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It was a cold and frosty night when Death knocked on my door. He stood eight feet tall, dressed in a ragged black cape that dragged across my lounge carpet. He silently lifted a bony finger and pointed. Decaying skin hung on a body of bones as he scraped along the cold floor of a long dimly-lit hallway. Lanterns swung as rain swept down and the wind howled. He took my hand and I felt bits of skin flaking off as we walked. He led me up a flight of steps, and I found myself looking around a rotting sailing ship. Masts lay broken on a dusty deck. I heard wailing coming from below. A high-pitched squeal caused me to turn. In a dark corner two rats were fighting over the remains of a flea-infested dog. Death looked at me through eyes that were black sockets in a blooded skull. He reached into his cape and brought out a set of poker dice.
"Play for life."
He spoke in an unemotional whisper. I knew what I had to do. Gambling had been my life's work, not always as a winner, but In desperate times I was taught new skills which turned me into a winner. So what better way to end it than to dice with Death?. I raised an open hand.
"Best of five?" I asked trying to avoid his stare.
Death nodded approval, shredding more skin from his almost skinless head. I was in no hurry so I took my time to throw the dice. I knew I was good. In my line of work you do not lose. My only worry was whether Death knew how I made my money.
I beat Death's first throw of two pair with a full house. The second and third throw Death easily beat my pair and short straight. I won the fourth with another full house. My fate would be decided on the last throw. By now I was shaking with fear. I still could not tell what Death was thinking. I was sweating as he handed me the dice for the last time. Death had just thrown four kings and a ace. If I was going to do something it had to be now. I slowly put my hand into my jacket pocket and brought out a handkerchief. As I mopped my brow I looked up at Death.
"The deal is I go free if I win?" I asked feeling a little easier. I had found the answer.
"Yes," he answered blankly, 'and if you lose we sail for the land of no return."
He pointed a loose finger at a misty horizon. For the first time I thought I saw an emotion appear on his face. A hint of a smile. I suddenly realized what Death was doing. He did not need to play this game. He just wanted to see how much I wanted to live and whether I was able to use my skills to save myself. My wife had left me and I had hit rock bottom, so this was just a test. Death had taken me to his door and I did not want to enter.
As I threw the dice I knew I had won.
I was back in my penthouse suite sitting in a leather-bound armchair, a glass of malt whiskey in my hand. The remaining bottle stood on a small coffee table close by along with a quantity of sleeping pills. I picked up the bottle and went over to the drinks bar. As I was replacing the bottle something caught my eye by the door. I bent down and picked up a small piece of rag with moldy skin attached to it.
It wasn't a dream after all, I thought. I sat back down in my chair. I reached inside my jacket and took out my dice. My special dice.
As I threw, each die rolled to show an ace..
"Never fails." I laughed. |