Hacked in my sleep

I looked down at my watch, and suddenly realised that if I didn’t hurry, I was going to be late for my flight. Downing my coffee, I quickly gathered my stuff from my table at the coffeeshop where I had been sitting by myself. As I did so, a stranger who was passing by stopped, pulled out his phone, and enthusiastically exclaimed, “Hey, my phone has the same case as yours. Do you mind if I have a look at yours?”

Without waiting for my answer, the man picked up my phone and began turning it over and examining it minutely. I was taken aback, but the man’s enthusiasm seemed genuine which was understandable as my phone case is a classic that has saved my phone from many a hard fall. So I finished putting away my stuff, picked up my bag, collected my phone from the stranger and hurriedly left. As I dashed out of the coffeeshop, I saw my boss sitting at another table. He was gesticulating at me and mouthing, “How could you give your phone to a stranger?”

I waved at him but didn’t stop as I was already late for my flight. However I glanced down at my phone’s screen as I ran. To my horror, all the icons had disappeared. All that I could see was several rows of tiny hieroglyphics slowly scrolling on a white screen.

How was I going to disable my credit cards if I couldn’t even call the bank? I mean how was I going to be able to do anything with a phone that was as good as bricked.

As my heart began pounding, I sat up and realised I was in bed. It was all just a dream though it seemed so real. Phone hacking has always worried me. Even the man’s claim to having the same phone case was just the right way to disarm my suspicions as I usually strongly recommend that case to any iPhone 6S+ user I meet.

Still, it was weird how the faceless monsters of my childhood nightmares are being replaced with faceless hackers.

As I tossed around trying to fall asleep, I recalled reading that dreaming of ‘being late’ symbolises a desire for a change in life. My brother had just told me he had upgraded to the XS while I had decided to stick with 6S+ on principle and price.

Was the meaning of my dream a desire for a change of phone?

Forget about subliminal advertising, this is a whole new level. Apple has hacked my dreams!

Help!

Hacked in my sleep was originally published in Hacker Noon on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.