On the late-eve of November 8, 2022, a dark, cold, and rainy atmosphere enveloped Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX offices, where a hard-working middle-aged man lingered at his desk well beyond working hours. Despite his relentless efforts to stay awake, fatigue weighed heavily upon him, causing his eyes to burn and sink into darkness akin to the dreary day outside. As exhaustion overwhelmed him, he found himself succumbing to sleep, his eyelids growing heavy as he fought against his mortal weakness.
Amidst his descent into slumber, with his eyes barely open, he caught sight of a green tentacle slithering into the break room. Startled, he attempted to reassure himself that it was merely a trick of his sleep-deprived mind, a figment of imagination conjured by exhaustion. Yet, the sound of slimy suction cups drew nearer, resonating with an eerie proximity that sent shivers down his spine. And then, abruptly, silence descended upon the office, leaving the man to anxiously survey his surroundings in search of any sign of disturbance. To his relief, he found nothing amiss and released a sigh of relief, allowing himself a momentary respite.
As he stretched his limbs, seeking solace in the familiar sensation of physical movement, he went down to touch his toes and his fingers unexpectedly sank into something mushy and slimy. Recoiling in horror, he was met face to face with a green octopus, its presence eliciting a surge of primal fear that gripped his senses. In a panic, he screamed and stumbled backward, inadvertently unplugging his earphones and flooding the empty office with music.
To the man’s astonishment, the green octopus appeared to take pleasure in the melody, its movements assuming a rhythmic cadence as it danced in the empty space. Despite its intentions to convey friendship, the man’s instincts urged him to flee, fumbling away from the octopus. In an attempt to restrain him, the octopus wrapped its tentacles around his limbs, its gestures intended to reassure him of its benign intentions.
However, the man’s physical limitations became apparent as the octopus’s embrace tightened, inadvertently suffocating him in its attempt to comfort and dance with him. In his struggle for breath, his sunken eyes now bulged, his vision blurred and his consciousness waned, until finally, the office became his final resting place, and the green octopus his only companion.
They danced together in the dimly lit office until the first rays of sunlight pierced through the windows, illuminating the man’s face. The man’s eyes slowly opened, revealing no dancing green octopus in sight. It was just a dream. A sense of gratitude washed over him, accompanied by a resolve never to return to the office again.
