Lottery
Page 6
“Wait… yeah, there he goes,” Tabitha heard, and then crumbled inside, laying down on the floor, inviting the cold touch of a silo that was dead to her. She curled up, feeling her heart pound inside her chest. “Yeah, he’s got a minute or so… strong one though… gonna miss his family night… I think he’s done… shame… he almost made it up the hill, too.” A parade of voices marched in from the cafeteria, and she imagined Justin’s heart slowing inside him, approaching death. Tabitha squeezed her sore eyes—pressing her mind—trying to concentrate and connect with him using the magic they had, hoping she could give him some of her strength. When she felt a hand pull on her arm and heard the deputy talking, she sat up. She stared up at his face, watching his mustache bounce with his words, but she heard none of what the deputy had to say.
Love me for the rest of my life, she heard Justin’s voice come into her mind. A part of her hated him for saying that, for doing that to her. She’d love him for the rest of her life, and the memories of him would forever be touched by these final moments.
“Tabitha!” the deputy exclaimed. “Tabitha, do you need me to call the doctor?” Shaking her head, she adjusted her eyes, blinking them until all of what was in front of her came into focus. She found the deputy kneeling in front of her, and the mayor next to him, her aged hand resting on Tabitha’s arm. Behind them was the sheriff, his brow furrowed, but his eyes filled with sadness. Had she passed out? Lost consciousness? Had she done anything differently than any other spouse would have done after losing the one they loved?
“No. You don’t have to call anyone.”
“Okay, then,” he answered, helping her to back to her feet. “It’s over, Tabitha. You have our deepest condolences.” Tabitha stepped back from the apology she saw in his eyes. She stepped back until she was pressing against the airlock door. It wasn’t over, and she knew it.
“Deputy, Mayor… Sheriff,” she started to say, answering the flutter inside her with the press of her hand. “It’s not over. It’s only beginning.”
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading my short story, Lottery. If you enjoyed reading Lottery, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU?
I’M A WALRUS!
Brian Johnson—The Breakfast Club
Who am I?
Brian Spangler here, writing as Darren Cole. I’m a resident of Virginia along with my wife and children, five cats, three birds, a hamster, and a lizard. Yeah, it’s a busy house at meal time.
Although I live in Virginia, my heart lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I was raised. And perhaps, one day, I’ll be able to call Philadelphia home again.
Growing up, I liked to read stories, but struggled with the words. You see, I had a secret, a sad little secret. Ashamed and embarrassed, I was the little kid in the back row of the schoolroom quietly moving their lips along with the class while everyone read aloud. I couldn’t read. I couldn’t write. I hoped nobody would notice, but they did. They always did.
By the time I reached the fourth grade, my secret wasn’t a secret anymore. The teachers knew something was wrong. Dyslexia. And the fix? It was back to the third grade for me, and then special classes three days a week. But it worked. Once I started reading, I never stopped. Stephen King, Piers Anthony, Dean Koontz, and even the Judy Blume books my sisters discarded.
I’m still one of the slowest readers I know, but school was never a problem again. I finally graduated from the third grade, and then kept on going until I finished my master’s.
These days, I work as an engineer and spend my off hours writing, editing, and thinking up the next great story.
What’s with the pen name, you ask? What started years ago developed into quite a few books published across multiple genres. This hasn’t been the best reader experience. After much consideration, I decided to use a pseudonym as a way to keep the books better collected and organized. For my crime thrillers and cozy mysteries, they will continue to be published in my name, Brian Spangler. And for the paranormal, metaphysical and science fiction fun, those are published as Darren Cole.
Happy reading,
Brian
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Brian
ALSO BY DARREN COLE
From the Caustic Series—An Apocalyptic and Dystopian series:
Fallen—Book One
Endure—Book Two
Deceit—Book Three
Reveal—Book Four
Supernatural Suspense
Superman’s Cape—A grim tale of a boy lost in a forest that holds all of his fears.
Short Stories
Naked Moon—For one young traveler, a naked moon may mean the difference between life and death.
Portals — A scientist travels back in time, eager to fix the past. But she could never have guessed what would be waiting when she returned.
From Hugh Howey’s World of Wool
Silo Saga: Lottery—What happens when you have one too many mouths to feed?
AND BY BRIAN SPANGLER
Action Adventure Suspense
Deadly Tide—The exciting adventures of Jericho Quinn. An officer with the Marine Patrol on the beautiful coast of North Carolina. A murder mystery.
Crime Thriller
Affair with Murder—Having an affair with murder is easy. It’s what happens afterward that’s deadly.
Killing Katie—Book One
Painful Truths—Book Two
Grave Mistakes—Book Three
A Cozy Mystery
An Order of Coffee and Tears—Friendships, romance, secrets, and forgiveness come together in this cozy mystery.
For more, visit my site and subscribe to my newsletter, WrittenByBrian.