Song Drabble 3
One Two
Las Vegas. City of lights. City of luck. City of ladies, and pretty ones at that. City of...
City of drunken, destitute losers, he thought bitterly. And I guess that makes me right at home. He threw an empty beer bottle at the trash can opposite him, smirking halfheartedly at the raucous crash it created.
"If I could have any power," he declared to the empty alleyway, "it would be to control the dice."
"Is that so."
He jumped in surprise. What the flipping hell? What happened to the alleyway being empty?
Because there certainly hadn't been a black-cloaked man standing next to him the last time he'd checked.
"Well, yes." After recovering himself, he decided to reply. If this guy wanted to make conversation, it was no skin off his nose. "Just lost thirty-two thousand dollars at craps. That wouldn't happen if I could control the dice."
The man whistled, leaning nonchalantly against the wall. "Damn, but that's a lot of money."
"Are you kidding?" He laughed bitterly. "That was just in this last round. I lost more at poker last night."
"Bet that wouldn't happen if you could control the cards, either," the man observed.
"No," he said slowly. "No, it wouldn't."
He couldn't see the man's sudden smirk under his hood, but he certainly felt it. After all, the hairs on the back of his neck tended to have a reason for standing at attention.
"Well," the man straightened up, and – hold on, where the hell had that weapon in his hand come from? – headed towards the Strip, "good luck with your cards and dice and stuff. Me, I've got a show of my own to start." He looked over his shoulder, green eyes suddenly flashing from the shadow of the hood. "Master of fireworks, you know." With that, he strode out into the bright lights of late-night Vegas and – disappeared.
Ludor blinked and got slowly to his feet. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? If they were, he certainly didn't find them humorous.
It was then that the explosions started. Amongst the screams of terrified gamblers and the roars of the dark creatures – why was he not surprised they had showed up? – attacking them, a long, triumphant laugh sounded.
A small creature with bright yellow eyes turned to regard Ludor.
Who grinned at it. "Well, come on then," he taunted the beast. "What are you waiting for?"
Moments before his death, he had never felt so alive.