Better Thoughts

Narrations Here
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On his way home from school, a tacky little pamphlet neatly folded on the seat next to him, catches the eye of Ajay, a twenty one year old Toronto native. He has always had a curious mind.
With his phone’s internet cut off in the rat-run tunnels of the subway, he searched around for anything on the train that could distract him.
Usually these little brochures open with something like “The Lord Forgives!” or some other religious rambling. No matter, they all end with “Give us money!” Ajay thinks to himself facetiously.
But this pamphlet is different. Strangely, he can’t shake the feeling that fate brought it to him. 
As he flips it over and examines the whole of the pamphlet, he sees a small piece of green tape with his name, Ajay, written on it in thick black Sharpie. A chill crawls down his spine.
“It’s gotta be a coincidence,” he thinks to himself, “I feel like I need to check it out now, though.”
“Welcome to the Better Thoughts Initiative!” 
It reads like some cheap manual for a new employee. He figures it’s not like he has anything better to do on his commute, so he sits down, and further examines it.
There are three pages, folded into an accordion style pamphlet. The back of the pamphlet has scenes of archetypal happy families, and proud professionals from diverse backgrounds.
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“Welcome to the Better Thoughts Initiative!”
By reading this information, you've made the first step up the mountain of auto-correction. You should be proud of yourself!Page 1. Our mission:The Better Thoughts Initiative (formerly known as the Think Right Collective) has been helping the lost and disenfranchised get a grip on their inner turmoils, one human at a time!
We always ensure that our clients and customers stay true to our mantra: "Why think well, when you can think better?"
We're proud to say that we've been hired for corrective work, on a small scale, by wealthy and powerful individuals all around the world!
That's not to say we do things small at the BTI. We've also done humanitarian work, pro bono, for struggling governments, in sovereign nations, since the late 1800s!
As a powerful world leader told us in the mid 1940s, during our program, "Geh mir aus dem kopf! Es schmerzt!" Which means "Thank you for stopping the painful thoughts!", in German!
Our methods have evolved significantly since inception. Due to world conflict, we grow in staggering spikes, both in successful cases of thought rehabilitation, and in practice!
We're currently not accepting applicants from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Sorry! 
Perhaps if you get your life in order, you can enable your children to one day be a part of our program!
----“This is by far, the weirdest piece of crap I’ve ever seen.” Ajay mutters to himself. 
It feels to him like some kind of Soviet era indoctrination manual. Some kind of joke, perhaps?
His curiosity eventually gets the better of him, and he feels compelled to continue reading.
----Page 2. Our Methods:As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Change the world to be what you want to see.” 
We at the Initiative really take that to heart!
What all started through the hubris of a young Eastern European man, has evolved into the most powerful thought shaping method currently known to humankind!
Many people don’t know, but the mind is essentially one big puzzle. Once you find out the appropriate algorithms and patterns, you can re-illustrate the big beautiful image that the properly assembled puzzle holds!
Our cure for your mental maladies is an easy and enjoyable three step process.
:1. We start by picking the individual (you), and deciphering their mind, one jigsaw at a time. We unravel the elegant, and appropriately appointed wrapping paper around the present state of mind. Once we get to the gift inside, we polish out all of the lumps, bumps, and blemishes, so that it can be a pristine canvas for thought once more. After having cleaned the core, we re-wrap that delicious little present, and begin to rewire the thought processes to ensure the exquisite and unmarred beauty remains eternal!
After the mind has become a smooth slab of extravagant marble, the real fun begins!
We rewrite the mental process of thinking, in and of itself (cool, huh?). We call it “moulding” Some have described the process as painless, purging, purifying, or even terrific!
:2. The rewriting process begins with re-education. The canvas (you) is presented with many different moral, philosophical, and existential dilemmas. Until the objectively correct stance and mindset is taken, the penalty for failure grows exponentially! High risk, high reward, they say!
Once the beautifully sculpted statue (soon to be you!) has hopefully succeeded in the moulding process, you can move on to step three. The rest of your life!
:3. The rest of your life will be lived according to the Better Thoughts Doctrine.
Whoa! Not so fast there bucko! The doctrine will be revealed once you have ascended, and been reshaped into the proper being, by the Initiative! Nice try though!
----
As Ajay looks up from the pamphlet, he’s momentarily panic stricken. He has missed his stop.
“Oh well, the train’s near the end of the line now anyways, I’ll just stay on and loop back around.”
As he wonders where the pamphlet could have possibly come from, and how absolutely absurd it is, he sits back down. Pondering it’s validity, he once more unfolds the creases of the small leaflet.
“The honeyed words on the pages appear to drip with some kind of hidden malevolence. I have to know more. What does the third page have for me…”
----Page 3. Testimonials:Our work is so innovative, and world changing, that our results speak for themselves! Our clients always have honest, and pleasant feedback on the process. No one can be unsatisfied!
Note: These testimonials do not reflect the opinions of the Better Thoughts Initiative, and are dictated to our internal staff on a case by case basis. No two pamphlets will hold the same testimonials!
David, 44, New York:
My entire world was spinning out of control. I thought I knew what I wanted in life. I had convinced myself that I was happy, that I loved my wife and kids, but in reality, I was deluded.The Better Thoughts Initiative reinvented Dave. I have been given a new purpose in life, the ability to reveal the infinite hidden knowledge of one’s mind to the people who need it most. I can finally say that I’m proud of Dave, and that he’s no longer a despicable, broken shell of a cretin.I now serve a higher cause, and help the Initiative enlighten others too.
Gabriella, 29, London:
I don’t miss my family.
I don’t miss my husband.
I worked so hard to build the life I always wanted, but I swear, I don’t miss it anymore.
:Please, let it be over.
Ajay, 21, Toronto:
(Ajay is currently unable to give a testimonial, as he’s yet to transcend his pitiful life!)
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“What the fuck? Is that supposed to be me?” Ajay yelps, as he stands from his seat.
He looks up from the paper to see everyone in the subway car staring at him. As he turns his gaze back down to the 3rd page of the pamphlet, he feels his heart sink. The final testimonial is now missing. There’s a large blank section on the 3rd page, following the first two testimonials.
“Did I imagine it? I’m starting to think I’m hallucinating.”
The train pulls into his stop after another few minutes. He can’t help but let the pamphlet plague his thoughts. 
“Did it really change, right in my hands?”
Ajay decides to ultimately discard the pamphlet.
As he throws the small booklet into the trash bin on the subway platform, he’s overcome by an eerie sensation.
The platform is absolutely barren, not a soul in sight. 
“It’s 5pm on a Wednesday. It should be relatively busy.” he whispers, as if someone’s listening.
The air is thick and moist. Almost disgustingly so. Ajay can’t help himself. He begins to worry.
Finally, the sound of footsteps interrupts his panic. He shrugs, trying to release the tension he had been building.
As Ajay turns to walk toward the staircase out, he sees the source of the footsteps. A man in his mid forties.
The air begins to further thicken, and his throat feels tight. It dawns on him that he’s sweating profusely. His heart is racing. 
Ajay attempts to turn around and run the other way, but his body doesn’t respond.
The man walking towards him is getting ever closer. He recognizes the man’s face, despite having never met him. The forty four year old New York native.
A weakness begins to wash over Ajay. He wants to run, but he can’t. He knows it wouldn’t be right.
“I think something’s wrong with me…” Ajay thinks aloud.
The man begins muttering something in a melancholic voice, as Ajay’s vision begins to cloud.
“Why think well, when you can think better?
----
:For more stories of salvation, seek out your own designated pamphlet.
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