a large rock sitting in the middle of a field

The Lucky Ticket Ethan was a young man who had grown up in a tiny, run-down apartment on the outskirts of the city. His parents had passed away when he was a teenager, leaving him to fend for himself. He worked long hours at a small diner, flipping burgers and washing dishes just to scrape together enough money to keep the lights on. Despite his struggles, Ethan remained kind-hearted and hopeful. Every week, he spent a single dollar on a lottery ticket—not because he believed he would win, but because it gave him a moment to dream. He imagined what life could be like without the constant worry of unpaid bills or the ache of hunger. One chilly Friday evening, after finishing his shift, Ethan bought his usual lottery ticket. He stuffed it into his pocket and headed home, exhausted but grateful for another day. The next morning, Ethan woke up to the sound of the radio. The lottery numbers were being announced. With little expectation, he pulled the crumpled ticket from his pocket and began to compare the num