Hello everyone, I am a writer.

I am excited to share one of my recent short stories with you all. The story is about a freelancer who suddenly comes into a large sum of money through a lottery win, but loses it all in a day. It is a story that explores the themes of luck, opportunity, and how we handle unexpected events in life. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thank you for taking the time to read it.

Note: Please be aware that this book is protected by copyright laws and has already been published. It is illegal to reproduce or repost this work without permission from the copyright holder. The distribution or sharing of this book without proper authorization is a violation of the copyright holder's rights. I kindly request that you respect the author's rights and refrain from reproducing or reposting this book.

Part One

Arnold shook the sand off his drab slippers and stepped into the kitchen. It was a small and musty room with no working lights. He had not paid the bill for the month, and consequently, there was no electricity. He closed the door behind him and clutched the daily newspaper in his hands. It was a really cold day and he huddled on a chair in the kitchen.

There was nothing new in the paper: rife sparring between opposing political parties, killings by bandits, and politicians’ money laundering cases. After abandoning the paper, he yawned and lit a cigarette. He drew in the nicotine deeply and exhaled, it would be a long day today.

Arnold had just been dismissed from his last job and he had a lot of bills and loans to settle. His side hustle as a freelancer would not be able to sustain him and he hadn’t been having any tasks recently. He anticipated a call from any of his creditors any moment from now.

He stood up and hugged the bathrobe he wore closely. The sash barely formed a knot and the curtains hung loosely, just below his knees. The cold tickled his hairy legs. Swearing, he opened a cupboard to search for the morning meal, but he was disappointed to find only a half carton of milk and cereal. There was no sugar.

He grabbed the cleanest bowl he could find and poured milk inside it. Next, he dumped the cereal continuously until it overflowed onto the surface beside the plate. He located a clean spoon and began to eat as much as he could to silence the rumblings in his stomach.

He had hardly put the fourth spoonful in his mouth when his phone rang. He ignored the first ring, praying that it wouldn’t call again but when the caller persisted, he edged close to glance at the caller’s I.D. It was James, one of his numerous creditors, an old acquaintance from his college days.

He answered the call.

“Arnold! I need my money. I’m tired of you sidestepping the payment, besides I need it for some projects that I want to embark on.” James sounded furious like he usually was. His voice was raspy, probably strained from yelling at his unfortunate employees.

He tried to gulp down the mouthful of cereal. “Of course, I know. I understand you perfectly. But, you should also understand my situation. You know I just…”

James cut him off. “I don’t give a damn if you lost your job Arnold, I just want my money. That line is becoming stale. I wonder why I decided to give you that loan and I am filled with regret every time I think about it.”

Arnold swallowed and clicked his fingers on the kitchen island. He had borrowed a hundred thousand naira from James to pay for some programming courses online, but he found it hard to cough back the money. James wouldn’t understand that he was in a tight spot now, and even if he understood, he wouldn’t care anyway.

“Look James, I’m working on something big and I’m expecting a generous pay. Trust me, I’ll soon settle with you.” He waited to see if James would believe the lie.

“That’s your business, Arnold. I want my money by the end of the week. If I don’t get it by then, the police will!”

“Wait, James. James! Hello!” James had ended the call. He dropped his phone and sunk back into the chair. He was frustrated with his life and the fact that things were not working out the way he’d like. He didn’t even have food to eat at home and now James was threatening him with the police. Arnold knew that James could do it, he’d seen people arrested on behalf of James for far less. He suspected James just put up with him because they knew each other in college.

He retrieved his plate and continued eating while thinking deeply. He was going to have to find a way to get the money this week. But how? More freelancing gigs and proposals? More loans? Fraud? He didn’t know but he had to come up with an idea quickly.

Arnold finished his unsavory meal and stood behind the sink as he washed the bowl. The phone rang again. He inhaled deeply and dried his hands with a rag. He sighed and calmly answered the call on the third ring.

“Arnold! How are you? How’s the new job going?” It was Toyin, a former colleague of his. She was still chirpy and exuberant as always.

“I’m good, Toyin. I lost my job, though.” He said dryly and looked up to check the time. It was eight-thirty.

“That’s so sad to hear, I’m very sorry. How about Eleanor? Is she doing, okay?”

