Rich or poor, a lottery winner's adventure

By Dan Jacobs

Growing up in poverty, but within a very loving family. The life of Ryan Stevens turns around after his lottery win.

His life is great for a short time, and he couldn't be happier until one morning when he discovers his parents have disappeared. A phone call from the kidnapper sends Ryan, and his college friends, on an adventure to find his parents and get them back safely.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dan Jacobs
• Release date: Dec 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301407156

Dan Jacobs

Dan Jacobs has been playing the drums for 13 years – he has performed hundreds of shows and practices his craft whenever he can. He has written a drum educational book which sold out all over the world and also worked as a columnist for a major drum magazine for 4 years. After graduating a drum academy in London in 2001, passing every exam, Dan has been teaching ever since in schools and privately from his studio in Ipswich - Suffolk. In his spare time, Dan writes novels and short stories that are enjoyed by readers everywhere.

Book preview

RICH OR POOR, A LOTTERY WINNER’S ADVENTURE

By Dan Jacobs

Copyright Dan Jacobs 2012

Smashwords Edition

Chapter One

Tennessee

USA

My names Ryan, I’m 19. My parents and I recently moved to the good, smart, and more respectful side of town only a few blocks away from our old place in the more slumy and downbeat district. My older sister, Jane, is married and she moved away a couple of years ago. We get on just fine and are always there for each other should either of us have any problems. If only we had known the enormity of a situation coming our way fast, happening at lightening bolt speed, before either of us had a chance to do anything about it.

I was fighting, again, my so-called friends from college. Why were they fighting me again? Me…. I mean I’m the nicest guy in the world! Ever since that big win two months ago I’ve been so paranoid, thinking people are out to get me, to try and take what they can from me with not an ounce of consideration, and to just leave me in the gutter. I swung a quick punch at Todd but I think it hurt my knuckles much more than it hurt his dumb face. Jim then pushed me to the ground and started kicking me in my sides, bruising me with every contact of his shoe.

I heard something as Todd began to take the watch off of my wrist and my wallet from my jacket pocket. What was that noise? It was getting louder and louder! Then I recognized the sound as a dumpster truck reversing to collect all of the garbage from our street.

Beep Beep…. Beep Beep…. Beep Beep…. **BEEP BEEP**!!!

Drenched in sweat I suddenly woke up from the nightmare I was having and stared at the alarm clock. It was 07:00am. I needed to get up and ready for the last college day of the week. I couldn’t wait for the weekend. Two whole days of living like a king in my own home, the home I had recently purchased to live in with my parents so we could just be a happy family for a change, a huge contrast to the way things used to be.

I managed to get up and out of bed, but instantly felt magnetically drawn back into the cosy warmth of my sheets. Just another five minutes…. Just five more minutes! No. I said to myself, It’s the last day of the week so no excuses!

Walking down the hall towards the bathroom I passed a picture on the wall of my parents. It was taken on their wedding day and they looked so happy together. My Dad, Charlie, he’s a really good man, but he’d been hitting the booze rather a lot lately. His favourite tipple is whisky and I think he started drinking more due to his business doing so badly. He runs a hardware store near our old apartment with one of his good friends but it’s just making less and less money each month - while the bills seem to be going in the opposite direction. I’m so happy that I recently came into a position where I could help. I knew he loved his job, I think he’d be lost without it. I bought the hardware store for him and his friend, Jack, who he has known since they were at school together, so now they can relax and enjoy their work without the worry of the damn bills becoming more and more colorful each month. I also gave him a few bucks… well… more than a few bucks really to pay off all the family debts from the old place. He had enough left over to take Mom out on the town. My Mom, Jackie, is so hard working. Always there with the dinner on the table when Dad came home from work. She worked part time at the local retail store and she never complained about anything, although I could tell she would often worry and pretend that everything was ok. Money was very tight.

I remember one day, a few years ago, after washing my hair, I threw the empty store brand shampoo bottle in the trash and she instantly grabbed it back.

Ryan, what on earth are you doing?

What? I asked.

There’s still a lot of useable shampoo in this bottle. She told me.

