Standing desolately staring at the wheel on its last spin I was filled with dread at the possible consequences.
My last pennies were on number six black and I needed to win just to afford a bus home.
Around me people urged the ball to fall their way. In my mind was the feeling I had done it again, blown a weeks salary on the wheel that promised so much but preyed on my gullibility.
Walking home that night I knew I had to stop, find a reason other than poverty to bring about a change.
Arriving home I found my house empty. Nothing was there apart from the shell of my home and the stack of bills on the kitchen bench.
She had threatened but I never thought she’d carry through with it.
There was no note, nothing to say my family once lived here apart from the message scrawled on the wall……WAKE UP! DO SOMETHING!
Written for: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/fffaw-week-of-06-14-2016/
Morpethroad 
Harsh reality he experienced, but it may have been the very thing he needed to really push himself to change. Hopefully, he can make a change and get his family back. Great story. 🙂
Hi Jessie, thanks for the great comment. I hope so too…
Fantastic story! I hope that he does “Wake up” now.
Thank you so much…
good take on the prompt! he needed to “find a reason besides poverty to bring about change”, that line made me think if all addictions are just about excuses for the real reason which is the addiction itself.
Yes so true, thank you for stopping by, your comment is much appreciated.
Oh dear a very harsh wake up call and the downward spiral might not be over.
Sadly no, but there is always hope.
Fantastic Story Michael – what a message! Sometimes it is the harshest ones that shine through. KL ❤
Thanks KL glad you could stop by.
I love your spin to the prompt, Michael! I think this man has hit his bottom and hopefully, now he will wake up and make the needed changes to better his life and get his family back. Great story!!
Hi Joy, one hopes so too.
A sober sombre warning indeed.
Thank you Grahame one hopes so.
Hopefully this will be the wake-up call he needed to bring about the change he wanted. Very good take on the prompt.
Thanks Angie lovely you stop by.
You cover an important issue in this story. I hope the ‘writings on the wall’ (that was clever) from his wife, will wake up and he will actually see the truth of his situation, find some help, get his life sorted out. Hopefully, he has truly seen the obvious, the danger ‘the writings on the wall.’
Thank you Mandi, one hopes so that you can recognise when have reached the bottom and seek help.
Very pertinent story. He obviously recognized his weakness in himself. I hope that combined with the message in the empty house he might actually change his ways.
One hopes so. Thanks for stopping by.
In my mind was the feeling I had done it again, blown a weeks salary on the wheel that promised so much but preyed on my gullibility. Perhaps the waking up has begun.
One can only hope Lyn.
I hope he manages to turn his life around. Gambling is horrible addiction but he seemed to be on the verge of change even before he discovered his family had left him. Maybe that will give him the impetus he needs to break his habits. Very nicely done, Michael. 🙂
Thanks Louise, lovely you could stop by.
Nice story, nicely written. It feels like he is at the point when he can get help.
One would hope so. Thanks so much for stopping by.
I hope that he finds a way to turn things around. Gambling is a horrible addiction.
It is indeed