Eleanor was his girlfriend cum fiancée who had just informed him that she needed her space, so she took a few of her things and went to stay with a friend. He didn’t even miss her; she was clingy and disorganized, and hardly contributed anything meaningful to their relationship. Her leaving made it easier for him to save some money that she might have spent if she was around. He didn’t need to update Sandra about that though.

“She’s doing okay. She went to see her parents in the village, but she’ll be back soon,” I replied.

“That’s nice. Very nice.” She paused. “I need to ask you about something Arnold. I’m sorry to be a bother.”

He tried to think of what favor she could need and when he couldn’t guess, he gave up. “Go on, I’m listening.”

She sounded hesitant. “I don’t usually do this, but I have no choice.” He waited for her to continue. “My little sister needs money for surgery and I don’t know how to raise the whole amount. Can you help me with some money?”

He should have guessed where the conversation was heading. She knew his position and how hard things were for him, but she was still requesting money from him.

“How much do you need?” He asked solemnly.

“Well, it’s just two hundred thousand naira, that’s left to pay the hospital.” Her voice had lowered and sounded patronizing; it was probably all in his head.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

He folded his arms and clenched his teeth. Why couldn’t he refuse?

Then, he remembered borrowing money from Toyin some years ago and she even stopped him from paying when it became obvious that he couldn’t afford to repay. He would be doing the right thing by giving her and lending to her in her time of need.

“Oh, thank you. Thank you very much, Arnold. I didn’t know who else to ask.”

He flinched. He couldn’t refuse, he was between a rock and a hard place. “Of course, what are friends for? You also helped me in my time of need. It’s only right that I extend the same favor to you.”

“All right, I’m grateful. The boss is calling me, I must get to work. Bye Arnold.”

“Bye.”

He was about to drop the phone when he noticed a notification. He flinched before checking it and found out it was a message from yet another creditor.

I need my money by the end of the week. No more postponements, I’ve waited for too long.

Arnold was royally screwed.

Part Two

At twenty-eight years of age, Arnold Obi had made no reasonable achievements or developed his personal life for future purposes. The nature of his jobs made him live in the present and depend on his income to survive. He took on content writing freelancing jobs and he worked physically with companies on a contract. It was never enough to sustain himself, Eleanor, and his retired parents; not to talk about his future through savings and investments.

His parents, especially his mother, were disappointed in him because they had expected him to become a lawyer or an engineer. Even now, they still expressed their disdain concerning his decision. After secondary school, he didn’t study the expected course but studied the English Language at the university. He graduated and taught in secondary schools for a while before he moved on to freelancing jobs.

At first, it was an exciting prospect, and the pay was good, especially for foreign clients. However, the market became saturated, and he lost old clients. The newer clients made stringent demands and had ridiculous expectations; they were also harder to keep. Besides, he also had a standard and could not slave himself for pay that was undeserving of him. There were other writers who were desperate enough for that.

He had to take loans and debt to maintain the house and car he had purchased when the business was booming. Eventually, he sold the car to pay back some loans and he could barely afford to keep the house now. Under pressure from his parents to settle down, he dated Eleanor, but he knew she wasn’t wife material.

Nowadays, he stayed at home working on jobs for meager pay or partaking in lotteries, hoping to get lucky.

---

Arnold sat on the couch in his living room and watched a local news channel. He couldn’t afford cable, so he watched the free-to-air programs on the television. At least, he was able to pay the electricity bill. The news channel he was watching had bad graphic displays and the news anchoring was horrible, but he had no choice. After all, half-bread is better than none.

He closed his eyes and thought deeply about his debts. He needed to find a way to pay because time was running out. He was about to drift to sleep when he thought he heard his name. Arnold opened his eyes and looked at the television. His picture was displayed on the television screen. He fumbled as he searched for the remote control. He had muted the television due to the horrendous newscasting but now he needed it to hear why he was on the news.

“… The lucky winner of the Pick-and-Win lottery is Arnold Chika Obi. He has won a sum of three million naira and is expected to report to the lottery house to receive his winnings within the week…” He zoned out and couldn’t pick up the rest of the information that the news anchor was saying.

He could not believe that he had won three million naira. Yes, it was small for a lottery winning but it was still something. He had just been thinking about how he was going to pay his debts and now he had been gifted free cash. He stood up, still dazed, and began dancing around oblivious to his surroundings.

