[ WP ] In the shower you discover a dial on your neck . It 's turned to 7 . There 's no indication of what it controls . You set it to 8 and get dressed .

He reaches back to feel it again. 
 Still there. 
 He ties his shoes. 
 He adjusts his tie in the mirror. 
 He touches it again. 
 Still there. 
 
 A small round knob, barely the size of a thimble, protrudes from his neck just above his snow-white collar. 
 His inner monologue races. `` How long has it been there? Should I see a doctor? Does everyone have one? Impossible, I would have noticed. But I just noticed mine. Can everyone see it?'' 
 He touches it again, still there. 
 
 Barry Roper, the average height and slender, quiet, shy, clumsy, and most notably unlucky man is taking his chance today. He loathes his days emptying the trashcans along the residential neighborhoods. He is unsatisfied with his constant state of financial desperation. Renting a small studio apartment, perpetually drowning in stress, anxiety that the next time he turns his car key nothing will happen. Barry is not satisfied, and he finally dug up the courage to do something about it. 
 
 Barry's true passion is cards. Texas Holdem and Pot limit Omaha, he never misses a televised high stakes game. He dreams of building a bankroll and taking it to Vegas. When anyone mentions the greatest players of all time, his name will come up. When he sits at a table a crowd will gather. Only the most courageous or foolish players will remain seated. But beginning that journey would n't happen today. Only two days ago the casino posted an add looking for dealers. Good dealers make good money. With all of his practice pitching cards alone in front of his television, watching old tapes of poker world championships, Barry was a good dealer. 
 
 Then, this morning, the dial appeared. Barry twisted his back and leaned into the mirror to get a better look. White lines, raised like scars, wreathed the brassy knob. Alternating lines were marked with a digit increasing in value going clockwise around the peculiar blemish beginning with 0 near the eight o-clock position. Barry stretched his torso to the left; The numbers ended at 16 on the other side. Straining to see it clearly from the corner of his vision, just above the knob sat a triangle pointing at the number seven. 
 The mouse of a man gingerly caressed the newly discovered anatomy, feeling the cold hard shell. He tugged it gently. Like tugging his own ear, he knew it would not be removed painlessly. 
 
 Thoughts raced in Barry's mind. `` What are the numbers? What will happen if I turn it? will it even turn? Maybe it's just an odd mole and I'm just imagining things. Stress and nerves. That's what it is.'' 
 He could n't resist. Grasping the knob between his fingers he carefully slid his thumb towards his palm. With a barely audible'click' the arrow now pointed at the number eight. 
 
 Though there were no immediately noticeable effects, Barry had the distinct impression that he should n't do that again. It felt wrong, unnatural. At the same time his anxiety was dying into a level headed calm. Nothing had happened. 
 `` It's been there for a long time, I just never noticed. Seems like no one else does either. This evening I'll see a doctor, but right now I have an interview to prepare for.'' 
 
 Barry slid a hand through his choppy brown hair, giving it that stylish `` I do n't even have to try'' look. He straightened the only suit jacket he owned. 
 `` I've got a good feeling.'' 
 
 Barry stepped onto the casino floor. 
 `` It could n't be that easy.'' 
 The interview had gone well. Not flawlessly, Barry did stammer a bit when nervous, but when showing his skills everything went according to plan. He pitched the cards around the table like a professional. He counted chips, tracked the plays, exchanged cash, gave change, and never missed a beat. The bank in front of him stayed perfectly organised. He never spilled a chip or flashed a card. The manager complimented his performance. 
 
 Not only that, the bus was exactly on time. The line at the coffee shop was short. He did n't break a shoelace or stain his shirt with donut jelly. Nothing had gone wrong today, and that was out of the ordinary for Barry. 
 
 The skill assessment took place at a live table, he even received a few tips. $ 10 in total, good for only thirty minutes at a 1/2 game. The manager unfortunately took the tip box from him, he was not an employee, but offered to him a voucher for a meal at the in house restaurant. 
 `` Expect a call within the next few days.'' 
 Those were no uncertain terms. Barry knew he had the job. With a quick mental calculation of his current savings and expected income over the next month considering his recent performance, Barry concluded that rent and bills would be taken care of and he would have nearly $ 100 left over at the end of the month. Barry scouted out the nearest ATM and withdrew $ 40. 
 
 The lowest stakes blackjack table offered a $ 5 minimum bet with a 50 cent ante. Only one other player sat at the table, an elderly lady. Her attire suggested moderate wealth and her demeanor made it apparent that any losses would n't effect that appearance. In front of her were four full stacks of green $ 25 chips. She was playing games with his full monthly income as a garbage man. Barry sat down and placed his two twenty dollar bills on the table. Once the short stack or red chips was slid towards him he placed a single chip into the betting circle and one to the side for the dealer to exchange for his antes. Barry knew he would stand up again with no chips at all in just under an hour. 
 
