Well, It's a long story

Ms. Myers' expression softened further as she saw David's distress, her voice taking on a gentle, coaxing tone: "Come now, dear... I've seen you're a bright young man when you apply yourself. Let me help if I can." Her words were like a warm hug on a cold day, making David feel safe enough to open up.

He took another deep breath and said aloud: "You will understand that what I'm about to say is the truth, and you'll help me in any way you can to deal with my situation." Once satisfied that his statement had worked, David told Ms. Myers everything, starting from the mysterious voice that cursed him all the way up to the incident on the bus earlier that day.

Ms. Myers listened intently as David spoke, her expression changing from concern to fascination. When he finished, she leaned back in her chair thoughtfully before responding: "Well, I must say that's quite a unique problem you've found yourself in." She tapped her chin with a finger, considering the situation. "But don't worry, we'll figure this out together. After all, what are professors for if not to guide their students through life's challenges?"

Ms. Myers' words filled David with relief and gratitude, feeling like he finally had more than just Rachel on his side. The tension in his body evaporated as he slumped into the chair next to her desk, realizing just how tense he'd been until now.

As David decompressed and thought about next steps, Ms. Myers spoke up with a suggestion: "So if I understand your curse's rules correctly... it only triggers when you make a statement to another person, right?" She put her finger to her lips in concentration before continuing: "Well, there is the option to live as a hermit and never talk to anyone for the rest of your life... but that's not exactly practical, is it?"

Ms. Myers leaned back, tossing the problem around in her mind like a puzzle she was determined to solve. David tried thinking of his own solutions, realizing that her different perspective might be just what he needed.

They sat in silence for several minutes as they each worked on finding a solution to David's predicament. Ms. Myers finally spoke up with a question: "So, as far as we know... your curse only triggers when you make a statement, correct?" David answered cautiously: "Yes, as far as I know." He wasn't sure where this was going but thought it worth exploring.

She continued: "Then perhaps you can speak only in questions to avoid triggering the curse?" The idea made David shudder inwardly, he could just imagine himself **** to play high stakes jeopardy for the rest of his life, imaging someone asking him where the post office was and having to answer " what is the intersection of 17th and 9th?". Unfortunately, it seemed more and more likely that this might be his only chance at a somewhat normal life.

Just as David began mapping out what jobs would need the least verbal interaction with others, Ms. Myers stood up with a sudden jolt, the glint in her eye like someone who'd just solved a tricky crossword before their coffee had gone cold. "What was the last thing you said?" she asked eagerly.

David's mind went blank as he tried to recall his exact words. Before he could piece together a coherent response, Ms. Myers cut him off: "You said 'Yes, as far as I know'! Don't you get it? That was a statement, but nothing changed, which means there must be another factor required for your curse to trigger. If only we knew what that factor is..."

Ms. Myers seemed ecstatic, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the prospect of unraveling this puzzle. She began pacing around her office lost in thought as she mumbled to herself, completely absorbed in trying to crack the code.

All David could do was watch and wait for her to come back from her mental journey. Eventually, Ms. Myers stopped pacing and spun on her heels, a hungry look of inquiry in her eyes as she asked: "I think we need to gather more data... would you mind assisting me by reading statements I write for you that we can then observe the effects of?"

Her expression was like that of an innocent girl begging her father for a pony, sweet and pleading. Ms. Myers knew exactly how to get what she wanted, and she was going to do everything in her power to keep this puzzle from slipping through her fingertips... after all, she was doing it to help her favorite student.