Arnold quickly searched for a pen and paper to draft how he was going to spend the money. He divided it into debts, investments, and the purchase of some essential services and items. After planning, he laid back and ordered some wine and food online.

It was time to celebrate.

Part Three

He hurriedly brushed his teeth and took a quick shower the following morning. He wanted to get to the lottery house as fast as he could. He met a dilemma when it was time to pick an outfit to wear. He didn’t want to appear flashy and on the other hand, he wanted to stand out. After rummaging through his clean clothes, he finally found the right outfit. He wore a rumpled white shirt, jean trousers, and his only pair of black boots.

He checked himself in the mirror and gave a nod of approval. He then grabbed his ticket and ran out the front door. Arnold checked his faux silver watch and saw it was eight o’clock. Most of the neighborhood was already awake and were out in the morning rush to attend to their jobs. Children with school bags and lunch boxes could be seen being bustled into cars by their disheveled parents. One neighbor recognized him.

“Hey, Arnold! I was just planning to come over to your house this morning. I saw you on the news yesterday.” It was an old man who had been divorced so many times that he himself had lost count. Rumor had it that he used to be a rich sportsman but after the series of divorces, he had lost almost all his money. He retired to the quiet neighborhood where Arnold lived and spent his days drinking.

He was obviously drunk this morning and his shout had turned heads towards Arnold. Recognition appeared in the facial expression of some, while others just continued with their activities. Arnold was not a people person so most of his neighbors hardly saw him and didn’t even know him very well.

Arnold had to move out of there fast. “Good morning Mr. Fejiro, How are you doing?”

Mr. Fejiro replied with a drunken slur. “I am doing very well, Thank you. Are you headed off to collect your prize money?”

Shit, He had to get the man to stop talking. “I’m in a rush right now. Maybe we can talk another time?” Arnold said dismissively.

Mr. Fejiro seemed to get the hint. “Alright, just be careful out there. People now know that you’ve got a bit of cash, so watch your steps.” Saying that Mr. Fejiro belched and turned to enter his house.

Despite the man’s ramblings, his advice made sense. The country was insecure and now that he had a few million, he could be a potential target for kidnappers. Arnold exhaled and started walking down the road, hoping to catch a taxi. Luckily, all the neighbors that were around him had left for work or school.

The road branched off into three other roads and formed a roundabout. Taxi cabs sped along with the early risers as passengers while others were parked with conductors yelling the routes they were plying. Arnold had no time to wait, so he chose a cab that was almost filled. He shared the cab with workers that were dressed in suits and a sole woman who was dressed in a blouse and wrapper. She clutched a nylon bag full of vegetables and dozed off occasionally.

The cab began its journey and Arnold asked to be dropped at the lottery house. Luckily for him, nobody in the taxicab recognized him from the television or asked him any questions. Maybe they just wanted to get to work quickly, so they didn’t have time for idle chatter. He paid off his transport fare and exited the vehicle.

Inside the building, it was colder. The Air Conditioner was on and everywhere was cool and he wished he wore something thicker. The Air Conditioner in his house had been damaged and since he seldom left his house, he almost forgot how it felt like.

A receptionist sat at the front desk and when Arnold announced the reason for his arrival, he was given some forms to fill. When he was told, the receptionist told him to wait while she called an official. Arnold tried his best to sit still but his excitement could barely be contained. He hummed to himself and tapped his foot.

After a few minutes, he directed towards the staircase.

“Second door by your left is the place you’re headed next,” the receptionist announced with a small smile.

He stood up and walked briskly to the staircase. The handrails reflected the rays of the bright light bulbs and Arnold tried his best to stop himself from breaking into a run.

He arrived at the door and took a deep breath to calm himself before he knocked. He was told to open it and he came into a small office. There was a large desk in the middle and two plastic chairs in front of the desk. The walls were decorated with pictures of the country’s President and Vice President. A black rug lay on the floor which made the room seem dim and smaller.

“Good morning Mr. Obi. Welcome to the BestPick lottery house. I am Isaac Shodipo, the finance officer.” The man was short and stocky, but he had an endearing smile and was confident. He was dressed in a white suit with a blue tie and his expensive watch made Arnold feel self-conscious.

