Writer’s Prompt: The Vegas Dream That Turned to Dust: A Writing Prompt on Loss and Second Chances

When the world hands you a mirror instead of a trophy, who do you become?

Writer’s Prompt:

Flash Fiction Starter – WP Blog Post (Ready to Publish)

Joel Patterson spent months preparing for his shot at glory. Blackjack filled his every waking thought—strategy charts, practice hands, counting cards, simulated Vegas nights at his kitchen table. Friends believed in him, staking $50,000 for a 20% return, cheering him on like hometown investors backing a dream. But Vegas is a different animal. Twenty-four hours later, Joel sat in a Starbucks with only enough money for one coffee and a heart full of fear. The neon lights outside mocked him. Should he disappear into anonymity, end his story entirely, or go home carrying nothing but truth?

Writer’s Question

If you were Joel, sitting in that Starbucks with everything gone, what would you do next—and why?