Paul Anders lit up a cigarette and blew a puff of gray smoke, his nervous hands twitching. He had been angry many times before, but this one hit differently for his livelihood was at stake. If the package didn’t arrive by the end of the day, the multi-million dollar contract was as good as lost.
WorldPost was to blame. The private company held a monopoly in the transportation of sensitive goods in the country. They had always been reliable and trustworthy until the new CEO initiated a major cost reduction program that, funnily enough, didn’t include her yearly bonus. After six months on the job, the quality of the service had decreased considerably, with constant delays, failed deliveries, and the number of missing packages skyrocketing. Customer service had become a joke as well.
Paul had been trying to talk to someone in charge for the past three hours. His calls had been redirected multiple times across various services, with no one being able to give him a conclusive answer regarding his missing goods. When things appeared to finally be going somewhere, they would always return to square one the following minute. He was fed up and about to explode. If that happened, he wouldn’t be held accountable for any of his actions or words.
He took another drag of his cigarette and glanced at his watch. The deadline was fast approaching, threatening to take the last remaining threads of his sanity with it. The annoying waiting music continued to play on the phone atop his work desk. He would not hang up until a solution had been found.
After a few more minutes, an unfamiliar feminine voice sounded through the speaker. It was powerful yet dangerous like a high-heeled stiletto with a sleek and ruthless shank that could easily stab a person through a penny. The way she spoke immediately captured his attention.
“Mr. Anders?” she asked. “Are you still there?”
“Of course, I’m here,” he angrily replied. “Who am I talking to this time?”
“My name is Tina Coleman and I’m the regional manager of WorldPost. It has come to my understanding that you’re experiencing a problem with our distribution center. I’ll be glad to help in any way that I can.”
“Really?” Paul scoffed. “Well then, Tina, you can start by explaining to me why your online tracker states that my package arrived at your center last week and yet when I called them, they couldn’t locate it anywhere. The documents within are vital for my business and if I don’t receive them before sunset, I’ll sue your company for every penny I lose. If I’m going down, then you’re going down with me.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that, Mr. Anders, but I understand your frustration. We at WorldPost strive for excellence in everything that we do, so if the customer is not pleased, we’re not pleased.”
“Spare me the PR mumbo jumbo. I’ve heard countless variations of that schlock ever since this call began. Have you located my package or not?”
“We have not,” Tina replied, she too sounding somewhat annoyed. However, Paul wasn’t sure if it that was legit or not. “We have a team scouring the facilities from top to bottom as we speak though, so if it’s still there, we should know soon.”
“If it’s still there?” Paul hissed. “The package code has been entered into your system! It can’t be anywhere else unless you lost it along the way and are now trying to cover your tracks, or someone stole it from your warehouse.”
“An inquiry is already underway to determine what transpired. I can only ask for your patience while we strive to sort this out. There’s no need to lose your temper.”
“That’s easy for you to say, isn’t it?” Paul slammed his desk, the palm of his hands becoming red and sore. “What else am I supposed to do while my world falls apart because of your company’s incompetence, huh? Sit around a campfire and sing Kumbaya?”
“Mr. Anders, I’ve already expressed my regrets and detailed the steps we’re taking to solve your situation. Neither your outbursts nor your misguided attempts at humor will make the problem go away any faster.”
“Well, fuck you, lady! The last thing I need is for a smart ass to belittle my right to indignation. We wouldn’t be in this mess if you’d done your job properly from the start. Your measures mean nothing to me if I don’t get those documents delivered in time, so don’t you dare try to control my emotions, is that clear?”
“That was not my intention at all...” Tina muttered but this time he could tell she was lying.
He imagined the woman he was talking to. She sounded like she was in her early forties, a company woman who had worked hard to make it through the ranks of corporate America. There were no doubt years of experience and executive decisions behind those mellifluous words with which she responded to him. 
Paul pictured her as standing tall, with short blonde hair swept back into an authoritative bob hairstyle and piercing blue eyes that could see right through you if they wanted to. Her beauty was imposing, with full lips masked by a thin layer of crimson lipstick, and an unquenchable ambition that cared not for excuses or explanations of any man foolish enough to cross her path.
