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I WAS IN A DEEP SLEEP,
DREAMING OF THE LIFE I HAVE LED,
WHEN I FELT A PRESENCE CREEP
AND STAND STILL BY MY BED.
I AWOKE IN MY CELL AND COULDN'T TELL
WHO STOOD BEFORE ME.
I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AS THE FIGURE TOOK A STEP
FORWARD TOWARDS ME,
I ROSE TO MY FEET AND STOOD TO MEET
THIS DELIBERATE STRANGER.
HE SAID, "MY NAME IS FATE,
SO PLEASE WITH HOLD YOUR ANGER.
YES, I'VE COME INTO YOUR CELL,
UNINVITED YOU MAY SAY,
BUT, DON'T GET EXCITED
BECAUSE I'VE ONLY COME TO PLAY."
HE REVEALED TO ME A DECK OF CARDS,
FROM THE PALM OF HIS AGED HAND.
I WONDERED HOW THIS ALL COULD BE,
WHY WAS FATE THE IMAGE OF A MAN?
BUT I PUT MY CURIOSITIES ASIDE,
WHEN HE SAT BESIDE ME ON MY BUNK.
I THEN BEGIN TO RATIONALIZE:
THE PRUNO MUST'VE MADE ME DRUNK.
I ASSUMED HE WAS AN ILLUSION,
A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION.
I GUESSED HE READ MY CONFUSION,
BECAUSE HE SMILED AT MY HESITATION.
HE SAID, "LET ME DEAL YOU A HAND,
AFTER ALL, WHAT COULD BE THE HARM?
I HEARD YOU'RE A GAMBLING MAN,
I SEE NO REASON TO BE ALARMED."
HIS VOICE WAS SO TEMPTING
AND HIS DEMEANOR EVER SO SLY.
HIS METHOD UNRELENTING,
WITH A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE.
I REPLIED,
"YES, I'VE BEEN KNOW TO TAKE CHANCES;
AND NEVER DENIED A GOOD GAMBLE.
BUT, IF THERE'S BIG RISKS IN THE MIX,
THEN THE REWARD MUST BE AMPLE."
HE GAVE ME A WOLFISH SMILE
AND HIS EYES GLOWED LIKE JEWELS.
HE SAID, "IF YOU WIN, I'LL MAKE IT WORTHWHILE;
BUT I'LL BRING YOU MISERY IF YOU LOSE.
IF YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT,
I'LL BRING YOU HAPPINESS AND BLISS.
PLAY YOUR HAND WRONG
AND YOU'LL FOREVER BELONG
IN A CELL LIKE THIS."
I THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT.
HE HELD HIS BREATH WAITING
FOR MY RESPONSE.
I FIGURED, NO SENSE IN COMTEMPLATING:
LOOKED HIM IN EYES AND SAID, "YOU'RE ON!"
HE BEGAN TO SHUFFLE THE CARDS
WITH HIS MAGICAL FINGERS.
I WAS AMAZED BY THE GRACE
OF THEIR MOVEMENTS.
THEY OBEYED HIS EVERY COMMAND
THE WHOLE THING TOOK ONLY A MOMENT.
HE STARED AT ME WITH A GRIN
AND SAID, "NOW YOU MUST CUT THE DECK.
AND LET THE GAME BEGIN;
BE VERY WARY OF THE CARD YOU SELECT
JUST REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR "PEACE OF MIND,"
BECAUSE THERE IS NO ROOM FOR REGRETS.
YOUR OWN DESTINY YOU WILL SURELY FIND.
AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT.
I CUT THE DECK IN THE MIDDLE
THINKING OF THE RIDDLE
HE HAD TOLD ME.
HIS GAZE WORRIED ME A LITTLE,
BUT I DID MY BEST TO STARE BACK BOLDLY.
HE SMILED AT MY CONFIDENCE,
HE PASSED MY CARDS OUT WITH GREAT STEALTH
I TOLD HIM, "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS,
YOU HAVEN'T DEALT A HAND FOR YOURSELF."
"YOU CAN NEVER PLAY AGAINST ME.
THAT'S THE TRUTH, BUT FEW HAVE KNOWN IT.
PEOPLE CHOOSE TO LIVE GUESSING,
BUT, YOU YOURSELF ARE YOUR OWN OPPONENT."