"Mom, I had to squeeze it as hard as I could, I’m telling you there is none left!" Then she went over to the kitchen drawer and took out a pair of scissors, looked me in the eye and proceeded to cut the thin plastic of the shampoo bottle revealing enough for another couple of washes.

You see son, I know it’s not a great situation, but we need to stretch things as far as we can, ok? I didn’t realize just how bad things were, but I told her I’d do my best and that I’d think before throwing anything away in the future, and that one day I’d be able to take care of them both.

Hang in there, Mom…just hang in there!

I seriously hated living like that, seeing my parents mostly faking happiness. My Dad sitting in his chair drinking and watching whatever the television had to offer all night. I’m sure he hardly understood what was on the TV as the alcohol had such a numbing effect on his head, his eyes half closed most of the time. Mom just reading, cleaning, and knitting, in between napping. Doing anything she could to pass the time until, hopefully, something could turn our situation around into a more positive one.

Looking at their wedding picture made me realize just how much my parents meant to me. We have all been through some hard times but now, after those numbers matched my very own rectangular small piece of printed paper, we can all look forward to an amazing future. Or so I thought…

I made my way to the bathroom, realizing how unusually quiet it was this morning. I’d gotten so used to the sound of Mom making waffles or eggs in the kitchen at breakfast time, but I didn’t hear anything. Perhaps they were both having a few extra minutes sleep?

I closed the bathroom door and turned around to catch my reflection in the mirror. I looked at myself for a second and found myself staring face to face with a lottery winner. I had won the huge $7.1million jackpot only two months ago. The money had wired its way to me, which seemed overwhelming beyond belief for a 19 year old. Sure, I’d spent a part of it, who wouldn’t? This house was expensive, with its triple garage, and my designer clothes weren’t cheap either. I have always loved cars too. I tested a few and had settled on a nice red Ferrari, why not, I’m a millionaire after all. I wanted to buy myself something nice to make up for all the bad times.

I stupidly allowed the press to take some pictures. It gave me confidence, something I had gone without for so long. My self-esteem was usually so low I’d be walking around looking at my feet most of the time. But to have the crowd of people around me, happy for me at that one Moment meant a lot. I just hope I don’t get too many more begging letters, if I gave them all something I wouldn’t have anything left! As it is I’ve spent close to $2million, the rest is safe in the bank gathering some interest. I planned to keep Mom, Dad and myself with this money for the rest of our lives. I gave Jane half a million too. Her and her husband Kevin are expecting, so this should set them up nicely for the future.

Just as I grabbed the door handle to make my way back to my bedroom to get dressed for college I heard my cell phone ‘ring ring’…. ‘ring ring.’ I picked it up and glanced at the screen. It didn’t display any caller ID, so I hesitated to answer. Eventually I hit the green button. Hello… There was no answer. Hello…. silence….Hello…. look I’m gonna hang up right now, I don’t have time for prank calls. I needed to quickly get dressed, have something to eat and get the hell out of the house or I’d be late for college. I know I didn’t need to go anymore, but I figured I’d be kinda bored all day by myself. Being surrounded by friends, and with only a few months to go before graduation, I decided I would stick it out to get my grades.

After a short pause, I heard a voice on the other end of the phone. Hello Mr Stephens. I didn’t recognize his voice, although it did have a slight Italian accent if I wasn’t mistaken.

Notice anything out of the ordinary this morning Mr Stephens? Or should I call you Ryan?

"Who is this? And how do you know my name?"

"This is all your fault Ryan. You went to the press and now I have them, I have them both!!"

I didn’t have a clue what he meant but I knew I was running late.

Listen, I don’t have time for games, I’m already late, goodbye! I threw the phone on my bed and started to get dressed. Within a minute it rang again with no caller ID. As soon as I pressed the green button, I heard the same voice again….

"Hello Ryan, I don’t think you quite understand what I’m saying to you. This isn’t a game, this is serious!"

What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?

I already told you, I have them both.

Both who? I asked.

"Use your brain Ryan, don’t be a complete idiot. What’s missing from your house? …Think!"

What do you want? Then the voice told me something I certainly wasn’t prepared for.

I have your parents Ryan. Charlie and Jackie are here with me. Wanna say hello to them?

