The Lottery Jackpot

“You know what I’d do if we ever win the Lottery Jackpot,” she says while she crumples this week’s ticket.

I’ve heard this before. She’ll start summing up wild and expensive dreams, each time leaving out some she no longer desires, but adding a few new extravaganzas.

“...south of France. An electric car, we’ve talked about this. It’s the latest fashion – we should definitely own one. Quit our jobs, obviously. And you won’t have to mow the lawn of that young widow twice a week any more.”

I sure as hell hope we never win that freaking Lottery Jackpot.

From Guest Contributor Hervé Suys

Hervé (°1968 – Ronse, Belgium) started writing short stories whilst recovering from a sports injury and hasn’t stopped since.

Arm In Arm

Her spindly hand with purple veins protruding forms a tight grasp around the rigid arm. She had a history with this arm, often leaning against it to maintain her balance. It had been a steady companion over the last several years, which was more than she could say about her children. They never approved of their mother’s new company. A cigarette always hung from her overly wrinkled lips when the two were together, and the last thing she needed was another vice. It’s their loss, she shrugged and gave a tug on that trusty metal arm, waiting for three sevens.From Guest Contributor Nicholas Froumis

Nicholas practices optometry in the Bay Area. His writing has appeared in Gravel, Right Hand Pointing, Dime Show Review, Snapdragon: A Journal of Art & Healing, Ground Fresh Thursday, Balloons Lit Journal, and Short Tale 100. He lives in San Jose, CA with his wife, novelist Stacy Froumis, and their daughter.

I Had A Dream

That horrible dream kept coming back: there I was, a birthday girl at the local gas station purchasing the winning lottery ticket for the Mega Million jackpot.

As a devout Christian, I condemn gambling and other greedy activities. However, this dreadful nightmare made me feel shamefully happy and put my virtues in danger.

So, on my birthday, I resolved to resist Evil and locked myself home. The dream did not return.

The same night, some sleazy socialite from Miami stole the lucky numbers from my dream and won the Mega Million jackpot.

Some people have no decency, no decency at all.

From Guest Contributor Olga Klezovitch

Olga is a scientist who lives in Seattle. Her previous work has appeared in 50-Word Stories, A Story in 100 Words and Necon E-Books. Her "When It Dribbles, It Drabbles" Kindle book can be found at Amazon.com.