The neon lights of Eclipse Casino flickered like dying stars as Daniel walked in, clutching his last fifty dollars.
The dealer at the blackjack table smiled too wide, his eyes hollow beneath the brim of his hat.
“Care to try your luck?” he hissed.
Every time Daniel lost, the room grew colder. The laughter of other players echoed, warped, and distant.
When he finally won a hand, the dealer’s grin vanished.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he whispered.
The walls began to pulse, red like veins. The cards bled ink.
A woman at the slot machine turned to him—her mouth stretched open, revealing nothing but black.
Chips melted into teeth.
Daniel tried to run, but the carpet clung to his feet like wet flesh.
He turned toward the exit, but the sign now read “CASH OUT YOUR SOUL.”
The dealer’s voice followed him into the dark:
“House always wins.”
And somewhere, in the eternal hum of slot machines, Daniel’s scream joined the jackpot bells.
User: FL3CHA2000