It was Halloween night when he stepped into the casino. A place that never truly slept.
He wandered toward the roulette table. The wheel spun, the little white ball clicking softly as it danced around the edge. He waited for it to slow... but it didn’t. It kept spinning. Faster. Slower. Faster again. The croupier’s hollow smile didn’t waver, though his eyes were as empty as the chips piled before him.
Turning away, the man’s gaze drifted to the slot machines. Every single one of their jackpot counters glowed a blood-red 0. No sound. No coins. Just that endless row of zeros stretching across the room like a curse.
A chill crept up his spine. He bolted toward the blackjack tables. When he arrived, every player had the same hand: 12. The dealer, pale and still, flipped over an Ace and his grin widened.
“I'm out,” the man muttered, his voice trembling. He ran toward the Big Wheel of Fortune at the center of the floor. But the wheel didn’t offer any “Bonus Game” or “Mega Win.” The wedges all read the same: 0x Multiplier. The wheel didn’t spin at all. It only ticked, once, every few seconds like a heartbeat slowing to a stop.
Panicked, he sprinted to the cashier’s cage. “I just want my cashback, then I'm out of here,” he gasped, slamming his loyalty card onto the counter.
From behind the bars, a skeleton in a faded vest and bow tie leaned forward, bones creaking. Its empty eye sockets met his.
“You owe us fifteen bucks,”
ID: Yushybushy
