The Unlucky Ones

Sitting alone in my dimly lit apartment, I tried not to let my eyes wander over the slightly water stained ceiling, or to wonder what made the horrible looking brownish stain on the edge of the pale grey carpet. It has been almost a full month since I had moved out of my parents beautiful acreage into this claustrophobic nightmare that I was currently wallowing in.

Taking a deep breath, I told myself, once again, “You can do this, we are NOT going back home”

A slight pang from my stomach made me realise that I had not even thought of dinner yet. Another subject that I didn’t want to think too hard about. How to feed myself, as the very little funds that I had with me was dwindling away.

With a loud sigh I got up off the floor. “Hopefully the pizza place down the street is still open” I thought to myself as I pulled on my tattered sneakers. I pulled my jacket over my shoulders and opened the apartment door.

As I took my first step out of the apartment, I felt the sharp intense pain as my ankle rolled on an unexpected object at the front of my door. “Shit!!!” I fell to the ground in a heap and grabbed at my pounding foot. After sitting with my eyes closed, attempting to will away the pain for what seemed like hours, I opened my eyes. Under my leg was a small package wrapped in plain brown paper. I picked it up to inspect the cause of my fall.

I rolled it over in my hands, seeing there was no writing or markings on the package my interest peaked. I slowly rose to my feet, holding the wall to steady myself as I slowly tested my ankle. Pain coursed through again, and I cursed again. I now had hatred for this little package of doom.

I hobbled back inside my tiny apartment and slid onto the couch with a sigh of relief as the pain of the weight on my ankle subsided.

I looked at the package again. Still no markings. I guess I was just trying to convince myself that opening the package was justifiable. “Screw it!” I ripped the paper off. It was a small black book. No markings or brand shown. Just a shiny black leather cover. I flicked through the pages. There was writing throughout, but it made no sense.

On each page, there was a date. Under the date was a row of numbers. As I flipped through, I saw that each date was in the past. Many of the dates were very old, and it looked like each date was one year after the page before it. I flicked to the back pages. On the final page, scrawled in shaky writing were the words

“ïn a time of need, a blessing is freed. This book has been given to you by another, change your fate and pass to another. Greed is a sin, take your win, do not be tempted. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED”

I frowned at the words. What the hell did that mean. I flipped back to the first pages. Seven numbers under a date. They sort of looked like lotto numbers. I shook my head, “don’t be stupid ”I tried to move that thought out of my head.

I thumbed through the pages again, halfway through the little black book I stopped at a date. 12/03/2021. That was today!

“No, don’t be stupid, it is not possible, stop thinking about it.” I mumbled to myself. Food. I need to think about food. Not stupid little books with stupid fantasies inside.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself to get off my seat. Thankfully the throbbing had subsided quite a bit, and I could move, although with a limp, but I could walk. I absent mindedly tucked the book in my pocket and left the apartment, with nothing else on my mind except my once again growling stomach.

Tucking into my single piece of pizza, I looked at the change in my hands – 9 dollars, that is what my life is, 9 dollars is all I have amounted to after leaving that nightmare. I slowly limped down the street, while wallowing in my own personal sorrow, I didn’t see the slight indented paver in the sidewalk, and tripped. I fell forward, losing the last bite of my pizza, into the open door of a store. Filled with embarrassment, and a new pain surging in my already swollen ankle, I lay for a second. “Yes, this is my life ”I thought solemnly to myself. Bracing myself, I stood back up, and an object fell out from my jacket.

I looked down at the strange little black book, with somewhat hatred. I bent to retrieve it, and as I straightened up, I noticed that I was standing in the doorway of a newsagency. Looking back at the book, my mind flickered to the numbers in the pages. My mind threw wild ideas of lottery wins, flowing champagne , and continuous parties.

I stood, looking at the book “Stuff it, I can’t do anything else with 9 dollars, might as well ”I approached the counter, and pulled a card for tomorrows draw, then leant on the counter and flipped through the pages of the book until I reached todays date.

After filling in the lottery card with the allotted numbers, I paid and limped out of the store, feeling very foolish. I could never make the correct decisions.

***

Waking in the morning, I followed my normal morning routine. I was again filled with dread, as there was nothing worse than doing the walk of shame to the unemployment office. I quickly showered and dressed, better to get the rejection over and done with early, so hopefully I can come back and sleep through my self-pity.

