**Diary Entry 12th October**
Every morning, without fail, Id step onto the porch of my little cottage in Devon to find the same strange thinga fresh loaf of bread, wrapped in plastic, waiting for me. The packaging had a bright label from some bakery Id never heard of, the name odd-sounding, almost foreign. It set me on edge straightaway.
The first time, I thought maybe a kind neighbour had left itsomeone whod noticed an old man living alone and taken pity. I was touched, but I didnt eat it. Something told me free gifts never come without strings.
The next day, there it was again: the same loaf, same packaging, same spot. I wondered if it was a new council scheme for pensioners. But no one else mentioned it, and Id had no letter.
By the third day, my nerves were frayed. The timing, the peculiar brandit all felt wrong. I took the loaf to the local shop and asked the woman behind the counter, *”Is this from you? Some sort of promotion?”* She looked at me as if Id lost my mind. *”No, love, we sell bread, we dont deliver it to doorsteps for free.”*
I left more unsettled than ever. The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. What if it was poisoned? What if someone meant me harm?
On the fourth morning, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I dug out an old camcorder from the cupboardthe one Id used years ago to film the grandkidsand set it up to face the porch.
When I played the footage back, my heart near stopped. There, clear as day, was a small drone gliding silently to my doorstep at four in the morning, hovering just long enough to drop the loaf before vanishing into the dark.
My hands shook as I packed the camera and marched straight to the police station. The officers exchanged glances when I showed them the video. One of them chuckled under his breath. *”Youve been roped into an experiment, mate.”*
Turns out some tech start-up was trialling a bread delivery service using drones. My address had somehow ended up in their systembecause, days earlier, while fumbling with my phone to check the weather, Id accidentally clicked an ad and signed up for a months trial. I hadnt even realised Id done it.
They refunded me and cancelled the subscription, but the whole thing left a sour taste. I never did eat that bread. There was something about those loavestoo perfect, too eerie.
**Lesson learned:** If something turns up on your doorstep out of the blue, its best to question it. And for heavens sake, mind where you tap that phone.
