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2. INT.-GAS STATION -- DAY

MAX enters a small gas station full of people stopping in for food at the adjoining cafe and people getting gas.  He stands in line behind a man getting cigarettes, and walks up to the register.

MAX
How you doin' today, Ernie?

ERNIE
Doing fine, Max. Doing fine.  Need a lottery ticket?

MAX
You know me way too well, Ernie.

ERNIE
Well, I have a good feeling about this one.

MAX
I hope your feelings can work miracles, cause something needs to fast.  Thanks alot, Ernie. See you tomorrow.

ERNIE
See ya Max.

3. EXT. FACTORY-DAY

MAX gets  out of his old, shabby Chevy. He takes a long drag off his cigarette, and takes a long, hard look at the factory in front of him.

MAX
Another day, another dollar, another fucking waste of a day.

He starts walking to the factory.

4. INT. FACTORY -- DAY

MAX walks through the factory, saying hello and good morning to a few people. He goes to clock in, and walks up to WALTER, who's busy working at a machine.

MAX
How you doin', Walter?

WALTER
Max. How's it goin', buddy? You're a little late today. What's up?

MAX
I had another dream.  It just took me a few minutes to come to, you know? But I'm fine now.  This one was a real whopper, though. Woke up screaming and sweating like crazy. I'm gonna get a good night's sleep tonight if it kills me.

WALTER
Nothing a few beers after work might do.

Nothing is said for a second. MAX appears to be thinking about what to say, and then he says it.

MAX
I'm a shoo-in this time, Walter. I'm sure of it.

WALTER stops working for a second, and sighs.

WALTER
Max, I know someone has to win the lottery. Someone has to. But to put your hopes on it and obsess about it ain't gonna help your piece of mind. I mean, to pin your hopes of leaving this job and finding an easier life through winning the lottery is not  a good idea. You're bound to be let down.

MAX (pauses)
I've got a good feeling this time.  I just have a feeling.

WALTER
Well, just don't get your hopes up is all I'm saying. Just stop thinking about it for a little while. It'll help you loosen up, trust me.

MAX
It's in the bag.

WALTER looks a bit worried.

WALTER
I hope you're right.

INT. CAITLIN'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

MAX walks into CAITLIN, his daughter's bedroom.  She's a pretty, angelic 6-year old who also looks a bit ill. She's resting in bed.

CAITLIN
Daddy!

CAITLIN jumps up and hugs MAX.

MAX
How you doing, baby? Lay down, lay down. The doctors said you need to rest.

CAITLIN
Daddy?

MAX
Yes, sweetheart?

CAITLIN
When am I going to get better?

MAX (sighs)
I don't know, baby. I honestly don't know. You just need to rest, take your medicine everyday, and you'll get better.

CAITLIN
You promise?

MAX
Promise? Of course I promise. Has daddy ever lied to you
(pause)
Well, have I?

CAITLIN
No.

MAX
No, I haven't. You'll feel better soon, Caitlin. I promise.

CAITLIN
Okay.

MAX
Now let me give you your medicine, and it's off to bed with you.

CAITLIN sits up on the bed, and MAX goes into the adjoining bathroom. He fills up a syringe with some liquid, and walks back into the bedroom with the syringe and a cotton swab.

CAITLIN
I promise not to cry this time, Daddy.

MAX
Sweetheart, people cry when they hurt.  It's what's so wonderful about humans-we have ways of expressing when we're happy or hurt or we want something.  It's part of our nature-if you stifle it, it may get worse.

CAITLIN
What's stifle mean, Daddy?

MAX
It means to not express yourself and ignore it. Don't worry, baby.

CAITLIN holds out her arm, and MAX gives her the shot. He winces as he does it. A tear falls from CAITLIN's eye. MAX wipes it away.

MAX
Now, that wasn't too bad, was it?

CAITLIN
No, I guess not.

MAX
My tough little girl. Now, let's go brush those teeth and it's off to bed with you.

INT. MAX'S LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

MAX is sitting on the couch with a notebook spread out before him on the coffee table. On the TV is some obscure action movie, but MAX isn't watching it. He's busy writing charts in the notebook.  He looks up at the TV for a second, then goes back to writing.  MAX's POV: the notebook with all his lottery winnings planned out. All we see is a bunch of figures and numbers.  He looks up at the TV again, and a big cockroach crawls across the screen.

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN:

INT. CAFE -- DAY

MAX is sitting at a booth eating bacon and eggs and reading the paper. He looks around the cafe, and watches the people for a second. He then notices a MAN at a booth about 10-15 feet away staring at him.  The man's in a black suit and tie, just staring intensely at MAX. MAX looks back down at his paper, and looks back up where the man was sitting. He's gone.

INT. FACTORY -- DAY

MAX and WALTER are sitting at a table eating lunch.  WALTER looks at MAX, looking somewhat concerned.

WALTER
How you doing, Max? Everything okay?

