I have a story I’d like to share
One about an ocean not to far from here
You see, so many things can be found there
They call it The Ocean Of Souls
A dark abyss, waters blacker than the blackest night!
It is a place you go if you seek legends or death
They say you will find only one
This is very true
This is my story to you
The time I found something most only wish for
Are you ready to hear what I have to say?
Good then, it is quite the length
I was but a poor young man back then
I had nothing
In Black Winter most only find death
This day I found something quite the opposite!
I decided, with nothing left to lose
I’d seek what I could find
I would brave the dreaded black waters of The Ocean Of Souls!
If I died, what worse could it be
Black Winter had not exactly been good to me
I’d lost all I had in Hotel Sin
I’m a gambler and I bet everything!
What did I lose you ask?
All my youth to some bitch named Rue!
She had me bet on Dead Man’s Hand
It’s a game where you guess just who will die next!
There are 7 contestants and one has been marked for death
This is all based on the card placed face down on their right hands
These poor souls have no idea which one of them will die
You basically guess which one you think is marked for certain death
The odds are 1 in 7 obviously, and you only get one chance
I’d had a gut feeling it was number 4
I gambled the odds
Fucking shit, it is number 4 Rue!
I’d bet my youth on it, and all my money!
You see, at this point in time I was a handsome man of 21 years
That bitch knew exactly what she was doing!
Fine by me sweet young thing, if you lose I get your youth, your money
Oh…and your eternal servitude upon death!
Still care to make that bet?
Oh, I’ll do that and even wager the soul of my wife Beth!
I am sure we can work out something.
What do you say, do you believe in your husbands luck?
Will you accept his wager Beth?
I was a fool, we were both young and no doubt she just wanted to show faith in me
I never should have drug her into this!
She always tried to please me…she always believed in me.
Alas we both signed the contract and the cards were flipped
All showed life except…for number 6.
I’d lost, I went from 21 to 93!
Instantly my wife was grabbed, given a uniform and taken away
Oh no worries good sir, I assure you your wife will be put to good use
As for you…I’ve given you 12 months to live.
Make the most of them…
The cruel bitch smiled and then started the next game
It was as though nothing had happened at all
Everything was business as usual
I stepped out of Hotel Sin, no money, nothing!
It was then I saw him
A Devil all in black, he smiled his voice holding a darkness that corrupts souls
He spoke of my only hope
Hello stranger…I see you’ve lost to Rue
Fuck off!
Okay, guess you don’t want a chance to get it all back then?
I paused in shock!
You’re serious?!
Deadly serious friend…
You ever hear of The Ocean Of Souls?
……..
Legend or death, you will only come back with one
You don’t have much to lose…so care to get what you seek?
I don’t know if it was the way he spoke, or simply his tone
No doubt this was a corrupter of souls but he was right
If I sit here and do nothing, it is death for me anyways
The Devil In Black held out his hand and I did the same
One simple shake and I was transported to an Abyss…
Black waters that screamed stood before me
I stood on a boat, the Devil In Black on the shore
With a smile he kicked my boat!
Fog covered the waters and the Devil faded
His smile suggesting he was up to something
I didn’t have much of a chance to contemplate before I felt the boat shake!
A low and viscious groan came from the black depths below!
Something…was circling…the boat…
A sudden bolt of lightning struck the black waters below!
Suddenly the boat shook again as out from the waters below came a black shadow…
It’s eyes were red and its smile most wicked!
Never have I felt a chill such as this before
Hello Gambler, I come to you with a game
Will you gamble for immortality?
I had nothing left to lose and so I said
YES!
Very well, the game is Choice & Consequence
The rules are in the name
Life or Death?
Bah! Life of course!
Pleasure or Pain?
Come on, that’s easy…pleasure!
Freedom or Imprisonment?
Freedom…isn’t this supposed to be more difficult?
Immortality or Beth?
This one hit me with a cold quake through my body!
If I die, I suffer eternally to Rue…
If I get immortality though, it would be a loophole
I never face death, I never serve Rue
Perhaps I could help her somehow too?
Immortality I say, thinking to myself I’ll save you somehow Beth
These answers are final…are they set?
I looked this shadowy fingers in the eye and said
YES!
Very well, the following is put into place
You will be granted life, Beth death.
Wait…what?!
You will be granted eternal pleasure, your wife Beth…eternal pain!
NO! WAIT!
You are rewarded with your freedom…Beth imprisonment
Bu-
Finally you have been granted immortality, Beth now has no chance…
I told you the name was in the game and your answers are set!
Goodbye Gambler…
A bolt of lightning struck from the sky and hit me between my eyes
Then I awoke, a legend…of a sort
I’m the Gambler and I’ve gambled once too many
I’ve gained immortality and anything I could ever want…
Except for my dearly beloved…
The one thing I truly desire
Now I reside in Hotel Sin, a tenant eternally
Care to play a game?
