The Coyote Says

The Game

Now that I was lying down on my bed, I finally clicked the link that Tristan had sent. It directed me to a site where I could download a game called The Coyote Says. The lack of description, reviews, and the only thing visible being a logo—a coyote’s face—made the whole thing seem quite sketchy. But Tristan did say it pays, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Resolutely, I clicked the download button, and to my surprise, it downloaded almost immediately.

"Okay, now that's making me nervous." I muttered to myself

Should I play this game? Well, Tristan did, so it might be okay to play it. Plus, I’d delete it once I got the $50. I took a deep breath and opened the app. Upon opening, it prompted me to turn on my location. Although hesitant, I complied.

Next, it asked for my first name. I entered it and was then greeted by the game's interface. It was divided into three sections: Tasks, Shop, and Settings.

I clicked on "Tasks" and was surprised by what I saw.

Beginner Tasks

- Link your bank account with the app ($25)

- Check the balance of your bank account ($25)

- Jump 10 times ($25)

These tasks seemed easy, yet the pay was high. Without thinking too much, I clicked on "Link your bank account with the game". A tutorial appeared, guiding me through the process, which I followed.

Task done! Payment sent to bank.

I then opened my bank's mobile app and saw the balance of $25. The payment reflected in my account! The game is real!

Task done! Payment sent to bank.

Another notification popped up. I refreshed my mobile banking app, and now my balance was $50. I could buy the book I need!

"Once you have the money you need, delete the game immediately." Tristan’s words echoed in my mind

"But there’s one more beginner task and it also pays $25." I reasoned with myself

"Remember this, Niv: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

"How is this too good to be true when the money they sent is real? It’s actually in my account!"

As I debated whether to complete the final task, my phone suddenly rang.

Tristan calling...

I bit my lower lip and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"I assume you have $50 by now and have deleted the game?" Tristan’s voice was steady

"Ah, I was just about to do that." I said, scratching my cheek, feeling a pang of guilt

"How many tasks did you complete?"

"Just two..." I admitted, feeling conflicted. I had promised Tristan, and I should keep that promise. "Yeah, just two. I’ll delete it now. Thanks, Tris."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"See you."

The call ended, and I sighed heavily. With a final glance at the game, I decided to delete it as promised. My heart raced a bit as I tapped on the delete option, wiping away the game from my phone.

"Good bye, Coyote. Thanks for the $50."

The next day, I walked into the school bookstore with Tristan and Astoria. The bell above the door jingled as we entered. The bookstore had its usual cozy, cluttered atmosphere with stacks of books on every shelf.

"Now Mr. Iso won't scold you anymore." Astoria said cheerfully as I picked up the book I needed. "Gosh, Tris, you should have shared that online job with Niv a long time ago."

"Like I said, it's not an online job, and I didn’t know they were back to paying people to do stuff." Tris explained

"The important thing is that my problem is solved now." I said with a smile as I paid for the book at the cashier

As we headed out of the bookstore, someone approached Astoria. It was Niall, the student council president. Did I forget to mention that Astoria is the vice president of the student council?

"Astoria, can I borrow you for a minute? There's something in the office I need your help with." Niall said

Astoria turned to us. "You guys go ahead to the classroom. I'll just take care of this real quick."

We nodded, and the two went their separate ways. Now that I was alone with Tristan, he suddenly extended his palm. What is he doing?

"What?" I asked, clearly puzzled

"Your phone." He replied. "I need to check if you really deleted the app."

"Oh, so you don’t trust me?" I said with a roll of my eyes

"I do." He chuckled. "But I also know that the app can be quite tempting."

"Fine."

I unlocked my phone and handed it to him. Tristan scrolled through my applications, inspecting each one carefully. Once he was satisfied that the game was gone, he handed my phone back to me.

"Satisfied?" I asked playfully

"For now." He said with a smile

We then walked to the classroom, which was still sparsely populated since it was early. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to ask Tristan some questions.

"What's the catch with the game?" I whispered. He looked at me thoughtfully, as if debating whether to answer. "I'm just curious." I continued. "You seem to really hate the idea of me using it."

"Niv, just forget the game. Erase it from your memory." He said firmly. "Your involvement with it is over. You’ve already gotten the help you needed."

His secretiveness only fueled my curiosity.

"Okay, answer me this then." I pressed on. "Why did you say that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is, when the game and its payment are real?"

"Seriously, Niv, stop it." He said with a hint of urgency. "Stop asking questions and stop mentioning it."

"Okay, sorry." I said, my voice dropping

The school day dragged on, and finally, the dismissal bell rang. Students poured out of their classrooms, eager to start their afternoons. Tristan, Astoria and I headed outside, chatting casually.

As we were walking in the hallway, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. I glanced at the screen and saw it was a call from an unknown number. Hesitant but worried, I answered.

"This is Nurse Lopez from Central Hospital. Is this Nivara Blackwood?" A calm but serious voice asked

"Yes, this is Nivara Blackwood. What’s going on?" My voice quivered

"I'm sorry to inform you, but your mother was in an accident. She’s been brought to our hospital, and we need you to come here as soon as possible."

My heart pounded in my chest. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"We’re still assessing her condition. We need you to come to the hospital immediately."

The words felt like a punch to the gut. My mom and I had always been a team since my dad passed away, and now she was in a situation I couldn't control.

"I’ll be there as soon as I can." I said, trying to steady my voice before hanging up.

Tristan and Astoria watched with concern. That's only when I noticed that my hands were shaking. I'm starting to get anxious.

"Niv, calm down." Astoria said in a soothing voice and rubbed my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Mom's been in an accident." I said, my voice breaking. "I need to get to the hospital."

Tristan's eyes widened with concern. "We'll go with you."

"Yeah, I'll tell my driver." Astoria nodded

As we hurried to the parking lot, I felt a wave of dread wash over me. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Was my mom in serious condition? How would I handle this if things were worse than they seemed?