 The first card was dealt to him. A nine. One went to the woman, one to the dealer face down. Another card landed in front of Barry, ace of clubs. Another to the woman, the dealer placed an ace of hearts in front of himself. He swung a hand around the table offering insurance, no one took the offer. The dealer checked his face down card and continued the game. 
 Barry tapped the table. 
 `` This man's playing with fire.'' The dealer remarked casually. He pulled a card from the deck and flipped it face up in front of Barry. 
 `` 21! Good hit.'' It was the ace of spades. 
 The woman waved a hand, staying with a total of sixteen. 
 The dealer flipped his face down card showing the nine of diamonds. 
 
 Barry sat and played for two hours. When he stood up, he carried with him $ 60 worth of chips to the cage to cash out. He felt good. It was n't an amazing achievement, but it was the first time he had ever beating the house. 
 Barry had forgotten about the doctor visit. He had forgotten about the new appendage that had grown at the top of his spine. 
 
 Barry's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He dropped the large brown garbage can he had just emptied and answered. 
 A pleasant sounding women's voice came through the phone. `` I'm calling for Barry Roper.'' 
 `` Y-yeah, you got him.'' 
 `` Hello Barry, this is about the position you applied for at the Borgata Hotel Casino, do you have a moment.'' 
 `` Yes, definitely.'' 
 `` I'm calling to let you know that we're interested in moving forward with the job offer. Can you be here Wednesday? There are a few things we need you to fill out and if possible we could get you into orientation right away.'' 
 `` Uh, yes, definitely.'' 
 `` Good. Can you arrive at Nine?'' 
 `` Nine is great, I'll be there.'' 
 `` Good, just come to the front desk, give your name and ask for Lindsey and we'll get you started.'' 
 
 `` Jake! Hey Jake! Tell Brian I wo n't be in tomorrow!'' 
 
 That night Barry inspected the dial. 
 `` It's real. No one else sees it, if they do they do n't seem to notice or care.'' 
 He had already grown accustomed to it, like it was always there. 
 Barry twisted the knob clockwise. 
'click click' 
 The arrow now pointed at ten. 
 
 Barry picked up the scattered bits of clothing across his floor. A green blur fell from his blue coveralls. It was a crisp fifty dollar bill. 
 Having no memory of losing the money recently, he excitedly stuffed it into his wallet. 
 
 Barry walked towards the bus stop, coffee in hand, glowing with excitement. 
 His electricity bill had dropped by $ 20. Yesterday, a cute young lady in the coffee shop offered her number, which he was embarrassed to accept. A dinner date had been planned for this afternoon. He opened his front door to see the loud teenagers next to him moving out of the building. 
 `` Barry? Hey, HEY! BARRY!'' 
 
 Barry spun. In front of him stood a man he barely recognized. 
 `` Patrick?'' 
 `` YEAH! Hey, how ya been! Shit, have n't seen you since high school!'' 
 `` I'm good, wow, how are things with you? Uh, I've got a minute.'' 
 `` Yeah, I just got back...'' 
 
 Barry walked with his old partner in crime. 
 
 `` Hey, I almost forgot. Starting a new job at the casino today. I got ta catch ya later.'' 
 They exchanged numbers and parted ways. 
 
 Barry was almost strutting towards the bus stop. 
 A man was installing a new sign above a small shop. 
 Barry did n't notice. 
 Cats were fighting in a nearby ally. 
 Barry did n't notice. 
 As Barry swung his left leg forward, taking the shortest path below the mans ladder, he felt a pain in his neck. A solid'click click click' echoed inside his head. 
 Barry slapped a hand to the back of his neck. 
 `` What the fuck'' 
 Two cats darted from the alleyway. 
'Click click' 
 He locked eyes with the second cat. Large, and pitch black. 
 
 Barry looked around, across the street was a small women's clothing store. He darted for it, knocking the ladder and sending the man sprawling on the pavement. Curses rained mercilessly upon him. A cab slammed it's brakes, stopping just short of breaking Barry's knees, but sliding far enough to twist his ankle. 
 Barry scrambled to his feet and barged into the store, spotting the nearest full length mirror beside a single changing room near the back. He limped furiously through the store knocking down multiple racks, sudden realizations spinning in his head. 
 Twisting his body, He peered into the mirror. Just as he suspected. The dial was now set to five. 
 A middle aged woman stormed towards him. The fuming lady tripped on a rack, tackling Barry to the floor. Barry's shoulder slammed into the mirror and it teetered on it's two hind legs before crashing to the floor. 
 
'click click click click'
