The Gamble of Life

My father was a dealer at a casino, but it was not long before he himself became a gambler. It was just a hobby for him at first, but later, it spiralled into a full-blown addiction. He was on a winning streak for weeks, often bringing Mom and me lots of presents and treating us to many luxurious meals at places I had never even heard of before. However, those happy memories were short-lived once he started losing.

This caused tension between Mom and Dad as Dad refused to fight off his addiction and seek professional help. Mom, exhausted by his stubbornness, divorced Dad just a year later, and I rarely got to see him afterwards. I was just ten at the time, so I didn’t understand much, but entering my teens, the reality of what happened weighed on me more and more as the years passed by. Remembering how I enjoyed Dad’s gambling stories, I feared going down a similar path.

Ten years have passed since the divorce, and Dad and I meet once a month to catch up. He has relapsed a few times since he started seeing a therapist, but it has been kept under control for the most part. Seeing that I was struggling to find a job, he suggested I try the same casino where he once worked, as it was a welcoming place. I declined out of fear, but as the weeks passed by and I needed money to keep up with my new expenses as a university student, I finally accepted his advice and applied for the job. Mom was furious when she heard of this, but I reassured her that I would stay away from gambling itself. She was worried, but she trusted my word.

I was surprised to find the casino atmosphere to be relaxing, except for the rare occasions where customers would argue and make a scene. One customer, however, stood out from the rest. They always wore dark clothing and never showed any sign of happiness when they gambled, yet each time they played, they won. Everyone at the casino thought he was cheating, but there was never any proof that supported their theory. They had little to no interaction with anyone, staff or other customers, which was much different compared to the lively groups we’d often see; and there was something strange about their presence—one that was almost supernatural in nature.

Just a week into my job, Dad was in a car accident and was in critical condition and may not survive the ongoing surgery. I took the rest of my shift off upon hearing the news from Mom, but as I rushed outside, that customer who was on a winning streak approached me and said the strangest thing.

“If I may, I can offer you a chance to save your Dad, but only if you gamble with me just once,” they said.

“What? How do you… Is this some sick joke?”

“I’m sorry, but I’d never joke about death. I only wish to offer you the opportunity I was once given.”

“Which is?”

“Win a game and save a loved one from death, at the cost of your own,” they replied.

“At the cost of my own death?” I frowned, wondering what they meant.

“You’ll be just like me, immortal. And if you do win, I will be released from undeath.”

“That’s too big a gamble; I don’t have the time.”

“Life itself is a gamble, is it not? And from what we know, your Dad is surely running out of time himself.”

The stranger seemed sincere in their words, and in their eyes, I noticed a deep emptiness that I had not seen before, as if they wanted me to win, or rather, for them to lose. I agreed to their suggestion, and we played a simple card game for just ten minutes. It was remarkable, but I won against the stranger whom I had never seen lose a single game.

When the game ended, they smiled. “Your Mom should call any second now.”

It was right then that my phone started ringing. Mom called to tell me that Dad had a miraculous recovery and was going to be alright. The hospital was going to keep him for observation and further treatment, but they were stunned by how well the surgery went. I smiled with tears pouring from my eyes and told Mom I’d be there soon. Then I turned to the stranger and thanked them.

“No need for thanks; I should be thanking you for releasing me from this duty. It is a heavy burden, but it is rewarding in its own way. Take care, and good luck,” they said before turning into a cloud of black smoke and disappearing with the wind.