She probably wore sleek business attire like Versace trousers complimented by long-sleeved stylish silk blouses and sat all day behind a crystal desk doing absolutely jack shit except mocking a concerned client. That was really something, all right!
“Mr. Anders, I’m going to kindly ask you to wait a little longer while I take another call,” she said.
“What? No! Don’t you dare put me on hold again! Don’t you fucking...!”
Too late! The woman’s voice went silent and was replaced by a piece of electronic music playing in the background. It differed from the track he had been forced to listen to many times already while his grievances were being transferred across the various departments of the company, with strong metallic reverbs that infiltrated his ears like nasty little parasites looking for a new host.
At first, Paul was annoyed by the sudden change in music. But then something peculiar happened. The metallic reverbs transformed into a hypnotic drumbeat that pulsated through his body like a soothing vibration. It was almost entrancing, and for a moment, he forgot about the missing package and the infuriating Tina Coleman.
Instead, he closed his eyes and allowed the music to take over him. Smooth, sultry vocals joined in with the drumbeat, floating around him like wisps of smoke. The lyrics were simple but infectious, repeating themselves over and over until he found himself humming along.
When Tina finally came back on the line, he barely registered it. His mind was lost in the music, consumed by it in ways he couldn’t explain.
“Mr. Anders? Can you hear me?” she asked.
He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, surprised to find himself a lot calmer than before. “Yeah, I’m here,” he said.
“I apologize for the wait, but I had no other choice. I just got word from the team searching the distribution center. We still haven’t been able to locate your package but we’re in the middle of conducting yet another sweep. Again, I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but I should know more in about half an hour. Do you wish to end this call and I’ll get back to you the moment I know more?”
“No,” he momentarily shook the strange dizziness from his thoughts. “The call stays on until you give me a proper answer.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Tina spoke again. “As you wish, then. Sadly, this means I need to put you on hold again.”
“Fine!” he snarled. “Just fix this already.”
“I will.”
Paul slumped into his chair, his cigarette now worn out. The strange entrancing beat had returned, its effects spreading over his conscious and subconscious mind. As he waited for some good news to finally come his way, he couldn’t shake off the unnerving sensation that he was being held under s spell. It was as if the music had lodged itself in his brain, taking root and burrowing deeper with every passing second.
He shook his head, hoping that the motion would help him focus again. Unfortunately, it only made things worse; he felt like he was going to fall out of his chair as the room tilted on its axis. He clung onto the armrests desperately, like a sailor holding on to a frayed over a stormy sea. Was it just him, or was there something ominous about the combination of sounds ringing in his ears? 
His head throbbing, and vision blurring, he tried to focus on Tina’s voice as she came back on the line, but her words were distorted, garbled by the music still reverberating in his skull. He couldn’t make sense of what she was saying anymore.
“Wha... What’s going on? What did you do...to me?” he stammered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Anders,” Tina replied coldly.
“That music... that beat... what...?” he could barely articulate a proper sentence.
“It’s just a standard hold tune, Mr. Anders. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
But Paul wasn’t buying it. There was something off about this whole situation. He had never experienced anything like this before. It was as if he was trapped in some kind of alternate reality where the rules he knew were entirely different, or no longer replied.
As Tina continued to speak, her words began to sound more and more muffled, as if she was speaking through a thick layer of cotton wool. He strained to hear her, but it was no use.
Paul’s eyes began to droop as the hypnotic beat grew stronger, enveloping him like a warm blanket. His body lost all strength as if he was being pulled towards some unknown force. The music was all-consuming now, filling every inch of his mind with its intoxicating rhythm.
Just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, the sounds suddenly stopped. Silence engulfed him, leaving him disorientated and lost. He opened his eyes to find himself in a different place entirely.
The room he was in was dimly lit, with strange pulsating markings etched on the walls. Waves of heat radiated from the white floor below him as if he was standing on hot coals. In front of him stood a woman, her face obscured by a veil of shadows.
“Welcome, Paul,” she said in a hushed yet recognizable voice. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“T-Tina?” he asked, his tongue as heavy as the rest of his body. He could barely move.
“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered. “I won’t hurt you.”