My brain was flooding with questions; how did he get into the house and who was he? Yes I want to speak to them! What exactly is it you want from me?

"Well you can’t Ryan, you can’t speak to them unless you give me what I want ok?"

I started to shake with worry. What was this creep going to do to my parents? A huge wave of anger spread through me like nothing I’d felt before. I wished I could have just pushed my fist through the phone to punch whoever was on the other end. My heart started beating faster and faster, so fast I thought it was going to break one of my ribs from the inside. So... What do you want? Tell me right now! Or I’ll go straight to the police. The thought of going to college had completely left my mind. How can anyone be this insane, he’d never get away with it!

You won a whole lot of money Ryan, you don’t need anywhere near that much, and that is why I’m calling, to ask for a little bit of it.

Phew! I thought. Perhaps I can just buy my parents back and everything will be back to normal again. How much? I asked, trying as best as I could to keep my composure.

It’s ok Ryan it won’t break the bank. All I want is $5million dollars! You have seven days.

That’s insane, you can’t do this. That’s all I have left.

Should I give up absolutely everything to get them back? I was getting used to having money for the first time in my life after such a long time on the poverty line.

Seven days Ryan. Oh… two more things. If you go to the police, they’re dead. If you go to the press, they’re dead. You understand? I’ll keep them fed and they’ll be safe for the next seven days. I have your number so keep your cell phone with you at all times. I’ll be in touch! Then he hung up.

I had a nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt faint. My head was light and fuzzy. I felt like I was falling backwards over the edge of a cliff. What the hell was I going to do?

I had seven days. At least he didn’t demand it all today. This gave me a little more time; I slowly calmed down and began to compose myself back to reality.

I quickly finished getting dressed and raced down the stairs. I grabbed my keys and a pop tart; I think I really needed something in my stomach. I jumped into the Ferrari and put my foot on the gas. I was determined to go to college to see if anyone there knew anything! I understood that I wasn’t allowed to go to the cops so how else would I try… at least try and get some information about this guy. I needed to see if anyone was acting suspiciously out of character today and I needed to find out something quick. The clock had only just started but it’s ticking all the same.

Flying down the freeway towards college, with the weather starting to look a lot brighter, I knew I’d already be in trouble for being late, but I couldn’t care less, although I didn’t want it to jeopardize my grades. Mr Johnson… or ‘Dracula’ as us students affectionately called him would understand why I’m late after I explain what had happened. I also had to warn him not to contact the police or the press. Christ only knows what would happen to my parents if he did that!

After a few stops and starts, left and rights, the college came into view over the horizon. I drove into the parking lot and parked the Ferrari. I could already see the gazes from the large college windows as the students were admiring my wealth.

I practically ran to my first period and got that ‘look’ from Mr Johnson. His hair slicked back as usual with some kind of thick grease. The only thing missing were the fangs for the full effect.

I sat down next to Todd, as usual. He and I go way back. I’ve known him since I was a toddler as both our parents lived in the same block. I remember when we were like six or seven and we all went shopping together, to save on fuel. Todd and I were eating all the fruit in the store without paying for it and when we got to the car, it wouldn’t start! We all had to take the shopping cart and race with it back to the apartment block before the frozen stuff began to melt everywhere! They were such happy days. If only life could be that simple and carefree again…someday?

I found it difficult to focus on anything during the first two periods before lunch. I couldn’t help but think about what Mom and Dad must be thinking and feeling at that very Moment. I just wish I knew where they were.

The lunch bell rang, much to my relief. I met up with a few friends in the dining hall line and everyone seemed their usual self. This wasn’t helping. As we were in our final yeah, none of us had to wear a specific uniform, and with all my designer clothes I must have stuck out like a small stick of celery in a box of chocolates.

I didn’t want anyone knowing what was going on in fear they’d do something that may affect the wellbeing of Mom and Dad. I just did the usual small talk about this and that before our study period directly after lunch.

Let me introduce my small group of close friends…

Todd, Mr practical joker, I guess you could say was my best friend as I have known him way longer than anyone else at college and we get on just great. Why I have those awful dreams where we’re always fighting I don’t know. I guess that’s just my own paranoia taking control. He’s a really great friend and I know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, or my family!

