Abbie Road walked alongside her best friend Kara West, both of them careful not to slip off the side wall that served as their path to school. It was a bright morning, the sun shining down on the tiny Lilliputians as they went about their daily routines. Abbie sighed deeply as Kara chattered on about the Brobdingnagian lottery that had been the talk of the town for weeks now.

"I just know I'm going to win it, Abbie," Kara said with a confidence that bordered on arrogance.

Abbie nodded, not wanting to dampen her friend's spirits. She knew all too well that there could only be one winner of the lottery, and it was unlikely that it would be either of them. The odds were simply too great and yet that didn't stop her from secretly putting her name in the lottery, not letting Kara know of her actions.

Abbie couldn't help but dream about what it would be like to be a Brobdingnagian woman, miles and miles tall, towering above all the other Lilliputians. It was a chance to leave behind the smallness of their lives and become something extraordinary.

Kara was beautiful and popular, with a confidence that came from knowing she was destined for greatness. Abbie, on the other hand, was plain and unassuming, content to fade into the background and observe the world around her.

As they approached the school gates, Kara turned to Abbie with a smirk.

"Good luck, Abbie," she said, knowing full well that she didn't need luck to win the lottery.

Abbie smiled weakly, wishing that she had more faith in herself. But as she watched Kara saunter off towards her group of friends, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. It was a feeling she was all too familiar with, but one that she couldn't seem to shake.

She knew that the odds were against her, that the chances of winning the lottery were slim to none. But deep down, she couldn't help but hope that the Brobdingnagian girl would be her and yet as she looked up at her high school, she couldn't help but feel that all of that was unlikely.

Abbie walked through the crowded halls of her high school, her eyes downcast as she tried to make herself smaller. The excitement in the air was palpable, every person chattering about the upcoming Brobdingnagian lottery. Abbie felt a wave of nausea wash over her. It was the same feeling she got every time she thought about the lottery, the same feeling that never seemed to go away.

As she made her way to her first period class, a figure blocked her path down the hall. Abbie knew who it was before she even looked up. Trish, the school bully, stood before her with a smug look on her face.

"How are you today, ya little midget?" Trish asked, crossing her arms and towering over Abbie.

Abbie felt her face flush with embarrassment and fear. She hated being called names, especially ones that reminded her of her size. She tried to make herself small, but there was no escaping Trish's taunts.

"I-I'm good, Trish," Abbie stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Trish chuckled darkly as she looked down at Abbie. "Well... Aren't you going to ask me how I'm doing twerp?" Trish asked faking annoyance.

Abbie could feel a chill go up his spine as she looked into Trish's cold eyes. "H-how are you Trish."

Trish didn't respond, she said no words as she continued to look down at Abbie who continued to walked down the hall of the school, trying her best to keep her head down and avoid any eye contact with her fellow students. She was used to the jeers and snickers by now, the daily taunts and pokes from the other kids in the school. But what she wasn't used to was the arm that suddenly draped around her shoulder, pulling her to a stop.

Abbie's heart pounded in her chest as she stared up at the tall, imposing girl. Trish had made herself known all throughout the school year, terrorizing anyone who dared to cross her path. Abbie had always tried to stay out of her way, but sometimes it was impossible.

"You know, Abbie," Trish said with a small laugh, squeezing her shoulder. "I'm in a pretty good mood today."

Abbie didn't know what to say. She had never heard Trish speak with such kindness before, and it made her uneasy.

"So you know what," Trish continued, releasing her arm from around Abbie's shoulder. "Today, I'm not going to play with you."

Abbie stared at her, confused. Trish had never used those words before, and Abbie didn't know what to make of it.

"Today," Trish said, stepping back and looking around the crowded hallway. "We will finally be kissing goodbye to this dungheap of a school." Trish said. "I'll also have a chance to become a living god," Trish said with joy. "Can you even imagine it?"

Abbie could barely breathe as her very kind began to think of such a horrible reality. The reality of Trish being miles and miles tall, being able to crush their very city with just her big toe alone. Abbie felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought.

Trish's eyes gleamed with an excitement never before seen. "I'll be able to do anything I want," she continued, her voice filled with confidence. "No one will be able to stop me."

Abbie had always been afraid of Trish, but now she felt a new sense of dread. She knew that Trish would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, and if that meant becoming a giant, then so be it.

As Abbie walked away, she prayed that Trish would not be the winner of the Brobdingnagian lottery for if she actually won than Trish would stop at nothing to make every Lilliputian in the world fear her. That reality would come true.

Despite her thoughts Abbie went through her classes like normal, absorbing the information like a sponge as she always did. She had always been a studious girl, and it showed in her grades. But today, she found herself struggling to concentrate. Her mind kept wandering to the Brobdingnagian lottery, and the possibilities it held.

At lunchtime, she met up with her best friend Kara in the cafeteria. Kara was chattering away, her eyes bright with excitement as she talked about the lottery.

"I just know I'm going to win," she said, grinning from ear to ear. "I have a good feeling about this one."

Abbie nodded absentmindedly, barely hearing what Kara was saying. Her mind was elsewhere, thinking about the lottery ticket tucked away in her pocket. She wanted to tell Kara about it, to share her excitement, but a twinge of fear held her back. Abbie always knew that this was Kara's dream to be big and strong, to not be a small Lilliputian all her life, to not have to live in fear of being stepped on, their city wiped off the face of the earth. Their was only one problem, Abbie had that same dream.

What if she didn't win? What if she was just setting herself up for disappointment?

She pushed the thought aside, forcing a smile onto her face as Kara continued to talk. But deep down, a part of her was already imagining what it would be like to win the lottery, to be able to finally afford all the things she had always wanted, to be able to look down at a Lilliputian city that could fit in her palms with room to spare. To hold so many lives in her hands.

***

5 HOURS LATER

Abbie and Kara sat side by side, anticipation radiating from them both, as they watched the thousands of Lilliputian high school students gather around them. It was the most looked forward to assembly of the year, and they were both eager to see what would unfold.

As the room grew silent, a hush fell over the crowd. A gigantic screen was held high above the stage, and every eye was trained on it. Abbie felt her heart race as the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the stage.

["This is it."] She thought to herself. ["This is the moment everything will change."]