Hidden Costs

This piece was written for Twisted Tournament August 2025

Prompts - 250 words, Character: A guide, Action: Construction

Ben closed the machine door behind him.

              A disembodied voice said, “Welcome. I will be your guide to building your custom dream. Please make your selections from the menu.”

              A control board illuminated, showing an array of choices. Ben selected a serene forest vibe. He moved on to the ‘plot’ section and scrolled through the scenarios such as buried treasure, hide-and-seek, and even a musical option. He attempted to scroll further.

              “Complex plots are an additional $9.99,” said the guide.

              He’d already sunk a hundred bucks into this thing. Groaning, Ben hit ‘accept’ and selected a plot involving a maiden lost in the woods.

              “Further customization is an additional $9.99.”

              “What do you mean? I can’t pick the ending of the dream?” Ben had hoped to receive a reward from the lost maiden for guiding her home.

              “Standard endings include slow fade or sudden awakening. Continuation with a custom ending will be—”

              “I know!” Ben yelled. “An additional $9.99. Fine!” He described his ideal to the guide, who created a script according to his specifications.

              “Your dream is almost ready. Please select how vividly you would like to remember the dream. Price tiers are listed.”

              “Screw this!” Ben hit a large red button labeled ‘cancel.’

              “Are you sure?”

              Ben selected ‘confirm.’

              “Confirmed. You no longer wish to have a dream. Your nightmare will be downloaded to your brain tonight. All nightmares are remembered vividly.”

              “What? No!” Ben furiously mashed buttons.

              “Thank you for using the dream simulator! Sweet dreams!”