Roullete...

Three men sat around a dusty table in a basement under the restaurant. The gun lay in the middle of the table and John span it around, the barrel ended up pointed at Smithy, a man he had never met before but who had been bombastic in wanting to play. Balls as big as an elephant and the brain as small as a pigeon he suspected.

John picked up the egg timer and turned it over. One minute. That was all the time Smithy had to place the barrel to his head and pull the trigger.

Danny the other person in the trio playing moved his chair back slightly from Smithy, probably because he was wary of getting brain matter on his dark suit. However the brash American span the chamber and pointed the barrel to his head.

John looked down at the egg timer, it was half empty, he then looked Smithy in the eye who had a cocky look on his face. He probably thought he was invincible and he smiled as he pulled the trigger.

Brain matter and blood hit the far wall and Smithy's dead body slumped to the side of his seat.

John picked up the revolver and put another bullet in the chamber. He then span the gun around on the table again. This time it ended up pointing at himself. Danny took the egg timer and turned it over “Good luck”, he said sarcastically as John put the gun to his own head, watching the sand slip fast through the egg timer.

He waited until almost the last drop had fallen before he pulled the trigger. Nothing. No bullet, no death, no worries. He took the gun and opened it before placing another bullet in the chamber and handed it to Danny.

“Your turn son”, he said with a half smile on his face before looking at the brief case full of cash on the table. Whoever survived this game would win the lot and John was ensuring it was going to be him.

Danny nervously took the gun and span the chamber before putting it to his own head. Sweat beads were dripping from his brow and he anxiously looked at the egg timer John had turned over and was quickly running down.

“I don't really want to do this any more”, Danny said to John. He was obviously scared out of his wits.

“You have to”, replied John, “The money is in the case and we have all taken a turn apart from you”. Danny succumbed to the pressure from John and looked at the egg timer, it was empty.

“Come on now”, said John, and Danny closed his eyes and hoped for the best. He pulled the trigger and instantly fell to the floor dead. Blood trickling all over the basement as John got up and took the briefcase full of cash.

He stepped over the two dead bodies and walked out of the basement. His right hand was in his suit pocket fiddling with the bullets, bullets he knew wouldn't fire, and those he had given out to his compadres that would ignite. Slight of hand had made him survive and he was a very rich man.

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