Meet My Characters!

This is the second featured story for Meet My Characters. Stay tuned to find out what happens next!

Lana Willow

More than a dozen Lucky Lotto! tickets lay fanned out on the table in front of Lana. Her fingers rummaged the stack as her eyes checked each series of numbers. This is it, she thought. My lucky day. It has to be.

The clock read 4:50 pm. It wasn't time just yet. She stepped up off the futon, pulling her jacket tighter around the front. Lynn could be home soon, but she could never be certain anymore. They didn't spend much time together lately, not since Michael's farewell a few months ago. That night changed a lot of things, and now they seemed like strangers to one another.

In a quick pace, Lana entered the kitchen and flicked the light switch up. Without further thought, she snatched up a warm Diet Pepsi can and a bag of Saltines. Snapping open the package, she pushed a short stack of crackers onto a small plate. Each one was smeared with a glob of butter and arranged side by side. Grabbing up her snack, she strode back to the living room with only a minute or so to spare.

Settling into her usual spot, she gingerly placed the plate of crackers and the worn remote control next to her on the futon cushion. Seconds ticked a little slow, her mind was overcome with growing anxiety. This week would be different. For more paydays than she could count, the other tickets were duds. It had to be her time to win by now.

The top news stories blared in the TV screen, she chewed on her fingernails to pass the time. The outside lights grew dim as sunset approached. The darkness surrounding the room did not seem to grab her attention. In small motions, she sipped her soda a couple times. Her back straightened up as soon as the plunky keyboard music came on for the Lucky Lotto. The flashy lights glowing in her eyes, she reached out for the tickets before her.

"Today's Lucky Lotto numbers are," the announcer paused in anticipation, "12...49...1...7...50...33..." He raised his eyebrows, grinning with eagerness in creating a slight moment of suspense. "And, folks, the final winning number is 19."

Lana's eyes darted left to right as she grabbed each ticket, picking through the numbers quickly and in caution. With her heart pounding and fingers numbing in the excitement, her eyes fell upon the ticket at the far end.

TO BE CONTINUED ...