MAX
Oh, yeah. Everything's going perfect. I'm finally goal-oriented-I've finally found some purpose for my life. I wrote it all down last night. Was up all night, just sketching, writing, soul-searching, you know? And I came to a conclusion

WALTER
What's that?

MAX
It's that I'm not going to be stuck working at this shit factory the rest of my life. I've got plans, and I'm going to execute those plans.  I may not have succeeded earlier in life, but as long as I succeed sometime, that's all that counts, right?

WALTER
Yeah, I guess so.

WALTER looks very concerned.

WALTER
I'm sorry for what happened Max, but face reality.

MAX
What happened?  I finally am facing reality, Walt. My eyes are wide open. And I'm not blind anymore.  You'll see.

INT. MAX'S LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

MAX is once again sitting on his couch, writing in his notepad.  But he drops his notepad and has all eyes on the TV with this voice:

ANNOUNCER
And now we have our Powerball lottery announcement.  Is it your night? Or his night?  Or her night for that matter?

MAX
It's my night, you fucker, and you know it.

ANNOUNCER
OK, let's begin with the winning numbers.  First number is...1..

MAX looks at his numbers. The first is 1.

ANNOUNCER
7...5...9...7...6...6..

MAX is looking at his numbers and checking.  His are identical to the numbers announced on TV.

ANNOUNCER
And the last number is...7!

MAX looks at his numbers.  He's won.  He doesn't look surprised, but a big grin spreads across his face. He buries his head in his hand, and starts laughing.

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN:

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY

We enter a huge conference room full of reporters and such.  MAX is on the podium, accepting his lottery check.  Lights are flashing from the cameras.  MAX is pleased, but he also looks a little uncomfortable.

MAX
Thank you very much. Thank you.

REPORTER #1
So, Max. What do you plan to do with your winnings?

MAX
I plan to quit my job and live like a hog for the rest of my life.

REPORTER #2
Max, Max. Did you ever think you'd actually win the lottery, or was it just a pipedream?

MAX doesn't speak for a second.  He thinks, then responds, as we zoom in for a CLOSE-UP.

MAX
I always knew I'd win it someday.  Odds are against you, but when you've been buying a lottery ticket everyday on the way to work for the past 3 years, you've obviously got to think you've got some chance of winning. Otherwise, you wouldn't waste your money.  I am very happy for this.  I'm very blessed.

REPORTER #1
What made you start buying a lottery ticket everyday just three years ago?  What made you start?  Some people buy one everyday for most of their life, and still never win.  What encouraged you to start?

MAX doesn't answer, but this question seems to greatly disturb him.  All of the sudden, he looks very panicked.  As he looks out on the crowd, we see three MEN scattered out there.  One of them is the MAN that MAX saw in the cafe.  They're all wearing sunglasses, and all staring very intensely at MAX.

MAX
Uh...thank you very much.  I've got to go.  Thank you.

MAX walks off the podium.  Everything turns silent, and we can't hear anyone, but their mouths are moving.  MAX moves through the crowd in a slow motion shot, very disoriented.  As he walks through the crowd, he looks to his right.  He looks right at the MAN from the cafe, and his face distorts into a creature.  MAX screams, but we don't hear him.  He looks out on the crowd now, and all their faces have distorted.  They all look like monsters.

MAX
Is this another fucking dream!!???

And like that, all the people are back to normal.  They're all staring at him with shocked looks on their face.

WOMAN (nervously)
You could call it that.  You did win the lottery, after all.

MAX comes to, and walks out the back door.

INT. CAITLIN'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

MAX is sitting on the bed with CAITLIN.  He's giving her shot to her.  A tear falls from CAITLIN's eye, and she wipes it away.

MAX
My tough girl.  You're going to get through this, baby.

CAITLIN
I hate the shot, Daddy.  It hurts.  I don't want it anymore.

MAX
I know, sweetheart.  But you have to.  Now that we have extra income, you won't have to take it as long.  I told you, I've never lied to you.  And I won't start now.

CAITLIN
Daddy, what are we going to do now?  Are we moving?

MAX
I don't know.  I don't know, baby.     Why?  Would you like to move?  Is that what you want?

CAITLIN
It's just that...

MAX
What is it, baby?

CAITLIN
It's just that I don't have any friends here.  Maybe if we went somewhere else, I'd meet some nice people.

MAX
You know what, honey? I'd like to move too.  We've been here too long, haven't we?

CAITLIN
Really? You'd like to move too?

MAX (smiles)
Yeah.  We could use a fresh start.

CAITLIN hugs MAX.

CAITLIN
Oh, Daddy! I love you!

MAX
Oh! I love you too, baby.  Now you've got to get some sleep.

MAX tucks her in bed, and walks to the door.

MAX
See you in the morning, baby.  I love you so much.

CAITLIN
I love you too, Daddy.

MAX
Sleep well.

MAX turns off the light.

MAX
Goodnight.

