GAMBLE: Rule of Cards

SUGGESTED TEAMWORK

“I mean, I would lie if I say that I never dared to think of winning this game,” Denton muttered, looking directly at the girl who was giving no damn at all his statements. “I know, of course, we entered this game because we want to win the prize money. I know that no one, actually, here entered this game just to kill time, because while killing the time, you are also killing yourself slowly. The point here is, instead of treating each other as competitors, why don’t we just help each other in escaping? The more we are inside the team, the more the probability that we can attain our goals.”

“You mean, the more the people inside your team, the riskier it will be for all of us,” the girl muttered. She is really testing Denton’s patience. Deep inside, Denton just wants to give up asking the girl to be on his team but he is not losing hope, which is one thing Denton really has. “The more the people you have in your team, the more people you can sacrifice to when you are in dire need. Since you are a stranger, why would I even bother in trusting you? Who would know what really is your purpose of forming a team?”

Denton looked back at Hector, his archenemy, who was having the time of his life, commanding his people to massage him from here to there. “Look at that, I am actually looking at him for having a team, not because he was being bossy. I would not want to be like him. I don’t want to be a leader, neither be a boss, to be honest. I want to, just like him, create an even more trustworthy team, that will lead us to each of our goals. My goals, to be honest, is leaving this place, with or without the prize money,” Denton tried to explain but the girl was not even listening. “I assume something happened that it made you doubt everything that you see and interact with. I will not ask more, but please, consider my suggestion.”

“I grew up living alone, and look, I somehow survived. I don’t need the need of anyone else because I can survive in this game alone,” the girl muttered. Denton was just too stunned to speak. “I grew up alone, meaning I had no parents all along with me. I grew up alone that it took my childhood years. I grew up alone that at a young age, I learned how to work my ass just to feed myself. All throughout the years, I entrusted no one… no one but myself.”

“I am sorry to hear that from you but one must always remember that we are not living in this world to only live for ourselves. We are not bad people and we are always there to help you, whether you ask it or not, Jannah. Just call our names, Denton and Paul,” Denton muttered and assured the help to Jannah, who did not even flinch nor approved with the agreement. “Just don’t let your ass be seen by that Hector guy, because he is too powerful. I can also tell you that he’s a misogynistic jerk. He has abused and assaulted a lot of women in our city. If ever, just don’t let yourself be a known one to him.” The bell rang and the lights has changed. It signifies the pause of the arena rules. “Anyway, just remember not to talk to him. I guess we are having our dinner already. Eat and rest after, so that you’ll be prepared for the game tomorrow.”

The guards immediately entered the arena as they slowly gave the players their foods and such things that they will be needing on the next days. “They gave us shampoo and soap, they must have been so done with all our odors combined,” Paul muttered, joking Denton while they are on their way towards the comfort room as they decided to take a bath together since they have been noticing their own odor and they are not standing it. Denton was just laughing at the idea, since he shares the same sentiment. “I saw you and that weird girl on the M-group talking. What are you two talking about?”

Both of them placed their towels on the each of their cubicles. The cubicles are only shoulders, compared to both of them, so they can still see each other, despite being on different cubicles. “I wanted to ask her if she would want to enter my team, since I can see something on her. Poor girl woke up and grew up with only herself as someone she can trust, which is why she is still doubting me,” Denton muttered. “But I assured her our help, though I haven’t told you anything yet. Not to prepare but in case, something happens and yeah, such thing could happen. At least, we have something we can trust.”

“You mean, that Hector guy?” Paul asked. “I mean, he is too big to be afraid of, but if someone can be as cunning as they can be, they can totally defeat his large ass. I can sense his sense of bossiness but I can also sense he has nothing but fat on his body. He looks dumb as well.” Denton just laughed his ass out. “Not to make a prejudice about him but he really looks dumb. I won’t deny.”

“He’s not that dumb since he can really play gamble well. It’s just that he is used to using his dirty tactics just to win,” Denton replied with assurance. Paul just laughed with the idea. “But to be honest, he is good, I am not going to lie. He has his tactics. If only he tried to win against me using a clean way, I think I would acknowledge him as great gamble player.”

“Are you that good to acknowledge someone their ability to play gamble?” Paul’s sudden question which made Denton surprised. “Did that sound offensive? If you think it did, it was not my purpose actually. To revise the question, I just want to ask how good you are on playing that game?”

Denton nodded. “I understand. Actually, I am not that great at playing that game. I only play that to kill time. That was just a pastime before, until I got addicted to the point that I can’t lose a day without playing it. I also lost every single money on the savings that my wife left for us, me and my daughters. To make it fair, I was always the winner of that game… if it were not because of that Hector guy who always accuses me of cheating, I should have made that savings twice and… I would not be here, playing the game. Actually, I am of wrong also. I already has lost almost everything but I still did not stop, since I was desperate to bring back the money that I lost as I was playing with him.”

“Why did you not find someone to play with, someone more trustworthy and someone who plays cleaner than that Hector? Why would you settle to playing with him when he is doing everything to make you lose everything?” Paul asked, confused as to how things have worked with Denton. “I am just genuinely confused as to why you kept on playing with him if you already knew how dirty he plays the game?”

“I was desperate to bring back the money that I have lost, that is why I continued on playing with him. He got all the money, and since I want to bring back the money, I played with him and promised to stop until I get back at least half of the money I lost, but to no avail,” Denton muttered. “I stopped when he started on accusing me of cheating again, even though I genuinely won that game. I think it’s better that I stopped. My little brother is already done with me and my addiction.”

Paul nodded. “You have a little brother?”

“My little brother is not that little. He actually takes care of my daughters while I am here. The only mistake I made is that I never bid farewell to them; they might actually be wondering where am I and why the hell did, I go,” Denton answered. “But I am complacent of leaving my daughters to my brother. Even though I would not win the prize, it’s fine. I just want to escape this game. My daughters need me more than anyone. They already have no mother and it would be miserable for them to lose their father, even though I am of no much worth for them.”

Paul stopped the shower in the cubicle he is in. “Hey, for sure, your daughters think that you are worthy for being their father. All daughters and sons think the same. You might have made mistakes from the past or that, you thought that you are not enough, they will still see you as their father because whether you flip the world or not, you are still their father and you made them.”