Matt is in most of my classes. He’s right up there at the top of the soccer team. He takes his sports very seriously and also works part time at the local bar ‘Full Moon Saloon’. He’s a happy go lucky kinda guy and I get on well with him most of the time, although sports isn’t really my thing so we don’t often have that much to talk about.

Antonio, ‘Tony’. He’s a short ass, cool as always. I know he’s struggling with his grades and needs to put more effort in if he wants to get decent marks. A group of us often go to his Dad’s pizza and pasta joint, ‘Pedro’s’, for the odd free meal. Well we use to, as the others were sometimes short on food or money. Since my income changed from nothing to everything, these days I pick up the tab. It’s the least I can do for my friends and it gives Tony’s old man the income he deserves for the excellent food he and his wife Isabella provide.

Rebecca, ‘Becky’, she is out of this world. Super hot! And super cool! She’s one of those major computer geeks with looks to die for. It’s unusual to find her anywhere other than behind a laptop of some kind while she works out how to do the most complex tasks that go right over my head. She has recently started working part time delivering pizzas, just a couple of shifts a week for funds to buy more computer accessories.

Jim, this guy would need no introduction, if you were to see him. He has the dorkiest face god ever created, complete with spots and a thick pair of glasses. He’s a really fun guy to be around but always nervously fidgeting and getting himself into small scrapes of varying consequence.

The six of us have known each other for the past couple of semesters. Deep down I felt I could trust all of them. Not one of them seems the jealous type. Even after my win nobody came to me and asked for anything. After a few days of being wealthy I did take them all out on the town, clothes shopping. I mean Jim was always wearing a pair of old shoes with holes in both the heels. I think his Dad must have passed them down to him after walking up and down a gravel driveway for ten years non-stop!

We all went to the mall and I spent a couple of hundred dollars on each of them. I know it isn’t a lot but it made them feel a heck of a lot better. Then we had milkshakes and burgers and a good laugh before going our separate ways. They all went back to ‘poverty land’, and I drove to my new place on the other side of town.

I arrived at study period at one o’clock in the afternoon and saw the usual gang hanging around with their textbooks and other study materials. I had to find a way of getting some snippet of information from somewhere. Does anyone here actually know anything?

My god it could be anyone. I know the newspaper that ran my lottery win feature only goes out to a certain radius of their headquarters, so I could get a map and ask the newspaper the names and addresses on their customer list? I remember there was a television camera there on the day, so the local TV station may have also networked the story further a field. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not by a long stretch!!

In that single Moment I felt it would be easier to move an entire ocean from one place to another using just a teaspoon!!!

As I moved forward to meet my friends for study, remembering we had to keep the noise to a minimum, I couldn’t help but notice other students whispering to each other in a way my paranoia couldn’t avoid clasping on to. My brain wanted to tell me it was innocent but my unwanted mistrust was telling me they were talking about me! Did they know something about my parents being kidnapped? Oh god, I needed a lead from somewhere. The clock was still ticking!!

Hey Ryan’s here! Todd said, without trying to draw too much attention from everyone in the room. Mr ‘Bling’ himself, he said. Come on over dude, we have a lot to go through for finals.

The room was fairly warm. I took a seat in between Todd and Becky. What’s with the face Ryan, you look worried dude, Todd asked.

Um… I’m… I’m fine… yeah fine I guess. Matt quickly interrupted.

"Jeez this guy is a lottery winner! What can he possibly be worried about?" He said with a smile.

Did they know something? All I wanted was for my paranoia to leave; it’s not doing me any good at all!!

After a little study time had gone by I asked them all to meet up with me after last period. They all agreed and looked anxious as to why I needed to speak with them.

Meet by my car ok? I said. I have a big problem I need to speak to you guys about, something very serious! They all looked like neither of them had any idea!

I finished last period, not having remembered a single word the teacher was saying throughout the entire lesson, and walked briskly to the Ferrari to meet up with the others. Halfway towards the front door of the building I heard a loud noise behind me and quickly turned round to see a whole bunch of textbooks flying forward and Jim proceeding to pick them up. I gave him a hand and we both met up with the others at the car. Thanks for coming at short notice guys I said. "You won’t