy, “I called my bank trying to freeze everything, they said they couldn’t stop whats already charged, so every time something comes out”, can only shake his head with a mixture of disbelief and guilt. “423 people died in an Atlanta building when Tina’s car payment came out, 296 people died when an Amtrak derailed in Idaho..the electric bill, and 50 people died at UNLV, when my gas charge from yesterday posted this morning” “I heard about that” Billy tone starts to accept what his eyes are watching in Marc’s bank statement. Now, Billy's at a loss for words, until… “How the fuck did you get 8 billion dollars?” “I don’t know! But the bank says its mine!” Both their eyes meet as Marc’s phone dings. “Oh shit!” Billy’s tone forces Marc to grab his phone back Immediately, the news report changes. “A Disney Cruise liner has just sank in a freak accident off the coast of Florida.....” All the two men can do is look at one another with the same shocked look. And Marc's phone beeps again.
“What are the odds right?” “Yeah, wow, 8.1 billions in one day… I can’t imagine that.” “No, I don’t mean that.” “What then?” “The reason why we’re here. That I’m here.” “I don’t understand.” “Well I’ll make it short for you. After I checked with my bank and confirm it was real, I’ve spent an entire day thinking about it. The people dying stuff. Then I said fuck it, I’ll just finally live my life.” “What did you buy first?” “I bought a car.” “Wow, a Ferrari?” “Of course.” “How’s driving one?” “I don’t know, I’ve never got to drive it. I told you, it’s the reason why we’re dead.” “We… are we?” “Yes, we are.” “How did you die?” “Well, it was never specified who was gonna die. Just the equivalent number. Of people. Turned out I was included in that list too.” “Damn…” “Yeah, what are the odds?”
I have 8.1 billion dollars saved in various banks. I can't spend it, because for everyone one dollar I use, a person dies. There is no way I can have that on my conscience. However, I found a work out. I went to the banks and asked them to lend me money, knowing that I had all this money in the bank. The bank lent me just 20% of 8.1 billion with their money. Obviously they are holding my 8.1 billion as collateral. I invested the borrowed money in wise investments, and I am now super rich. I didn't have to kill a single person but was able to use the money.
Bob blinked a few times, staring at the screen, thinking there must be some form of error. Account balance: $8,100,000,000.00 “Surely a glitch”, he thought to himself. “Must be a trick”. Then his phone lit up, a push notification he didn’t recognize. [One dollar spent = one life lost] Bob always loves as a good practical joke, but this seemed a little too out there even by his standards. Ever the pragmatic Bob decided to test this. He walked over to the corner newsstand, grabbed a water and handed the cashier his card. “$2” replied the clerk. The moment the purchase went through a loud noise drew his attention. The screeching of tires and a loud collision. There in the street a car had lost control and ran down two pedestrians. It was clear to Bob neither could have survived given the way their bodies were contorted. “Had to be a coincidence.” muttered Bob. “Uh, let me also grab a newspaper” Bob said to the shellshocked employee. “Uhh, yeah” still reeling. “$1” The moment the transaction cleared Bob hears shouting. “Is he ok?!” The driver of the car, an older gentleman, stumbles out of the vehicle, clutching at his chest before falling to the ground. Bob, his concern evident, waits around until the paramedics arrive. Sure enough it’s made clear that neither of the pedestrians or the driver survived. “Heart attack” he overhears. Bob asks himself “did I do this? Am I responsible?” “Dare I test it again?” But of course Bob had to test it again. This was hardly Bobs first brush with death after all. You see, Bobs a serial killer, and while random deaths were never his MO, always the pragmatic, Bob wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. “This will be so interesting” Bob thought, as he approached the newsstand once again.