He was nervous now, but he held out his hand to the shorter man. “Good morning Mr. Shodipo.”

Mr. Shodipo smiled and took his hands. “Please call me Isaac. You’re making me feel older than I am.” They both laughed and he continued. “Well, congratulations once again on your win.”

“Thank you, Isaac.”

“I’ll try to make things as quick as possible for you. You have won a sum of three million naira from our lottery, and you have two ways of accessing the money.”

Arnold listened attentively.

“We can send the money to you monthly on a salary basis or you can choose to withdraw the money at the moment, but you won’t get the full amount.”

Arnold paused and looked at Isaac. He needed the money immediately and would not have the patience to receive the money in installments. He had already made his mind up.

“So how much money would I receive if I decided to withdraw it from your lottery house?” Arnold asked.

“You would only get one-third of the money, so that would be one million naira.” Isaac said with a smile.

Arnold thought deeply. One million naira seemed like a huge loss, but it wasn’t his money, to begin with, so he opted for the withdrawal. It would be enough to clear his debts and invest in the increasingly popular cryptocurrency everybody was talking about.

“I’ll withdraw the money.”

“That’s fine, you’ll just have to provide your account details to us and we’ll transfer the money to your bank account.”

Arnold finished all the paperwork and by midmorning, he was officially a millionaire. He walked out of BestPick Lotteries as a new man. Everything around him seemed brighter and better and he could hear the birds singing, it was like something out of the scene of a movie.

He was walking down the road and smiling at passersby when he received a text message on his phone. It was from Eleanor.

Hey honey,

I’m back and I realized how much I missed you. I wanted to call you, but I didn’t want to disturb you, in case you were busy. I’m at the house right now and I can’t wait for you to arrive.

Your one and only.

After reading the text message, he smiled and thought about how fickle people were. This was the same person that had left to have her “space” and now he had a bit of money, she realized that she was his love. He was on his way home, so he couldn’t avoid her. He would have to see her.

He hailed a cab and requested to be taken home.

At his front door, he saw two dispatch riders’ bikes. They were from Jumia, and he tried to figure out the reason that they would be parked in front of his house.

Arnold opened the creaking front door and peeped inside. Eleanor was talking animatedly to two men dressed in delivery uniforms. They didn’t seem to hear the creak, so he pushed open the door and walked into the stuffy sitting room. There was no electricity because ‘NEPA’ had cut off the power.

They all turned to see who it was, and Eleanor screamed with joy as she leaped on Arnold. Days of eating an unbalanced diet were taking their toll on and he almost buckled from her weight.

“Oh babe, I missed you so much.” She said as she hugged him and stroked his face over-animatedly. The delivery men were showing signs of discomfort.

“Did you enjoy taking your space? I didn’t expect you to be home this quickly,” he replied, ignoring her statement.

“Oh Arnold, you know that I love you and I would never think of leaving you. That was just foolish talk from me.”

“Alright. Why are these guys here? Did you buy something?” he asked Eleanor. He felt dread but still decided to hear her reply first.

She smiled and motioned toward the men. “Yes, I ordered some things online.”

“Wow, things like what? You must have really come into money during your break.”

“Just some shoes, food, make-up kits, wigs, and a few dresses.”

“How much does everything cost?”

She hesitated. “Just over three hundred thousand naira. We’re rich now, so we can afford it.”

Arnold’s heart stopped. She was still the same, calculating and looking for easy money to spend. It baffled him that she had no source of income or means of livelihood but felt entitled to anything that belonged to him. However, he regained his position and walked to the delivery men. He had to pay for the goods, if not he wouldn’t be able to hear the end of her nagging.

He sidestepped her and stood in front of the men with calm composure. “How much is everything she ordered?” He put an emphasis on ‘she’.

The taller and bulkier man looked at his clipboard and moved closer to him. “Three hundred and twenty-four thousand, four hundred and eighty naira.”

Arnold took in a deep breath and smiled. “Alright then, how can I pay?”

“You can pay in cash or transfer to this bank account.”

Arnold was given a form to fill out, and he transferred the money to them using his mobile banking application. He received a notification on his Jumia account about the successful transaction and he turned to face Eleanor. The men had already left the house.