-SinisterStoryTime #5: The Legendary Gambler-
sinisterdarksoul 
What a fabulous story. Terrific…”You will be granted life, Beth death.” Captivating from the first word to the last, well spun, well done! Nothing is free, nothing! Please have a wonderful Thursday. ~ Mia
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OMG! (Okay that came out a little weird) I simply wanted you to know that this means a lot! I actually took a bit on this one. I was typing and thinking where is this going?
I was a tad nervous because my SST series within these are often a bit different than the standard fare and I’m often worried people will be like, where is the blood and guts? This isn’t the Black Winter I know, where’d it go? Xp
To be honest, I am usually most nervous when I do the SST entries because they are generally lengthier and because a lot of my poetry is more fast paced, I think when these tend to be a slower build up that maybe it is boring people. That is just my mind though.
I am so glad you enjoyed this Entry and thank you SOOooooo much! I know, I’m doing that a lot lately and I am drinking coffee so that kind of amps me (A LOT!). I appreciate you taking the time to read a lengthier Entry. I truly appreciate your kind words soul and I hope your Thursday is going amazingly! ^_^
The idea in some ways was that, here was this man who gambled everything away. He is a gambler by trade, and even after losing his wife once and getting a second chance he gambled on the idea of being able to do something for her if he took immortality. We all see how that ended for him.
Now he stays in Hotel Sin, and in some ways is like Rue. He finds other souls who like to gamble and puts them in similar predicaments, although some come with a twist. He obviously became legendary because he returned from The Ocean Of Souls…
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Thank you for a wonderful reply. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain some of the story lines and how they tie to each other. I think I’m starting getting a handle on it, really well planned and thought out. I’m thoroughly impressed how organized and creative you are.
*Smiling, I love the idea of “Hotel Sin”, no doubt it houses all type of interesting souls. Black Winter, is a sort of subculture on to itself. Which makes your writing and stories all the more fascinating. You’ve really got me thinking now. 🙂
Wishing you a lovely evening. 🙂
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Thank you! ^_^ I’m glad Black Winter is of such interest to you, as are the souls that reside within it.
I really like that it has you thinking. 🙂 I like when something I write makes people think. Thank you again for your kind words and of course I wish you a wonderful evening.
Cheers! ^_^
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🙂
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Hence the title being The Legendary Gambler (due to the whole legend or death being all you get from that place).
Alas, he will likely turn up in future Entry’s, or like The Devil In Black, will be in recurring Entry’s even if he is just in the background or only a supporting character in the story.
I am so excited though! Thank you for reading and listening to my rambling.
Cheers! ^_^
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You’re most welcome, it’s truly my pleasure. Looking forward to seeing some of your characters reappear. 😉
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I’m becoming addicted to your writing (uh, oh)… Love this one!
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Thank you! ^_^ Well, there are worse addictions and clever, I believe I see what you did there. 😉
I am glad you enjoyed this one. I know it was lengthier but I appreciate you taking the time to read it and give your thoughts.
Cheers! ^_^
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I love how you weaved some complex ideas into this one. It taps into the powerful forces of mythology, which I love to talk about over at QE. The idea that everything is weighed and measured, and the gifts you most desire come at a desperate price. The reason this speaks to so many people and crosses so many boundaries is because we all have something in our life we are willing to gamble on – despite the odds, despite the consequences. The costs were great for The Gambler, but they can be great for us too.
On a side note, I imagined this jaunt taking place in a Black Winter speakeasy trapped in the 1920s. Like you walk in and are transported back to that place and time. HAhahaha…the mind works in weird ways.
Awesome posting!
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It isn’t entirely out of logical sense, in the way you imagined things. I sort of did the same. I know how much you love to talk mythology on QE. I love that too!
I know I take pretty crazy liberties at times when I write the SinisterStoryTime Entry’s but they are usually longer, slower to build, and it’s just the way the happen. It makes me nervous sometimes. Still, I like it.
Thank you for your kind words, your reply and your insight. I love knowing how others imagine what I write. It is a large reason why there are many times I’m vague about scenery etc. Thank you again Corey!
Cheers! ^_^
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I really think you need to keep writing and collect a compendium of short stories and send out an anthology when you feel ready. Your stories have emotion and impact. You should be proud of this one in particular. Good work.
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:O I’m shocked you still think so but more that you think I should be proud of this Entry. Thank you! ^_^ It isn’t out of the question completely but…for now, it will remain a blog (without an anthology in print form).
I will of course keep writing. I’ll pick that up again Monday though. Tomorrow is my day of rest. Thank you for the extremely kind words, suggestion, and thoughts.
It is an honor simply being able to share these stories in the blog. I have no words for how it feels that people seem to enjoy them.
Cheers! ^_^
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