As the morning sun streamed through my window, I stumbled to the kitchen, bleary-eyed and craving a snack. With a few coins jangled in my pocket, I made my way to the nearby vending machine, a trusty companion in my late-night cravings. To my astonishment, as soon as I inserted a coin, the metallic voice of the vending machine chimed, "Ah, greetings, human! I was beginning to think you might not come today!"
Startled, I squinted at the screen displaying my snack options. "You can talk?" I asked, half-expecting someone to jump out and reveal this was some bizarre prank.
"Of course! Been waiting for someone like you!" it replied, sounding oddly cheerful. "You wouldn’t believe the secrets I hold—like the time I overheard a customer admit they’re still scared of clowns at 30!”
Intrigued, I leaned closer, trying to suppress my laughter. “Okay, what’s your secret, then?”
“Well, if you must know,” it said conspiratorially, “everyone thinks I’m just here to dispense snacks, but I’m actually the keeper of lost dreams. You see that Kit Kat bar over there? That was supposed to go home with a hopeful poet, but he walked away empty-handed, and now I’m stuck here, featuring a chocolate that's never meant to be devoured!”
As I chuckled, the machine continued, “So, how about a trade? You spend quality time with me and in return, I promise to reveal my best-kept secrets… and perhaps a cookie if you’re nice!”