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Number 5

Life gives presents... but can you take them?

By Gulmira ZhalgasbayevaPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Little black notebook design by GZ

So, hi there.

You could be anybody - anybody that found this on a bench in a park. Six months ago, I was the same curious ‘anybody’ you are now.

I grabbed this little black notebook and started reading it, hoping to return it to the previous owner, perhaps. Now, having written and left this little black notebook on a random bench myself, I’ve returned to my own personal island that I bought just last week.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let's do everything in order.

Don't worry, I’m not trying to get you to start selling cosmetics or writing fake reviews. It’s not a way to reel you in for one of those scams. This is just another type of crazy altogether.

So, the little black notebook that I found was one called #4. It described the story of #3, just like I’m telling you this here. It said that, on an otherwise ordinary day, someone found a little black notebook which told them the same story and that, if they could notice and crack the code in that text, they would get the address of a website. On that website, they should enter their account details and that would mean they’d get enough money to ensure that never had to worry about anything else in their life anymore. After the transaction, the website would self-destruct. It seems like that otherwise ordinary day has come for you now. And it may be the best, or the worst one in your life. It all depends on whether or not you have what it takes. There’s nothing you can do about that now.

It’s said that this whole black notebook thing was started by some anonymous IT guy as nothing more than a form of entertainment. That, and just to see what could come out of setting such a random and unpredictable chain of events in motion. There was no clue, just the text, similar to the one you are reading now. No one made it easier than that for me. I’m not going to do that for you either.

You either get it or not. Sorry about that. I wanted to give up a million times until one day I realised I couldn’t. It had become a matter of pride, and I was right to never pack it in until I saw what I needed to.

You may decipher what I’m trying to tell you here and get rich or you may throw this notebook in the nearest bin. Or leave it for someone else. Someone smarter. It is actually quite entertaining, isn't it? You don't need to be a programmer or a hacker to crack this code. All you need is just some brainwork. And a bit of obsession, perhaps. The kind that pulls you into a black hole of desperate, sleepless nights, chain-smoking, and endless cold cups of tea.

If you’re good, you’ll be our #6 and together with the money, we’ll pass on our contact details. You might try to get in touch, but each of us decides for ourselves whether to answer you or not.

Oh, there’s something else I almost forgot. Just a footnote, I guess. There’s one other thing on the website – that is, if you can manage to work out its address in the first place. There you can read the texts of all of the previous numbers’ little black notebook entries., Just to boost your curiosity, although I doubt it needs that.

So, good luck. Or goodbye.

I have written everything I needed to. I hope you won't regret picking up this little black notebook.

Yours,

#5

fact or fiction
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About the Creator

Gulmira Zhalgasbayeva

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