“Never ever try that stunt again. If you believe that money grows on trees, then you can pluck yours from there, but leave me out of it.”

He was boiling hot inside of him, but he tried to be calm. He studied her expression, so he could know how she felt. She just sat on the worn-out sofa and tried to make herself as small as possible. She made small whimpering noises and sounded like she might break down at any moment. He knew it was just a form of manipulation.

“I don’t know why you’re making me sound like the bad person here. Other men buy things for their girlfriends, so why should mine be so different?” She looked into his eyes and tried to decipher his thoughts. “I just wanted to make things comfortable for both of us.”

“Look around you and check if I can provide all our basic needs before you start comparing me to other men. I lost my job, and the situation of the country is getting worse every day, but you’re concerned about clothes and wigs.” He picked up a packaged green wig for emphasis and threw it back.

He felt his voice rising, but luckily, he was saved from exploding by a phone call.

He didn’t check the caller’s I.D. before answering. He was just looking for an excuse to get away from the heat of the moment.

Glossary

NEPA- The unofficial name for PHED (the electricity distribution company in Nigeria).

Jumia- An online retailer like Amazon.

Final Part

Arnold immediately regretted his action.

“Arnold! My man! You’ve become famous overnight, and rich too.” He grimaced and squeezed his phone so hard that it left imprints on his palm. It was James and that was the only reason that he would be calling.

Arnold gulped and kept mute.

“It’s very fortunate that your money is coming at this period when things are very difficult for us.” He could picture James’ smile behind the phone. “So, without wasting much time, I need the money.”

“No problem, I will send it to you immediately after our phone call. At least, I’ll be free from your disturbance James.”

James grunted. “So, it’s the moment I’m asking for my money that it becomes a disturbance, right? When you came asking for me to lend you the money, it wasn’t a disturbance then. People are so funny. Just send me my money right now, so we stop all this unnecessary talk.”

James cut the call, as usual.

Arnold swiped his phone and immediately saw a text message from James containing his bank account details. He grabbed a pen and paper and wrote the details down carefully. In a few minutes, he was done with the bank transfer, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

He walked out of the living room where he left Eleanor organizing her booty into sections. Arnold shook his head and walked to his room.

It was small, like everything in the house. The bed was in the center of the room and directly under a rusty and dusty fan. There were two windows that were designed to receive as much ventilation as possible into the stuffy room. A reading table and a dresser were placed at opposite ends of the room and a small door led to a toilet.

Arnold collapsed into the bed and began to think deeply. He had spent a huge chunk of money in the morning and the day hadn’t even gone halfway. He wished that he wasn’t announced on the state’s television channel because too many people would be seeking something from him, and he was at risk of being robbed.

He remembered Toyin’s request and started thinking of a way to politely decline when his phone rang again. It was becoming very annoying hearing his phone ringing without control, and for even more annoying reasons too.

It was Toyin and obviously, he knew the motive behind the call. He had already formulated a plan in his head when her voice distracted him.

“Good morning, Arnold. How are you?” It was so soft and brought memories of when they used to work together as journalists for a prominent company. He loved her, but she was in a relationship then. She was aware of his feelings for her then and even encouraged it. But she didn’t let things get further than being friends and colleagues. They went out on a few dates after his persistence, but there was nothing romantic about them. When he became in need of money, he had asked her, and she had given it to him. They both knew that that singular act had ruined any possibility of her getting together with him and she used it as a buffer for them to stay just friends. Now, she needed money, and he had to honor her request like she honored his.

“I’m a bit stressed at the moment, but other than that I’m fine. How about you?”

“We’re working on a new story about the scandal involving the governor and everybody is working hard to meet the editor’s expectations.”

Arnold smiled and recalled his days of journalism. How long had it been since then? Three, four years, He couldn’t remember accurately.

“You sound like you’re enjoying your job.”

“It definitely has its perks, but it’s not perfect. At least, I’m doing something I love.” Arnold had also loved the job but as he got older and inherited more responsibilities, the pay was unable to sustain him, Eleanor, and his parents. Toyin was able to manage because she was a woman and her boyfriend provided for her needs. The editor refused to raise his pay and he resigned from the job. He was able to find more fulfillment in freelancing, at least for a period.

“Well, things will surely improve in the future. I’m thinking about starting a website to help me promote sales, but I don’t know. I’m still working on it.”

