No Freaking Thanks

Chapter 12

Friday, November 4, 2022; outside of New London, Connecticut, U.S.A.

"Jared?" Terry knocked on the door, "Are you busy at the moment?"

Jared laid down his book and opened the door. "No. Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Well, I am also going to show you what I have been getting up to," Terry said, "I am taking everyone on a journey to my...project. Care to join me? If not, I could just send you pictures instead."

"Oh, sure! I just got done reading that book, so it would be best to drive to the library first."

"And then we will stop by a breakfast diner. Don't worry! They don't carry only coffee and water. My family and I have been there before."

When the group (consisting of Terry, Jared, Vince, Joy, Sonya, and Brandon) got to the diner, it was packed with patrons. Thankfully, Terry made reservations to slightly ease some trouble. It was not just the high number of customers the place got; it is also cramped with tables, booths, and chairs too close together to get around well. Combined with the husky body frames of many patrons, it is like driving a monster truck through a street market. Once they got done with their gossiping and breakfast, they headed out to the same warehouse that houses Terry's project. Unbeknownst to them, one of the patrons in stereotypical spy attire was watching them through their sunglasses.

When the six people made their destination, they went inside to see that the warehouse was vacant...at first glance. When Terry pushed a button on a wall, the curtains that were in disguise revealed a much more vibrant project: an indoor theme park dubbed "Chibiville." The park scenery consists of neon-colored mosaic floors, bright and tended foliage, sculptures of chibi-style animals and people, garden bridges that overlook the well-made rivers, waterfalls coming out of makeshift rock walls, galactic-painted-and-decorated streetlights, and hanging stars and figures under a glass roof fairly covered with space-themed decals.

And what would a theme park be without attractions? Chibiville houses a gentle ride themed after honeybees and flowers, a mini-golf course that doubles as a supposed "magical tour" through the mythical forest, a drop tower ride that mimics a volcanic eruption, the Gravitron, a dark ride inside a giant beehive, a junior dragon coaster, a black-and-blue steel coaster with a vertical loop and two corkscrews and spaceship trains, a log flume involving riders going through an extraterrestrial desert oasis on artificial hollow bones, bumper cars, a saucer-sumo game, and an arcade. Inside the arcade, guests could play the following: skeeball, pool, galactic pinball, air hockey, and a line of classics.

"For someone that is not as popular as Ninja or Pokimane or xQc, you sure put out a great project," Jared complemented.

"That is not my only accomplishment," Terry said as he opened the doors to reveal a large number of people camping out in their tents and RVs, consuming large amounts of food and drinks, and gossiping about anything. He then hollered, "Hey, everybody! I invited my friends over to show the hard work you pulled off!"

"Where did you find them, bro?" Joy asked.

"Freshly fired from the motor and agricultural industries," Terry replied, "And before you ask any more questions, I bought $12,000 worth of an electronics store chain's stock when it skyrocketed around 125,000% over one weekend. Before the whole event settled, I sold my entire amount of stock for around—get this—fifteen million dollars!"

"That's borderline crazy!" Jared exclaimed.

"Crazy shite happens ALL the time! Microsoft planning to buy Activision-Blizzard? Crazy. The one animated movie that made only over seventy grand in the box office? Crazy. NFT-riding blokes stealing works from people who put their hard work on? Well, I would not call it crazy, but rather maddening. Speaking of those blokes, they are on an epic journey to get a slice or two from my pie, big percentiles of my business. I keep seeing junk mail from their bots in my inbox claiming they could 'help' me become even wealthier."