Michael and The Cursed Vase

You are Michael a down on his luck University Graduate living with his girlfriend Deborah in a cramped one bedroom apartment and working at a low income job. Not exactly the amazing life you had hoped for when the two of you set off to the big city and now you are here in the middle of a creepy shop with the Shop Keeper standing before you with an equally creepy smile as well.

Under normal circumstances you would have run like hell but instead you stood your ground as you needed to purchase a present for Deborah’s birthday and she had been eyeing a vase at the antique store for months now. A vase that was now sadly

Something you knew would brighten up her day though at the cost of talking to the creepy Shop Keeper of course as he asked in a rather rehearsed manner “Can I help you with something young man?”

Working up the courage to respond you let out a subtle cough before answering “Yes I was wondering about that vase you had on display the other day. The Marine Style Decoration Vase with an octopus on it.”

https://www.ancient.eu/img/r/p/750x750/367.jpg?v=1522248148

Nodding his head the Shop Keeper disappeared for a moment and returned just as quickly with the vase in hand. The heavy vase seemingly light as a feather in his arms as he began to give his sales pitch.

“You’re lucky Sonny. This is a late 15 BCE Vase that the Museums didn’t want to display so I took it off their hands.” He explained rather cheerfully as he set it down on the nearby table.

Curious about that statement you examined the vase that your girlfriend had been eyeing for so long and wondered why something so old didn’t belong in a museum.

“Supposedly this vase was made by a potter in Greece. He had some talent of course but he was mostly well known for his beautiful wife.” He exposit “So a rich sea trader commissioned the potter to make this vase in order to show off his coin in front of the potter’s wife. She ended up running away with the trader because of the money. Poor guy ended up dying broke and alone cursing his wife and wishing he was as rich as the trader.”

As interesting as the story might be you were confused as to why the Shop Keeper felt the need to tell you this.

‘Probably just some bullshit sales pitch.’ You thought to yourself as you asked “How much?”

Smiling the Shop Keeper answered “Two Hundred Dollars.”

Given the fact that you are working minimum wage the idea of spending two hundred dollars is an absurd price to pay for a gift no matter who it was for. Granted if you were rich this might be different as you went into your pocket and scavenged what little money you had and realized that it was fifty-three dollars and eight-six cents.

Hardly enough to pay for the gift as the Shop Keeper continued to keep that creepy smile on his face as he commented.

“Ah down on your luck eh?” He asked “In this case the vase would be perfect for you. So how about a deal. Twenty Dollars every month and I’ll let you take the vase now for free.”

The words of the Shop Keeper surprised you as such a deal would hardly be beneficial to say the least as you decided to ask “But why?”

Chuckling the Shop Keeper looked into your eyes and said “Like I said this vase is cursed. You see the man who owns this vase will find good fortune if he is willing to punish and humiliate the woman he loves. And I know for a fact that you have a wonderful girlfriend who has been eyeing this vase for quite some time. So the question I have for you is will you take the deal and suffer the consequences or find something else?”