Is there some game going around where people tease the desperately poor? I was thinking about how to respond to this when he launched into a quick explanation. It was largely the same as what the old man at the bookstore said, but this guy claimed he had actually gone through with it. I ƒ•‡†Š‹Š‘™—…ŠŠ‡‰‘–ˆ‘”‹–ǡ„—––Š‡Š‡•–ƒ”–‡†’Žƒ›‹‰…‘›ǤDz†‘ǯ– –Š‹ˆ‡‡Ž…‘ˆ‘”–ƒ„Ž‡•ƒ›‹‰Ǥdz The man with the bleached hair jotted down a map and phone number and gave it to me. As expected, it was a perfect match for the information from the old man. I gave him an empty thanks and left. As soon as I was out in the sun again, the oppressive, clinging heat returned, hugging my entire body. Just this one time would be all right, I told myself. I put a coin into the vending machine just a few steps away and eventually settled on a mild apple cider. I held the can between both hands to enjoy the chill, then popped the tab and took my time drinking it. The unique sweetness of a soft drink filled my mouth. It had been a long time since I had any carbonated beverages, so each gulp prickled at my throat. When I finished the last swallow, I threw the empty can into the trash. I took the two maps out of my pocket and looked at them. The distance ™ƒ•ǯ–—™ƒŽƒ„Ž‡Ǥ If I went to that building, they would pay me money to take away my life span or time or good health, according to the story. What a load of BS. I clicked my tongue, wadded up the maps, and threw them away. But I wound up standing in front of the building anyway. It was an older structure. The walls were so darkened with age that it was impossible to tell what color it was originally painted. Even the „—‹Ž†‹‰ ‹–•‡Žˆ ’”‘„ƒ„Ž› …‘—Ž†ǯ– ”‡‡„‡”Ǥ – ™ƒ• arrow, as if the buildings on either side were compressing it into a smaller shape. Š‡‡Ž‡˜ƒ–‘”™ƒ•ǯ–™‘”‹‰ǡ•‘Šƒ†–‘…Ž‹„–Š‡•–ƒ‹”•—’–‘–Š‡ˆ‘—”–Š floor. I took one sweaty step at a time up the stairwell, through yellowed fluorescent light and musty air.  †‹†ǯ– „‡Ž‹‡˜‡ –Š‡ •–‘”› ƒ„‘—– –Š‡ „—›‹‰ —’ Ž‹ˆ‡ •’ƒ•Ǥ —–  †‹† ‹–‡”’”‡–‹–‹ƒ†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–™ƒ›ǣ‡”Šƒ’•ǡˆ‘””‡ƒ•‘•–Š‡–™‘‡…‘—Ž†ǯ– explain directly, there was some kind of job they were hiring for that involved life-shrinking risks but paid extremely well. The first door I saw on the fourth floor had no sign on it. And yet I was certain it was the place they were talking about.