[ WP ] A scientist creates a machine that generates bad luck . Anyone within range of the field while the device is active suffers consistently bad luck until it 's turned off or they move out of range .

My grandfather was an extremely curious fellow. He headed the science department at Princeton for 20 years, talked mostly in riddles that were far too complex to comprehend, and he spent more time at the lab than with his own children. 
 
 Well, Grandpa passed away last weekend, so here I am: sitting on the basement steps ready to sift through the boxes and dole out his shit. My grandpa, although crazy, was thankfully extremely organized. Each cardboard box had helpful, bold labels drawn with permanent marker: 
 
 * Shoes 
 * Winter clothes 
 * Hats 
 
 I mundanely passed the boxes along until I came across one without a label. 
 `` *That's odd*'', I thought. Curiosity often kills the cat; this case was no different. I opened the box and was greeted by a miniature black lab puppy with a big, red bow tied around its collar. There's **no** way I would have put that cute, puppy-eyed beauty back in the box. 
 
 `` *How long has that little guy been in there? *'' I did the only logical thing; I took it upstairs and gave it some food and water. I dialed my mother's phone after making sure the animal was content. *Surely she'd know what to do*. The line rang thrice before she picked up. 
 
 `` Hey, Mom?'' I started. `` I found something in grandpa's basement. It's a -- ``. I was cut short by the dog yipping at my heels and my phone falling from my hand and landing on the table. 
 
 `` Honey, what was that? What did you find?'' said my mother hastily. 
 
 `` Sorry, I dropped the phone. Mom, I found a --'' 
 
 **YIP** 
 
 The phone slipped from my grasp again. Only this time, it bounced off the edge of the table and slammed flat against the floor. I retrieved it almost immediately in fear of the worst. *SHIT*, cracked the screen. I tried to power it on but to no avail. `` Let's go little guy,'' I said in frustration, picking up my car keys and the dog, and walking out the door. 
 
 I gingerly put the pup in the passenger seat, threw my broken phone in the back and started the car. Halfway home, the lab was fast asleep. I turned on the AC to keep him cool, but no matter what I did, the damn thing pumped out hot air. I cracked the windows slightly for some minor circulation to cool things down. Of course, I hit every red light on the way back to my mom's -- like one always does when they're in a hurry. A jacked-up chevy pickup pulled alongside me blaring country. The men in the truck revved their engine, looking for a race. This woke the puppy who climbed on the passenger-side armrest and barked at the rednecks. I turned slightly to look, then kept my eyes peeled forward. The light turned green and I slowly accelerated -- I was in no mood for a 1/4 mile sprint with the incest cousins of the Dukes of Hazzard. Their raised pick-up suddenly shuddered, spattered and finally shut off. Through the rearview mirror, I could see billowing towers of white smoke spewing from their hood. I glanced back at the dog who returned my gaze slightly before curling back up into a little black ball of fur on the passenger seat. 
 
 `` Mom, I'm home!'' I cried, bursting through the front door. `` Come quick, I have to show you something.'' My mother came out of the kitchen and into the living room where I was standing. She was wearing her red, pleated kitchen apron and an oven mitt over her daily garb. 
 
 `` Oh, honey. You found a dog?'' she asked. 
 
 I put it down so it could roam around. It went directly for my mother's bare toes and started licking. 
 
 `` I did n't know your grandfather even liked dogs, `` she said, picking it up and snuggling its face. 
 
 The dog licked her face briefly before turning to playfully gnaw on the tasty oven mitt by its head. 
 
 **YIP** 
 
 *BEEP BEEP BEEP* 
 
 `` Shoot!'' cried my mom. `` That'll be my cookies.'' 
 
 She gave the dog back to me and ran into the kitchen. 
 
 *Cough* *Cough* `` Ah, crap!'' she cried. `` All burnt. I do n't understand, they were only in there for a couple minutes!'' she finished, coming back out wafting away the smoke from the living room. 
 
 It's day two with Lucky -- I named the pup Lucky...