As I walked out of the apartment and onto the street, my mind fluttered to last night’s incident. “God, I am stupid” I scolded myself again. “Might as well go and see how stupid” I mumbled to myself as I headed to the newsagency.

I handed over the little paper ticket, and waited for the screen to flash with the all too familiar better luck next time phrase that I had seen all my life.

The computer started chiming, I looked up in surprise, as the clerk smiled widely at me “Congratulations, you have won the minor jackpot”

I stared at him in shook. I’m sorry “I stammered “What does that mean?”

“You have won $20,000, congratulations”

I tried to comprehend the instructions that the man in front of me was excitedly rushing through, something about the lottery office, the address – it was all a bit of a blur.

I walked out of the shop, with my winning ticket in hand. “Screw the unemployment office! I am going to cash this baby in!” I walked with pace down the street. I knew that the walk in front of me was going to be over an hour long, but I didn’t care.

***

Sitting in the local café, I was feeling elated. Sipping on the overpriced cappuccino in front of me, I again lovingly glanced at my new shoes. I smiled to myself. The little black book of miracles was sitting in front of me. I was stroking its leather protectively. “what do I do with you my little blessing?”

I flipped to the page which changed my world, then my eyes crossed t the next page. Ä whole year until the next date comes around. What would that day bring? A Million? Five Million? The idea made me giddy with excitement.

I flipped back to the back page. I read again the words that I scoffed at only a few days ago. My eyes kept landing on “YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED”

The battle in my head was intense. I did not believe in magic, or karma, or any such nonsense. But here in front of me was a miracle book, that changed my miserable life. While all I wanted to do was hide this little treasure away, in the back of my head, the warning was screaming at me. What is going to happen if I don’t pass the book along? What if I write down the numbers myself, and play my luck next year? Would the book know?

I nearly laughed out loud “Would the book know” – I smiled again, what have I turned into. That is preposterous. I am turning into my mother.

I got up to leave, pushing my chair back slightly as I rose, I felt it hit something, and then a tray of hot food and drinks landed all over the back of me. I spun quickly, to see the apologetic look of the waitress. This poor girl quickly grabbed the towel attached to her waist and went to work attempting to wipe the excess food matter from my back, all while apologising profusely. I turned back to the table, every inch was covered in the remnants of another customers meal – all except the book – the book had not been touched.

I slowly picked it up, and mumbled at the waitress the it was fine. I dashed out of the café and into the street. Still staring at the book like it was the first time I had seen it. My mind went to the worst places. “Does the book know? Can it hear my thoughts? Does it think I was decided on keeping the book for myself?”

BANG

I flinched, my heart jumping into my throat. Blinking though the dust that I was surrounded in, I could see the car that just ran the lights at the corner, and had hit the wall right next to me. People were rushing around, yelling, on their phones. I stared at the car. It was so close to me I could touch it.

Now while I do not believe in magic, or any other ridiculousness. I also do not believe in coincidences – I was decided – this was a warning – this book is a bomb – I need to pass this on – RIGHT NOW.

I rushed back home. Taking the book, I found the scruffy plain brown paper that I had discarded on my floor, and rewrapped the book as fast as possible. I felt a touch better not being able to see the cover of the book. But now I had to pass it on – But to who? Who is in need? How do I pick?

I wanted this book as far away from me as possible. I had planned to go to the park, which occasionally had homeless sleep on the park benches if the weather was good.

I walked out of the apartment, locking the door behind me, I walked down the hallway with purpose. As I turned the corner, I almost ran into a neighbour. She looked terrible. Holding a wriggling dirty toddler on one hip, and struggling with her shopping with the other hand. The bags under her eyes, the hair, the tattered clothes. This woman is who I was last week.

“I’m so sorry” I stammered. “I am your neighbour” I smiled at the little one she was still struggling with. “Please, can I help you with your shopping?” The woman hesitated, but after looking me up and down she reluctantly handed over a couple of the bags with a small smile.

I followed her down the hall, and as I did, I slipped the book into one of the bags. As she reached the door, I carefully placed the bag at the door and wished the woman a good day.

Walking back to my apartment, my heart felt full. I was free of the curse of the book, and still had its blessings snug in my bank account.

Hopefully she will have the same blessing.