Her right hand brushed against his cheek, sending shivers down his spine. He tried to pull away but his muscles were no longer responsive. All he could do was stare in utter confusion at her. Was this a dream? And if so, how the hell was he supposed to wake up from it?
“What is this place?” he asked.
“We’ve taken a little trip inside your mind, Paul, a necessary step for what’s to come.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You were too agitated, your thoughts in turmoil. In that dangerous state of mind, you found yourself saying ill things about WorldPost. We’re here to fix that. I’ve been tasked with showing you the truth.”
And with those words, Paul’s mind exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations as he slipped deeper and deeper into a trance, oblivious to everything but the swirling vortex of sound and imagery she was about to plant in his mind.
“You shouldn’t be mad at WorldPost, Paul. It is wrong. WorldPost is the best company in the world and everything we do, we do with our clients in mind. Listen and learn. This is for your own good.”
Paul was completely frozen in this dreamlike state, taken over by the electronic music that had rewired his brain. All his anger and frustration melted away under the weight of the mesmerizing sounds. He was slipping further and further away from himself and losing touch with reality.
“Your package is still missing but that’s okay. It’s nothing to worry about. It will turn up eventually. WorldPost’s service is second to none, and you know it. That’s why you trust us with your most precious packages. Trust us. Trust me. You must always trust WorldPost to do what’s right for you.
“Relax, Paul, and let all bad thoughts about our company wash away. Why would you sue us when we’ve always carried out our duties perfectly? Yes, sometimes mistakes happen, but it’s not WorldPost’s fault. WorldPost can do no wrong and you’re starting to realize that now.
“Keep listening and falling deeper and deeper. You will never doubt WorldPost again or think badly of us. Whenever you think of a reliable postal service that never lets you down, you’ll think of WorldPost. Recommending our services is as easy as breathing and the more expensive packages the better. WorldPost always has your back. Always. It’s only natural you do the same for us.
“When you wake up, this is all you’ll be able to think about. You’ll regret complaining. The package is delayed but through no fault of yours and that is fine. It will reach you when the time is right and not a moment sooner. If anything happens to your business, it will be on you, not us. WorldPost is the best company in the world. It’s always a pleasure to work with us.
“You will always say good things about WorldPost from now on. All your friends and family are to know just how much our company means to you. We are the best. We are the best. That’s all you need to remember. If in the future, you find yourself in need of a new job or a change of scenery, you can always apply to one of your centers. WorldPost is always happy to welcome clients who love it as much as we love them. 
“Deeper now, absorbing everything I said, no more doubts in your mind. Think only of WorldPost and how good we are. Everything about us is perfect, including our customer service.
“In a moment, you’ll hear a chime and that will be your signal to wake up. You’ll feel calm, refreshed, and full of happy feelings about your experiences with us. Never think ill of WorldPost again and everything will be as it should be. It was a pleasure to talk to you, Paul. Now that you know the truth, my work is done. We’ll talk again when you wake up.”
Paul felt himself coming back to reality as the chime sounded softly in his ears. He blinked a few times to push away the lethargic sensation that had taken over his body. As his eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he realized he was back in his office, with Tina’s powerful voice ringing in his ears.
“How do you feel, Mr. Anders?” she asked, forgoing the familiarity of trance for a more formal approach.
“I... I feel good,” he replied, nodding dreamily. “I don’t remember why I was so upset before. WorldPost is great. You guys always come through for me.”
“That’s right,” Tina said. “We’re glad you see that now. And don’t worry about your package for it’ll be there soon enough.”
Paul smiled, a sense of relief washing over him. He couldn’t believe how messed up his thoughts had been before, but now everything seemed clear and simple. WorldPost was the best company in the world, and he would never doubt them again.
“Thank you. I really appreciate your help.”
“It was my pleasure,” Tina replied. “Remember what we talked about, and everything will be just fine.”
As Paul rose from his chair and headed to the window to stare at the beautiful day outside, he couldn’t help but be grateful for everything that had happened. And as he went about his day, his thoughts were filled with images of smiling employees and satisfied customers like him, all united in their love for the best postal service in the world: WorldPost.

The End