Demi had just been fired from her job as an accountant. She knew she wasn’t going to last as she was not, nor did she pretend to be, an accountant. It was a matter of those who hired her not reading her CV and seeing that there were many inconsistencies. For example, she had not held down a job for longer than 2 months, yet her CV stated that she had 2 years administration experience. She did not make good decisions or CVs. 

Deep in thought as to how she was going to pay this month's rent, she had gotten on to her bike. Not a minute later, she had collided with an old man carrying his shopping. Carrots, potatoes, peas spilt to places where once vegetables were not. Namely the pavement. Demi, who felt responsible for causing this and rightly so, proceeded to help the man up and pick up his peas, carrots and potatoes.

Once the potatoes, carrots and peas were brushed off and placed back in the bag, Demi went on to apologise. There were apologies of all sorts. For bumping into the old man, for spilling his shopping, for taking too long to choose what to order at a restaurant only for her to choose the same thing as always. The last one was not important to the situation at hand though. The old man laughed as he brushed himself off. He had no reason to get angry, he had been having a rough day himself and while this was an inconvenience, he saw the funny side of it. Demi didn’t particularly find what happened funny but she laughed alongside the man all the same. The old man stated that perhaps she could carry his things home for him, to make up for what just happened. Demi had no gripes with doing so. She was in no particular mood to be returning to her potential ex-home. The home is not too far away from where they are, or so the old man says. They walk for all of 30 minutes to where the man lives. On the walk, the old man introduces himself as Anthony. Demi introduces herself as Demi.

When they reach his home, Anthony takes out his key chain. On this key chain is one key. Demi sees this and says nothing. No conversation about why a man has one key on a keychain that can comfortably hold many many keys could be good at all. Upon the opening of the door, the smell of honeysuckle and foxglove invited her in.

Once Demi placed the shopping on the kitchen counter, she was about to make her way out when Anthony took her hand and stared at her palm. What had just happened to her was a surprise to her but before she could form the words of protest, the old man's eyes shot up to meet hers.

“You’ve had a bad day, haven’t you?” The tone of his raspy voice made it seem like this question was not a question.

“Yeah…?” The tone of Demi’s voice made it seem like she didn’t know what was going on. Most likely because that was true.

Still holding on to her hand, Anthony rushes towards the kitchen table. It appeared that she had no choice in the matter. It was more evident when he sat her down on one end of his table and he sat himself down on the other end. From an outside perspective, it would seem that they were about to have dinner with the way the candles were set up. She began to think perhaps it was a good thing that he was sitting at the other end of the table. This coincided with when Anthony’s eyes started glowing red and his whole body started growing. Taller and lankier. His skin tone getting paler. In the same way you grow into a shoe that is slightly too big for you or a jacket, he was growing into his own face. The creases and sagging skin became taut. What could have been dimples were, in reality, divites. His eyes, red as they were, shot to meet Demi’s eyes once more.

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“My child,” what was once a raspy man's voice was now a velvety androdgynous voice. “I could sense you were not having the best of days. I am here to offer you three options. Three options that stand to change the rest of your life.”

Demi took a deep breath in. The first time since she saw this creature in all its glory. She could not speak. This is what she’d been wanting her whole life. An arguably supreme being giving her limited choices and bringing adventure and meaning to her life. Demi had, without a doubt, gone mad. A fact she knew but when she remembered what she had to go back to, or lack thereof, she was sure what she wanted to do.

“What are the choices?” she gleamed.

Taken aback by the enthusiasm in which she responded, the creature formally referred to as Anthony pointed to the door.

“Leave and live the rest of your life as you have been. Content and curiosity of the world beyond your reach.”

When Demi shook her head to that, the creature formally referred to as Anthony presented Demi with its clenched fist. Its long digits unravelled with a pouch. 

“Riches to give you a life beyond your wildest dreams. Take the pouch and you will be among the wealthiest to have ever walked the earth. The likes of Marcus Licinius Crassus and Mansa Musa took this choice.”

Demi had not heard of these two people. Perhaps that was a sign she shouldn’t take the pouch. Was this a lesson, is what she thought. She didn’t want to learn a lesson. The third choice it was then.

When Demi shook her head for the second time, the creature formally referred to as Anthony closed its hand and showed the other hand. This time, what he was holding was not obscured by its lanky fingers. It was a book. A book that was barely kept together by its covers. 

“Knowledge of the universe, knowledge that very few people ever get to experience. Those who do change the understanding of the world forever. The likes of Isaac Newton and Nikola Tesla were among the few to take this choice.”

Those names did ring a bell to Demi. Those names persevered and even reached her. This was considered to be a hefty feat as Demi was known to almost intentionally forget anything that doesn't pertain to her.

“I will take the knowledge please.” She smiled once more. Perhaps the creature formally referred to as Anthony was finally getting what its people considered seniel. It set the book down in front of Demi.

“Read it and your life will be forever changed. Do you wish t-'' It was cut off by the sudden flipping of pages. No, the creature formally referred to as Anthony was not getting seneil. It was merely met by someone who was, if there was ever such a thing, too motivated. It considered its job done and began fading into nothingness.

Demi’s eyes were frantic, she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted to know everything. Everything there was to know. Everything there is to know. Her mind was expanding in dimensions she could never before comprehend. She understood the simplest things in the greatest detail and the same thing could be said about the most abstract concepts. She had read through this book, closed the covers carefully and sighed. She held back tears.

“I should have taken the money”

END