“Don’t worry, it will work out. Just be focused and you’ll see results.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I saw you on TV yesterday. You’re really lucky to have won that cash.”

Arnold laughed lightly. “It was all luck, and I wasn’t even expecting it all.”

“The money came at a really convenient time too.”

There was an uncomfortable silence after that, and tension hung in the air. Nobody wanted to speak first. Arnold finally broke the ice.

“I know what you want to say. Just send your bank details and I’ll transfer the money to you.”

Her voice brightened. “Arnold you’re a real lifesaver. I promise that I’ll pay you as soon as I’m able to gather the money.”

“No problem, what are friends for?” he asked rhetorically. Friends.

He ended the call and copied down her bank details. He sent the money and looked up to see Eleanor looking at him from the doorpost. He hadn’t noticed her presence and wondered how long she had been standing there.

She sounded angry. “Santa Clause! You’ve just gotten some cash now and you’re sending Christmas presents early.”

It was ironic that she would accuse him of wasteful spending when she had clearly done that just a moment ago. Women were so cynical, he thought.

“How I spend my money is none of your business. You clearly don’t have regard for money, so why should you be so concerned about how I spend mine?”

She didn’t relent. “I know you sent it to that former colleague of yours, Tosin, Toyin, or whatever, yet you were blaming me for buying a few things. You clearly don’t have regard for me.”

“Eleanor, this is not the time for this. I’m very stressed out and I need to rest. Just leave me be, please.” He was tired of talking and he didn’t have any energy to waste on shouting or arguing with someone as illogical as her.

“Of course, we’ll have this conversation another time.” He knew she meant it. “I actually came here to tell you that your parents are here.” Saying that she walked away and left him sitting on the bed.

He groaned and kicked the air. He hadn’t been able to rest for a second. Arnold stood up and went to the dresser. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and combed his hair. He was self-conscious whenever he was with his parents, a habit that had stuck with him from childhood.

Arnold took a deep breath, counted to five, and walked out of his room. His parents were sitting on the sofa in the sitting room when he arrived. Luckily, there was electricity, and his mother was watching a sitcom while his father looked around in his self-important way. His father had never liked his house and seldom came to visit.

“Good...” He checked his watch. It was past noon. “… afternoon daddy, good afternoon mummy.”

They looked at him, and his mother smiled and came to hug him. His father sat there and looked obstinately.

“I can’t really blame you. If you don’t know what time it is, how can I expect you to know the right career to pursue in life.” His father did not support his decision of becoming a writer and he used every opportunity to voice his opposition.

Arnold was used to it, so he did not comment on his father’s statement. Instead, he hugged his mother back and complimented her dress.

“Mummy, how is the house?”

“It is fine, and we are alright. It’s still lonely sometimes and we miss you.” He doubted his father missed him, but he smiled, nonetheless.

“I would have berated you, but since you’ve been fortunate recently, I’ll try to tone it down.” His father was a complete contrast to him: short, dark-skinned, and sinewy. “My son has been useful for once in his life.”

“Daddy, last week you called and said I was useless. So, a lottery winning is enough to change your mind about that?”

His father laughed boisterously. “If you want to prove how useful you are, then get a job.” He added on second thought. “Get a better job with better pay.”

His mother intervened. She was as short as her husband but fair-skinned. He wondered where he got his gene of height from. “Oh, Francis, leave the poor boy alone. God knows he works so hard to provide for himself and us. She stroked his face lovingly and turned to Eleanor. “I hope you’re taking good care of my son?”

Eleanor and Arnold exchanged glances before she replied. “I’m doing my best. I don’t need to do much because he’s very capable and supportive.”

Arnold suppressed a laugh and turned to his father. “Why have you visited my humble abode today of all days?”

“We want some money to take care of some issues back home.”

“Francis!” his mother chided. “That’s too direct, remember that it’s not our money.”

“We trained him and provided for him as he grew up, didn’t we?” His father said stoically. “It’s only right for him to help us in our time of need. There’s no need to mince words.”

There was a saying that money showed the true colors of people and Arnold’s recent events served as an affirmation of that statement. When you need money, people avoid you but when you are in possession of the money, people flock to you like ants to a light bulb.

“How much do you need?”

