Ben’s glazed eyes looked down at his watch as he sat on the stiff cushion in front of the slot machine. After a devastating loss in craps, he had dedicated his last $350 on one machine.

12:01 A.M, 7/7/07, “My luckey day,” He said mockingly. Time to go back home with nothing to show from his paycheck. Ben stood up and with his head hung low, headed for the casino’s exit. He passed another group of slot machines, under a huge flashing LED screen.

“TOTAL JACKPOT : $4,197,300!!!”

It seemed to mock him, saying “Is this what you were looking for?” Ben plunged his hands into his pockets, were his fingers grazed the cold metal of a quarter. He stopped, and
as a sad smile of realization smeared across his face, he pushed it into the devil’s mouth that was the slot machine.

|7|7|7|

A deafening roar filled the casino as Ben’s last hope began to flash wildly with red lights. In a panic, he looked up at the LED screen as the numbers began to roll down until it hit 0 were it began to spew smoke.