Chapter 2: Fading Doubts
By the time Richard got home, the lottery ticket was practically a sacred relic in his hands. He held it carefully, fanning it back and forth as if airing it out would keep it from crumpling. His heart was still racing from the excitement, his mind bouncing between doubt and blind optimism.
The blue panel hadn't disappeared.
It hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, its soft glow barely noticeable under the daylight. A part of him still wondered if he had just been hallucinating—but if the numbers were real...
"Ma, we're winning tonight," he declared, stepping onto the porch and waving the ticket like a trophy. "We're gonna check the results together."
Anita, still lounging on the plastic chair with her phone in hand, snorted.
"Are you finally losing it, Richard?" she said without looking up. "I don't even bet on Swertres, and now you're gambling on 6/49? How the hell are you so sure you're gonna win, huh?"
Richard opened his mouth—then froze.
He suddenly realized just how insane he must've sounded.
He had sprinted to the lottery station, completely convinced by the words of some floating blue hallucination. For all he knew, he had eaten some weird shrooms again, and this was just a lingering trip.
Still, the panel wouldn't disappear.
He took a deep breath. Whatever. It was just 25 pesos. A small price to pay for hope.