“Well, we need to re-paint the house, fix the leaking roof, fill the outside of the house with sand because of the flood, and make a few purchases here and there.”

“Estimate how much you will need.”

“I think three hundred thousand naira should be manageable considering the fact that you have three million naira.”

“I don’t have three million naira. The lottery people only allowed me to withdraw one-third of the money, so I took one million.”

His father and every other person in the room froze with surprise. “That’s very bad but at least it’s still something.”

“Don’t worry, let me transfer the money to you. I saved you as a beneficiary in my mobile bank app.” He could feel Eleanor’s angry stare at him without even looking at her. She was so predictable.

In a few minutes, Arnold’s bank account was three hundred thousand naira lesser, and he groaned in silence. His parents talked with him and Eleanor for an hour before announcing their departure. Immediately they left, his other creditor sent a text message requesting payment and he sent the money to avoid embarrassment and further disturbance.

After that, he sat down on the sofa and closed his eyes. This money was meant to be a blessing to him, but after everything, he didn’t get to enjoy his winning. Arnold checked his account balance and saw the sum of twenty-five thousand, three hundred and fifty-five naira. He had done it. He had spent one million naira in a day.

He threw his phone against the wall in frustration and laid back against the sofa to take a well-deserved rest.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my short story.

I hope you enjoyed it and found it to be an enjoyable read. Writing is a passion of mine, and it is always a pleasure to share my work with others. I appreciate the feedback, comments and questions on the story. It is through the engagement of readers like you that I am able to continue to grow as a writer. I look forward to sharing more of my work with you in the future.

Thank you again for your time and support.

Feeling a bit isolated.

As a writer, it's always a pleasure to connect with readers and understand their thoughts and feelings about my work. I would greatly appreciate any feedback and comments on this post. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Thank u

TheAsterix:
Feeling a bit isolated.

As a writer, it's always a pleasure to connect with readers and understand their thoughts and feelings about my work. I would greatly appreciate any feedback and comments on this post. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Thanks for gracing us with this writing Mr OP. I had no choice but to read all through the story at once. The worsening state of the current economy is depressing enough to we the common men out there, just hoping for the best.

sweetonugbu:
Thank u

You're welcome.

Dybala11:

Thanks for gracing us with this writing Mr OP. I had no choice but to read all through the story at once. The worsening state of the current economy is depressing enough to we the common men out there, just hoping for the best.

Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to read my story. I appreciate your feedback and am glad you found it engaging enough to read all at once. I hope my story was able to provide a small distraction from the current economic struggles and I'm glad you could relate to it.

It's a nice story. Kudos

Phamo0:
It's a nice story. Kudos

Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it.

.

TheAsterix:


Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to read my story. I appreciate your feedback and am glad you found it engaging enough to read all at once. I hope my story was able to provide a small distraction from the current economic struggles and I'm glad you could relate to it.

You're welcome OP. 🤝

Arnold's choices get as e be. At least, he's lucky Toyin might still refund him. For now, he should enjoy the 25k.

Lottery always comes with too much attention 😒😒

This story just got me furious. Assuming I'm the one in Arnold's shoe, only home training will prevent me from flogging the daylight out of Eleanor.

Weldone Author...

Divepen1:
Arnold's choices get as e be. At least, he's lucky Toyin might still refund him. For now, he should enjoy the 25k.

Lottery always comes with too much attention 😒😒

I agree, Arnold also has his flaws which made him end up in his current situation. Hopefully Toyin can help him out in the future again, only if abandons his pride and asks.

He still has a few more creditors, but at least he can rest a bit now.

Thanks for your comment, I've seen some of your works too. You're killing it, man.

mostob:
This story just got me furious. Assuming I'm the one in Arnold's shoe, only home training will prevent me from flogging the daylight out of Eleanor.

Weldone Author...

This made me laugh.

But, I understand how frustrating it is when your partner does not respect or support you. Arnold isn't perfect, he has made some bad decisions as well. Keeping Eleanor in his life is one of them.

Thank you for your kind words.

TheAsterix:


This made me laugh.

But, I understand how frustrating it is when your partner does not respect or support you. Arnold isn't perfect, he has made some bad decisions as well. Keeping Eleanor in his life is one of them.

Thank you for your kind words.

You're welcome.
Following you already