After $8.88M Lottery Refusal, I Snapped

Summary

I hit the grand prize. $8.88 million. But the State Lottery Commission refused to pay out.

"It's a fake," the clerk said, her voice flat. "The machine won't scan it."

My mind went blank. "That's impossible. I just bought it yesterday. I watched it print out of the machine with my own eyes. How could it be fake?"

The clerk shot me a look of pure annoyance. "Are you still trying to pull this act? You know damn well it's a fake. Trying to scam the Lottery Commission… you must be desperate for cash."

A cold dread washed over me, my heart beginning to hammer against my ribs.