Chapter 4

He stared at the ceiling, wondering if he'd finally lost his marbles. Maybe the stress of losing his job and catching Veronica cheating had finally pushed him over the edge. Or perhaps the bus had scrambled his brains more than he thought.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic," the voice chimed in. "You haven't lost your mind. Well, not completely, anyway."

He groaned. "Great, now I'm arguing with myself. Fantastic."

"I told you, darling, I'm not you. I'm a separate entity. A system, if you will. Now, why don't you suggest a name for me? I'll even give you a small reward for your trouble."

He snorted. "What kind of reward? A one-way ticket to the loony bin?"

The voice tsked. "So pessimistic. Just try a name and you'll find out."

He sighed, deciding to humor his apparent mental breakdown. "Fine. How about... 'A Strange System'?"

"Oh, honey, you can do better than that," the voice replied, disappointed. "How about 'Life Guide System'? Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Whatever," Jackson muttered. "What's this reward you keep talking about?"

The voice perked up. "Well, for that pitiful attempt at a name, you'll get $100. But if you come up with something really good, I might just bump it up to $10,000."

His eyebrows shot up. "Ten grand? For a name? You're joking, right?"

"Do I sound like I'm joking?" the voice replied, sounding amused. "Come on, put that mediocre brain of yours to work. I know you can do better than 'A Strange System'."

He frowned, his competitive spirit oddly piqued by this bizarre challenge. He racked his brain, trying to come up with something clever.

"How about... Serendipity?" he offered.

"Hmm, not bad," the voice mused. "But I'm looking for something with a bit more... pizzazz. Keep trying, darling."

His frown deepened. He'd always thought he was pretty good with words, but apparently, his invisible critic had higher standards.

"Okay, how about... Celestial Navigator?"

The voice hummed thoughtfully. "Getting warmer. I like the cosmic vibe, but it's still missing something."

He closed his eyes, concentrating hard. If he was going to have a mental breakdown, he might as well go all out.

"I've got it," he said suddenly. "How about... Quantum Quill?"

There was a moment of silence, and for a second, Jackson thought the voice had finally disappeared. Then, to his surprise, he heard what sounded like applause.

"Bravo!" the voice exclaimed. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Quantum Quill it is. I love the alliteration, the hint of both science and creativity. Well done, darling!"

He felt a small surge of pride. "So... does this mean I get the ten grand?"

"Of course!" the voice replied cheerfully. "A deal's a deal. Check your phone."

Skeptical but curious, Jackson reached for his phone on the bedside table. To his astonishment, when he opened his banking app, he found a deposit of $10,000, with the description "Name consultation f*e."

His jaw dropped. "How... how did you do that?"

"Oh, darling," the voice - now Quantum Quill - said with a laugh, "I have my ways. Now, aren't you glad you played along?"

He stared at his phone, then at the empty room around him. He pinched himself hard, but the numbers on the screen didn't change.

"I must be dreaming," he muttered. "This can't be real."

"I assure you, it's very real," QQ replied.

Jackson stared at his phone, still struggling to process the sudden windfall. He'd gone from thirteen dollars to over ten grand in the blink of an eye. It felt like he'd stumbled into some bizarre alternate reality where disembodied voices could manipulate bank accounts.

"Well," he said, finally finding his voice, "I guess I can get out of this fancy hospital now. Maybe buy some clothes that don't show my ass every time I stand up." He plucked at the flimsy hospital gown, grimacing.

Quantum Quill's laughter filled his head. "Oh, darling, you could certainly do that. But I'm afraid there's a tiny snag in your plan."

"What kind of snag?"

"Well, you see, this isn't exactly your run-of-the-mill hospital. That chandelier? The silk sheets? The nurse who looks like she stepped off a runway? All that luxury comes with a price tag. And I'm afraid the bill is about three times what you've got in your account now."

"Three times? But that's... that's thirty grand! For one night in a hospital?"

"What can I say? Luxury doesn't come cheap. And neither does that morphine drip you've been enjoying."

He glanced at the IV in his arm, suddenly feeling a lot less relaxed. "But... but how am I supposed to pay for this? I can't afford thirty thousand dollars!"

"Now, don't get your hospital gown in a twist," QQ soothed. "I have a proposition for you."

Jackson's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What kind of proposition?"

"Another task, darling. Complete it successfully, and I'll make sure your hospital bill disappears faster than your ex's fidelity."

He winced at the reminder of Veronica's betrayal, but his curiosity was piqued. "What's the task?"

"Let me think," Quantum Quill mused.

After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity to Jackson, Quantum Quill spoke again. "Alright, darling, I've got just the thing. You see that little button on the bedside table? Give it a press, and our glamorous nurse will come running."

He eyed the button warily. "Okay... and then what?"

"You're going to turn on that charm of yours. Flirt with her, make her blush, and if you play your cards right, you might just walk away with her phone number."

"You want me to hit on my nurse? Isn't that, I don't know, unethical or something?"

QQ's laughter filled his head. "Oh, honey, ethics went out the window when they installed that chandelier. Besides, it's just a little harmless flirting. Think of it as... practice."

He hesitated, his finger hovering over the button. "I don't know... I'm not exactly a smooth operator. What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Then, at least you'll give her something to laugh about during her coffee break," QQ quipped. "Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

Taking a deep breath, He pressed the button. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered.

"That's the spirit!" QQ cheered.