MAX shuts the door.

INT. MAX'S LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

MAX is scribbling in his notepad again.  He looks up and pauses.  He then stands up and walks into the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN -- NIGHT

MAX starts fixing himself a drink.  He puts the whiskey back in the refrigerator, and starts stirring his drink by the window.  Looking out the window, he thinks he sees something moving.  MAX pauses-he's stunned.  He leans in for a closer look through the window.  One of the MEN is standing there, watching him.  A huge cockroach crawls on the window, MAX gasps, pauses for a second, and grabs a knife.

EXT. FRONT YARD -- NIGHT

The front yard is full of tall bushes and trees, making it very hard to see anything, especially at night.  MAX flips on the front porch light, but it only gives off a hint of light.  Then the bulb breaks unexplainably.  MAX looks at it, and walks slowly through the front yard, weary that someone is lurking.

MAX
I know someone's there.

MAX takes another step, and hears something.  He looks at the bush about 10 feet in front of him.  It's moving.

MAX
Who is that?  What do you want with me?

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT

MAX walks into CAITLIN's bedroom.

MAX
Caitlin, honey.  Wake up.  We've got to go.  We've got to get out of here.

CAITLIN
Daddy, what's wrong?

MAX
Caitlin, just get out of the bed.  We're leaving.

CAITLIN looks at MAX's hand. It's cut with some blood dripping off of it. MAX grabs CAITLIN's syringes and serum out of the bathroom.

CAITLIN
Daddy, I'm scared.

MAX
Don't worry, baby.  Everything's going to be alright.  We need to leave now, though.  Let's pack some things.

We hear something rustling in the house.  We then see someone's standing behind the door.  MAX pauses.  He quietly opens the window, and picks up CAITLIN.  They exit via the window.

EXT. HOUSE -- NIGHT

MAX is carrying CAITLIN to the car.  They get in, and MAX cranks up the car.  He looks up at the house, and sees a shadow at the window.

MAX
Let's go.

MAX pulls out of the driveway, and they're off.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY -- NIGHT

MAX opens the door of a hotel lobby and walks up to the front desk.

MAX
I just need a room for the night, please.

RECEPTIONIST
Cash or credit?

MAX
Cash.

MAX pulls out a wad of cash, and lays it on the desk.

MAX
Keep the change.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

MAX is in the bathroom freshening up, while CAITLIN is sitting on the bed.

CAITLIN
Daddy?

MAX
Yes, baby?

CAITLIN
What's going on? I'm scared.

MAX is wrapping a bandage around the cut on his hand.

MAX
I don't know

CAITLIN
Why'd we have to leave?

MAX
Something's going on, and I'm not sure what.  But some bad men have been following Daddy.

CAITLIN
Who are they?

MAX
I don't know, sweetie.

CAITLIN
But we're okay now?

MAX
We're okay now.  But we can't go back home for now.

CAITLIN
When can we?

MAX
I don't know.  Not for a little while, though.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

The room is dark.  CAITLIN is fast asleep, and MAX is on the phone.

MAX
Something's going on, Walter.  This man's after me.  I don't know what's happening.

WALTER
Why would anyone be after you? What did you do?

MAX
I don't know, but about the same time I won the lottery, they started coming after me.

WALTER (pauses)
You won the lottery? When did you win the lottery?

MAX
Yesterday.

WALTER
That explains you not showing up for work.

MAX
They started following me after I won.  At the conference where I accepted the check was where they first showed up.

WALTER
I thought you said this man.  Now it's where they showed up?

MAX
There was three men there, but only one of them showed up to my house tonight. Fucking attacked me, cut my hand.

WALTER
You should go to the hospital, Max. Are you cut bad?

MAX
Naw, I don't need to go to the hospital.  He didn't get me good.

WALTER
You should go to the cops, man.

MAX
Maybe.  Maybe I will. But for now, I'm just going to play it by ear.  I'm in a hotel room right now.  I'm gonna get a good night's sleep and think on it.  Then I'll figure it out.

WALTER
Take care of yourself, Max.  Call me if you need anything.

MAX
Yeah, I will. Thank you, Walter.  I'll see ya.

MAX hangs up the phone. He gets up to peer out the window for a second, and lays down in bed.  Off to sleep.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- DAY

MAX wakes up.  CAITLIN is watching cartoons on the television.

CAITLIN
Hey daddy.

MAX
Hey baby.  How are you?

CAITLIN
Good.  How are you, daddy?

MAX
Actually, I feel a little sick.

CAITLIN
Are you okay?

MAX
I'll be fine, sweetie.  Let me give you your shot.

MAX readies the syringe, and inserts it in CAITLIN's arm.  A tear falls from her eye.  MAX looks in the mirror beside them.  CAITLIN's not there, and MAX is sticking a syringe in his arm.  CAITLIN has never been there, just in MAX's mind.  There's a tear on MAX's cheek.

THE END