Too Many Coincidences

The Lottery of Empathy – Post 6: Too Many Coincidences

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Day 42 – Food Bank, East Van

The lineup wraps around the building. Cold wind. Stale breath. Everyone trying not to make eye contact.

Riley spots Danny two people ahead. He’s hunched, collar up, holding a cracked grocery bag like it’s full of treasure. She looks away.

Malika is four spots behind her. Their eyes meet. A flicker. No one smiles.

Inside, the fluorescent lights buzz louder than conversation. Shannon turns a corner near the bread crates—and freezes.

Jay’s there. Helping restock. He doesn’t notice her, or pretends not to.

She grabs a can of soup and leaves fast, forgetting the peanut butter she came for.

Day 44 – Community Center Drop-In

The floor smells like mop water and paper towels. A volunteer hands out stale coffee in tiny styrofoam cups. Someone plays piano badly in the corner.

Bruno watches from a bench by the wall. He sees them—all of them—trickle in. Not together, but close enough.

Too many familiar faces. Too many ghosts in the same room.

He mutters under his breath. “Test. Trap. Cameras.”

He pulls his hoodie up and stares at a crack in the floor. Doesn’t move for an hour.

Day 45 – Riley’s Journal

I think I’m losing it.

I saw Mira near the hygiene station. Juno in the laundry room. Danny passed me in the hallway. He didn’t even blink.

I used to think the world was full of strangers. Now I think we’re all connected by a single, invisible thread that’s slowly tightening around our throats.

This isn’t just a lottery. It’s something else.

And I don’t know if I want to win anymore.

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