NINE TIME MACHINES: Do you want to undo your entire life on planet earth?

CHAPTER 149

"He died? I don't understand. How in the hell did his dying change the priest's luck?"

"His wallet was empty."

"The guy had an empty wallet? Okay. How the hell was he even going to pay then?"

"He didn't know it was empty. His last words were something about a thieving woman."

"So the priest never got paid? And his luck got changed how?"

"Nobody ever wins the lotto."

"Mag, I hope that mud's good enough to make up for this crappy story."

"Oh, it's more than good. And the story's not crappy. It has a happy ending."

"Okay, I'll bite. What's the happy ending?"

"She left his lotto ticket behind."

"So the priest stole it?"

"Not quite, Mary. He was in the process of being paid."

"I want to see you twist this."

"The ticket was five dollars and so was the oil."

"Still theft in my book."

"Not if he'd lost. In my book that's equal exchange."

"But the guy didn't live long enough to use the oil."

"Does the bank care if you lived long enough to spend the money once you took the loan?"

"So the priest took a chance that instead of losing five dollars worth of oil he could win big?"

"And he did." Mag beams at me. "Funny thing is, the priest never played the lotto before."

"Never?"

"Not once. He always told a joke that if he had to win, it would be without buying a ticket."

"Ha! What are the odds of that happening?"

Then I am silenced by my own words. I remain in that pit of silence as Mag slathers my body with the Ravana mud. With each portion of my body she covers, Mag promises that it will give my skin new life, and that she advises I get a few more bottles to follow up. Then she pulls the plastic across and tucks me in with the blanket.