MY ANXIETY WAS GROWING;
HIS WORDS ECHOED IN MY MIND.
"NOW TURN YOUR CARDS OVER SLOWLY,
YOU COULD ONLY
SEE THEM ONE AT A TIME."
I PICKED THE FIRST CARD UP
AND THE TEN OF CLUBS APPEARED BEFORE ME.
AS IF THE SUSPENSE WASN'T INTENSE ENOUGH,
BEADS OF SWEAT BEGAN TO COME DOWN POURING.
I TURNED OVER THE SECOND CARD
WITH MY EYES CLOSED, ANTICIPATING.
FINDING AIR TO BREATHE WAS BECOMING HARD.
I FELT I WAS CLOSE TO FAINTING.
I OPENED MY EYES ONLY TO REALIZE
I COULDN'T SEE THE CARD THAT WAS LAID.
I BLINKED MY EYES TWICE TO VISUALIZE
I WAS STARING AT THE ACE OF SPADES.
FEELING NO SATISFACTION,
I LOOKED UP AT FATE'S REACTION
ONLY TO FIND THAT HE HAD A BLAND STARE.
I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF AT EASE
AND STRENGTHEN THE WEAKNESS IN MY KNEES.
I HOPED, AT LEAST, I WOULD GET A HIGH PAIR.
HOWEVER THE NEXT CARD THAT I SAW
BROUGHT ME NO COMFORT AT ALL
INSTEAD, IT ALMOST MADE ME FALL APART.
I HELD THE CARD TIGHTLY,
GUESSING WHAT THE NEXT CARD MIGHT BE,
I LAYED DOWN MY QUEEN OF HEARTS.
I COULDN'T STOP MY HEAD FROM THROBBING,
I FELT I WAS CLOSE TO SOBBING
BECAUSE THE CARDS WEREN'T GOING MY WAY.
I THOUGHT, "OF THE MANY GAMES I HAD PLAYED,
AND THE MANY TIMES I'D BEEN PAID;
THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME I'M LOSING TODAY."
THE FACE FATE HAD WAS STERN.
I STARED AT THE TWO CARDS THAT WERE UNTURNED.
AND HOPED THAT THEY WERE BOTH CARDS I NEEDED.
MY MORALE WAS LYING LOW,
ALTHOUGH I WAS TRYING NOT TO SHOW
I WAS FEELING AS IF I HAD BEEN CHEATED.
AS THE NEXT CARD WAS REVEALED
A FLURRY OF EXCITEMENT INSTILLED
BECAUSE I NOTICED A PATTERN WAS FORMING
MY ANXIETY WAS CLIMBIN',
AS I SAW THE JACK OF DIAMONDS
THE LAST CARD APPEARED TO BE WAITING FOR ME.
WHEN I TURNED IT OVER I SMILED,
AND SAID, "THIS JOKER'S WILD!"
SO I GUESS THIS MEANS I WON THE GAME."
FATE TOLD ME, "YOU MUST BE CONFUSED, OR
YOU DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE RULES.
BECAUSE I DID MY BEST TO TRY AND EXPLAIN."
I FELT MY ANGER RISE UP INSIDE ME
BECAUSE MY VICTORY WOULD BE DENIED ME.
THEN I NOTICED THE WILD CARD WAS CHANGING...
BOTH IN IT'S VALUE AND IT'S SUIT
IT'S DETERMINATION NEVER ABSOLUTE.
I REALIZED FATE DOES PLAY CARDS STRANGLY.
HE SAID, "YOUR EMOTIONS MUST BE MAINTAINED
AND IN A MOMENT I'LL EXPLAIN
THE FULL MEANING OF THE HAND YOU RECEIVED.
BUT ONCE YOU DO KNOW,
WITH YOUR ENTIRE HEART AND SOUL
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ALWAYS BELIEVE...
HE WAITED FOR ME TO PROMISE,
AND SAW THAT I WAS BEING HONEST
BEFORE HE CONTINUED TO REVEAL THE CARD'S STORY.
WITH GREAT ELOQUENCE AND CLARITY,
KNOWING HIS WISDOM WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME
HE TOLD ME WHAT FATE HAD IN STORE FOR ME...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Written by Gato for ©Digital Aztlán
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without express written permission of
Digital Aztlán is prohibited.
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