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(Turquoise waves crash on a beach of warm, white sand. The sun shines overhead. Far away, the seagulls call to one another. The lilting music of distant pipes begins to softly play. A young woman with a friendly, soothing voice begins to speak.)

Narrator: Are you feeling overwhelmed by the demands of modern life? Do the days feel long? Does work seem pointless? Do you find that the weekend just doesn't give back what the week takes away? You are not alone. Many adults have trouble dealing with modern life. But what if there was a solution? A way to finally release all that pent-up stress, and experience true inner peace? There is a way.

All across the world, the commercials began to appear. Slowly, at first. One would show up on a Youtube video, another on a free app, here and there on late night television, once in a while on Facebook. Very few people spoke about them, at first. Most were concerned that the ads had targeted them in particular, due to their search histories or postings. Some wondered if they had only imagined them, or had just seen them in a dream. Trying to recall specifically what they had said or shown was often difficult. Some tried to bring them up to friends or family, only to suddenly find that they could not recall any specific details of what they had seen and heard.

Narrator: Relax. Let my voice wash over you like waves on the sand. Breathe in. Breath out. Feel your tension flow out of you with each breath. There is so much stress is stored in your stomach. Allow it to release. Deep breath in...deep breath out. Allow your shoulders to fall away from your ears. Allow your head to slump backward. Breathe in...breathe out. Very Good. You feel better already. Are you ready to hear about a wonderful new technique for releasing tension? It isn't complicated. It isn't difficult at all. It's so very simple. So very easy.

Gradually, the commercials grew longer and longer, and were shown more and more often. Those who watched them found their minds effortlessly drifting away. As they grew more frequent, they began to crowd out once-popular shows and well-funded advertising campaigns. Attempts to trace the source of the strange messages always ended in failure. No nation or corporation would admit to producing or funding them. No regulatory body could recall clearing them for public viewing.

Narrator: It's a technique that you've used before. In fact, you had to learn how to stop using it. Modern society has trained you to hold your emotions in. To store them up, like a toxin, instead of releasing them naturally. But you don't have to suffer because of all that foolishness anymore. Relax. Allow your mind to wander freely. There are thoughts and memories and worries that constantly hover at the back of your consciousness, never allowing you to fully relax and unwind. You've been told all your life that those stresses and fears are just part of life. That they are inevitable. That you just have to put up with them and move past them. But there is a better way. A way to finally be rid of those unwanted thoughts and feelings.

You can...Cry.

The voice had a strange, uncanny reverberation, that seemed to make it all but impossible to ignore. The mind lost focus as the strange music and beautiful images were shown over and over. Focus and determination dissolved into soft, pleasant relaxation. More and more people found themselves living in a twilight world between sleeping and waking, the bizarre yet comforting words and images invading their dreams and their thoughts. The suggestions the ads offered became harder and harder to resist.

Narrator: Oh, I know that you've been told all sorts of false stories about Crying. That it is something only children are supposed to do. That it is a sign of weakness. That it betrays a lack of emotional maturity. But that is foolish. Crying is a natural instinct, as natural as breathing. No one calls the need for oxygen a sign of weakness. It is simply a need, a necessity for life. Crying is the same. A natural way to release and resolve all the unwanted feelings that accompany our lives.

Give yourself permission to Cry. Deep breath in...deep breath out. Allow your emotions to move freely once again. Allow the core of your being to open up like a flower. Pressure has built up for so long, that a storm is inevitable. That is nature's way. Give in to that storm of emotions. You'll be so glad you did.

(The wind grows louder. The sky darkens. Gray clouds flow through the air above the sea. Raindrops begin to gently fall on the sand.)

Narrator: Can you feel your bottom lip begin to quiver? Does your vision blur as tears form? Very good. You have forgotten how good it feels to Cry. How much of a relief it is to express your feelings without fear. You will find it easier and easier to cry now. When you are frightened. When you are uncomfortable. When you worry about the future. When troubling memories bubble to the surface. You will immediately start to whimper and sob. And there is nothing you can do about it.

(The wind howls. The rain pours down, drenching the beach. Lightning splits the dark sky with a mighty crack.)

It will happen more and more often, over less and less. Whenever you are disappointed, whenever life doesn't go your way, you will find yourself sniffling and tearing up. The smallest inconvenience will have you bawling like a spoiled little toddler. There is no going back now. You will never be able to contain the feelings you have unleashed ever again. You must learn to live with it now. Learn to accept yourself for what you are. A Crybaby. You...are a Crybaby. And you always will be.

As the ads continued to expand in length, reach, and influence, more powerful groups began to take notice. Reporters, police, and even hackers tried desperately to trace the source of the hypnotic messages. The FBI and the CIA mobilized, fearing that the commercials represented a particularly devastating form of psychological warfare, intended to weaken the resolve of the population as a prelude to invasion. But invasion from where? It soon became clear that every nation was equally affected. Even terrorist organizations were being lulled into helplessness by the relentless commercials. More and more investigators struggled to track the source of the strange ads, before they stole the strength and toughness of all humanity. But it was useless, and as they listened to the music and the comforting voice over and over, they found themselves giving up, one by one. Their willpower melted away like snow in the sunshine. No one found any source of the powerful transmissions, save the vague message that appeared at the end of each ad.

(The clouds part. Sunlight pours through the gap in the clouds, illuminating the slowing raindrops like tiny falling diamonds. Sea birds begin calling once again. Bright, golden letters crawl across the screen to soaring orchestral music.)

This Message Is Brought To You By...Our Sponsors.

Soon, even the most strong-willed realized that it was no use. There was nothing to be done, but sit down...and Cry.