And again.
And again.
Each time, he looked for the trick. The camera angle that made it look worse than it was. The hidden cut. The moment where he could tell himselfoh, that's how it happened, that's what I missed.
There was nothing to miss.
He'd fallen. He'd hit. He'd survived.
You were supposed to die.
Greg's voice. Greg's ridiculous clipboard. Greg's earnest face and his talk of files and windows and cosmic paperwork.
It was insane.
It was also the only explanation Dustin had.
He closed the video and dropped his phone on the bed. His hands weren't shaking, which felt wrong. His heart rate was steady. His breathing was normal. His body was acting like nothing had happened, and maybe that was the most unsettling part of all.
Something should feel different. He should feelsomething.
Instead, he just felt tired.
His phone buzzed.
He’d received an email. He almost ignored it, but the preview caught his eye:APEX ENERGY – PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
Dear Dustin,
Following the success of your recent content shoot, we're thrilled to extend an offer for an additionaljump opportunity. Our marketing team believes your brand alignment with Apex Energy has significant expansion potential...
Dustin skimmed the rest. Blah blah synergy, blah blah engagement metrics, blah blahthrilled to discuss compensation packages for extended partnership.
At the bottom, in bold:
Apex Energy. Go longer, go harder, go Apex.
God, that dumb slogan.
Dustin had said it into cameras probably a hundred times by now. Smiled while he said it, too, even gave a little flirtatious wink. He’d gone viral like that.
Of course he had.
Dustin closed the email without responding and tossed his phone onto the bed.
Almost immediately, it rang.
Cathy.
Dustin picked the phone back up and watched it ring. Once. Twice.
She'd hang up soon.
That was what Dustin expected, anyway, but the phone kept ringing.
Acting on impulse, Dustin grabbed it.
“Hey,” he said.
