The Secret Manuscript (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Two

Vanessa responded as one might expect after hearing those words - she was confused and in disbelief. 

"Ben, what are you talking about?" 

"All the signs were there, staring us in the face, I just paid no mind to them. But it all makes sense now!" Ben became excited as he was walking quickly down the street. 

"Ben, where are you going?" she said, rushing to catch up to him. 

"My bank account was empty," he said. "I thought the robber had drained it, but it would be impossible to move that kind of money in only a few hours, even if he had my PIN number. I then looked at the date on the account, and it was from last year." 

"The teller made a mistake," Vanessa suggested. 

"No, that's what I thought, but the calendar on the wall was a year old." 

"So they forgot to change it." 

"I knew there was something off about Patrice when we saw him. He had a strange look when I said 'long-time, no see.' It was as if he had seen me yesterday. And the apartment building... it wasn't restored, Vanessa... it hasn't burned down yet. The reason my phone doesn't work is because I didn't have it a year ago. Don't you see what has happened?" 

"Ben, you can't honestly expect me to believe we travelled back in time." 

"Yes I can," he said joyfully. 

"Where are you going in such a hurry and why are you smiling?" 

Ben stopped in front of a convenience store and turned to face Vanessa. He had a look on his face that suggested he knew more than he was telling. 

"Do you recall what Patrice said to us?" 

"Something about retiring someplace warm and inviting us to his private island." 

"Yeah, but before that. He was talking about a twenty-million dollar lottery jackpot." 

"Yeah, so?" 

Ben pulled out the toonie from his pocket, which was left over from breakfast, and with great confidence said, "I'm going to win it." 

"Don't tell me you remember the winning numbers from a random lottery from a year ago?" 

"I do, and it's not a random lottery from a year ago. It's the biggest jackpot in Alberta's history - an estimated twenty-million dollars. I remember there being such a buzz surrounding this lottery that even I bought a ticket... and I never play the lottery. The draw takes place tomorrow, but do you know what else happens tomorrow?" 

"Tell me." 

"My apartment burns down. I remember it clearly... well sort of clearly - I had a bit of a drinking problem back then. But from what I remember, I was writing, drinking, and self-loathing. The lotto numbers were announced on the TV in the background, but I couldn't find my ticket. I kept repeating the numbers over and over in my head so I wouldn't forget. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have remembered lotto numbers from a year ago, but as a result of the fire, everything from that night is forever tattooed in my memory. I remember the numbers being a really odd and unlikely sequence - 10, 20, 30, 40, 1 and 18," he said with an ear to ear smile. 

"Are you sure? We only have enough money to buy one ticket." 

"I'm positive!" 

Ben rushed into the store and played his numbers. He came out a minute later and showed Vanessa the ticket. 

"Be careful, that's twenty-million dollars right there." 

"Wait, Ben you can't cash this ticket."