This story is by joe kozma and was part of our 2024 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
His full house slams into the cheap card table.
“Tens full of queens. That’s all your money, princess. Or do you still have something to lose?” he says, a fake smile plastered under demeaning eyes.
The air in the room is stifling. Some cheap motel on a backwoods highway. Broken air conditioner and stained carpet. I can smell the mildewed bathroom through the door. I knew it was trouble when the tires crunched to a stop in the gravel parking lot. Now, two hours later, I smell, I’m hungry, and I’m broke. We’re broke. Three hours ago I told her, “I’ve got you”, but I’ve got nothing.
I lay the money, all of my money, on the table and start to push it towards him, but he grabs it before I can, like a kid on Halloween. I jerk my hand back equal parts surprise and revulsion, and the charm bracelet Jenna gave me for our first anniversary jingles. Four charms, a J, a T, a playing card and a bottle. Jenna and Trina and their vices. Together forever.
He gets to work shuffling the money into stacks, but looks up for a brief second. “What’re you still sitting here for? Game’s over.” His eyes linger on my chest for a second before he goes back to counting the money.
I start to rise, but my legs won’t do it. I can’t be done. We need this. She needs this.
“Let’s go again.”
He drops the stack of bills he sorted on the cheap table where they land with a slap. “You’re. Broke.” Another slap.
“What about my ride?”
Curiosity and greed spill over the dam. “What ride?”
I smile and lay it out, real slow. “‘72 challenger, matched vins, Concourse champ.”
The car is beautiful. Sour apple green with yellow accents. It’s both faster and louder than any car should be. I’ve only had it for two days. Won it in a game that went better for me than this one. No attachment other than the money it can bring.
His brow arches just enough. I’ve got him.
“Put all the money back on the table. I’ll put up the car.”
He shoves it in and I grab the cards.
I tried to play it honest all night, keep it honorable, but we need the money. I wanted to be a better person for her, but she needs the old me tonight. I finish the shuffle and offer him the cut, not that it matters.
“What are you playing for again? Why can’t you walk away?” he asks to break the silence.
“My partner needs surgery.”
He gives a perfunctory, unfeeling response. “That’s rough. Bad genes?”
“She gets it from her mother.”
What a piece of work her mother is. Was. Time finally shut her poisonous mouth, but not before she tried to take her daughter with her. “Your father just couldn’t accept who you were, your choices. Put him right in the grave, it did.” Who says that? Put Jenna right back in the bottle. Hit it harder than ever, two-year chip, meaningless. Liver gave up shortly after she did.
I drop the last card in front of myself after ditching more junk to him. The mismatched three and seven won’t get him anywhere, especially not against the four nines I palmed.
He asks for two as he shoves the discard forward. He’s seems so assured I give him another three to keep his false hopes going.
“Dealer takes two.” At least that’s what it looks like if you’re not a pro.
I look at the smug face, ready to take everything with me. “Flip on three?”
He nods and I drop my four nines. Against his four tens? I gave him garbage. Wait, I hadn’t held a ten all night. “You had tens on that full house, too. You palming cards? You no good cheat!” I should’ve known the deck was light, short, but I missed it. Out of practice and out of luck.
“Prove it.” He sneers. “Now hand me those keys.” Did he just lick his lips?
I’m beat. Got no money for the black-market organ or the gray market surgery. Supposed to be a card hustler, but I got taken bad. I reach past the keys for my getaway car and pull the .25 colt I won with the car. Stella’s her name. At least, that’s what’s engraved on the barrel. I still need that fast car to get to the next game in two nights.
I take the money and get back to work saving the only thing that’s ever mattered to me. Maybe I can be a better person next time. Tonight’s take adds enough money to put things in motion. I look back at him and wave the gun a little. “Any complaints?” No, he’s got nothing to say.
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