An Offer You Can't Refuse!

Liam slumped on his couch, scrolling through job listings with the energy of a half-dead sloth. His current job was driving him insane, and he was desperate for a change.

After an hour of mindless clicking, he stumbled across a listing for a "Creative Strategist" at a big-name company.

“Pfft, creative strategist? Sounds fancy. Whatever, I’ll apply,” he muttered.

He clicked "Apply Now" and uploaded his résumé.

But when it came to the cover letter, Liam wasn’t in the mood for corporate fluff. Instead, he typed out a sarcastic draft to blow off steam:

"Dear Hiring Team,

Let’s not waste time with clichés. You need someone who can bring fresh ideas, and I need a job that doesn’t make me cry in the bathroom stall. Win-win, right? If you’re looking for a candidate who’s good at PowerPoint, loves coffee, and tolerates endless Zoom calls, I’m your person.

Sincerely,

Liam ‘Desperately Seeking Paychecks’ Carter"

Satisfied with his joke, Liam laughed and closed the tab. Or so he thought.

~~~~~~

Two weeks later, an email pinged in his inbox:

"Congratulations, you've been shortlisted!"

Liam blinked. “Shortlisted? For what?”

He scrolled down. His heart stopped.

Subject: Application for Creative Strategist

Message: Thank you for your incredible cover letter! It stood out among hundreds of applicants. We’d like to schedule an interview with you this week.

“No way… No. Way,” Liam whispered.

He had accidentally submitted the sarcastic cover letter.

~~~~~~

The day of the interview arrived.

Liam, dressed in his sharpest blazer, logged onto the Zoom call, fully prepared to bomb.

The interviewer, a middle-aged woman with sharp glasses and a cheerful demeanor, greeted him.

“Liam Carter! I’ve been dying to meet the mastermind behind that cover letter.”

Liam froze. “Uh… thank you?”

She smiled. “You’re exactly what we’re looking for—someone with wit, personality, and confidence. Tell me, what inspired you to write such a… bold application?”

Liam scrambled. “Oh, uh, you know… I just wanted to, uh, stand out in a sea of applicants?”

“Mission accomplished,” she said, laughing. “Alright, let’s dive into the role. We’re looking for someone creative who thinks outside the box. If you had to pitch an idea to reinvent our company’s image, what would it be?”

Liam panicked. He hadn’t prepared for a real question!

His brain blanked for a moment before he blurted out, “Uh… memes?”

“Memes?” she repeated, intrigued.

“Yes!” Liam ran with it. “Everyone loves memes. They’re relatable, shareable, and they have the power to go viral. We could create a meme campaign that humanizes the brand while subtly marketing our services. Humor sells, right?”

The interviewer leaned back, smiling. “Interesting. Tell me more…”

~~~~~~

Three days later, Liam received an offer email:

"We’re thrilled to offer you the position!"

But something was odd. The offer included no mention of his salary, team, or start date. Instead, it read:

"Congratulations, Liam. You’ve been chosen. Your first task is to prepare for an in-person meeting at The Vault. Details will follow shortly. Do not share this with anyone."

Liam frowned. The Vault? What was that? He searched the company’s name online, but there was no record of a department or location with that name.

~~~~~~

An hour later, a plain white envelope was delivered to his apartment. Inside was a single piece of paper:

"Welcome, Liam Carter. Your creativity is about to change everything. Be at 43 Westburn Street at 10 p.m. tomorrow. Trust us—you don’t want to miss this opportunity."

Liam’s stomach churned as he stared at the message. The address didn’t belong to an office—it was an abandoned warehouse.

“What kind of job did I just sign up for?” he muttered, heart racing.

~~~~~~

~~~~~~

Author's Note:

Well, folks, that’s a wrap for Part 1 of "An Offer You Can't Refuse!"

But don’t get too comfy—this story is far from over. The next chapter, will be written by the brilliant Maryam Batool, will take you even deeper into the mystery. Who’s behind The Vault? What does Liam’s “job” really entail? And seriously, will memes save the world?

Stay tuned—things are about to get wildly twisted. Until then, keep guessing… and maybe double-check your cover letters ;)

Here's her profile: