Redemption: AmBw Romantic Suspense

God, is this the life? Is this going to remain? Are we really done running?

Chapter 13

Death’s Game

Yoshiro

In my nightmare, Death slipped into my bedroom.

He wore a large black cloak. It was less fabric and mainly smoke. It wisped and wound around his skeletal form. His eyes glowed red. He had no teeth. And when he extended his bony arm and exposed his hand, tiny screaming faces bulged and moved within his palm.

Although he hovered a foot above the ground, the floor creaked.

I sat up in bed. “Why are you here? I’m not ready to die.”

Death came closer and hovered over me. “Are you sure, Yo-yo.”

I flinched at him saying my nickname.

Death pointed to the window. “You’re going to drown.”

I looked that way.

Instead of the usual snowy landscape, an ocean moved outside. A wave smashed against the glass. The wave fell away, leaving heavy foam drops on the glass.

“Let’s play a game.” Death sat down by the small table near my window. It was where I used to keep my wife and son’s shrine.

“What type of game?” I left the bed, slowly walked over to the other side of the table and sat in a stool that had never been there before.

Death dug into his cloak, pulled out a gun, and lay it on the table. “Roulette.”

“I don’t like that game. It’s stupid.”

“Then, I can take you right now.”

I stared at the gun. Black skulls coated the handle. Blood dripped on the length. A line of steam left the tip.

Death pointed to the table. A bullet appeared. “Put it in the gun.”

“I don’t want to go with you.”

“You’ve wanted to go before.”

“Things have changed.”

“Play the game, Yo-yo.”

I picked up the bullet with my left hand and studied it. “If I win, then you leave.”

“For now. But you will see me one day.”

I grabbed the gun with my other hand. It opened on its own. I thumbed the bullet into a random chamber, closed the cylinder, and spun it.

“Play,” Death said.

“Fuck you.” I spun the cylinder again, raised the gun, and pressed the muzzle to my temple. The steel was cold.

“Are you scared?”

I looked Death straight in the eye, held my breath, and eased the trigger back. The cylinder turned. The hammer cocked. The action played smooth, like silk rubbing on silk.

Swallowing, I pulled the trigger all the way. The hammer fell. There was a loud click. I felt the smack of the hammer pulse all the way through the steel to the side of my head.

Nothing came.

Death’s red eyes glowed brighter. “You’re lucky.”

I set the gun down on the table.

“One more time, Yo-yo.”

“And then you leave?”

“For now.”

“Forever.”

That evil creature smirked. “Death will come to all one day.”

“But not today for me.”

“You want to live?”

“I do.”

“Why? Before, you welcomed me.”

“Never mind that.” I picked up the gun again, spun the cylinder, and let it slow and stop.

“There was a time, when you hoped I would come, Yo-yo. There were moments when you wished I would reunite you with Olivia and Akio.”

Anger rose within me. “Don’t say their names.”

“You don’t miss them anymore?”

“I do, but they’re gone.”

“You think you should live while they—”

“Fuck you!”

A dark cackle left Death’s bony mouth. “Take the last turn, Yo-yo.”

I raised the muzzle to my head. The barrel was so long my elbow was forced up and out. I pulled the trigger, fast and decisive. A loud click sounded.

“Fuck you.” I lowered the gun and spun the cylinder a third time. I raised the gun and pulled the trigger. Nothing. I did it a fourth time, fast. Nothing. I did it a fifth time, faster. Nothing.

“OK.” Death’s eyes dimmed as he rose from the table. “You’ve won this time.”

Tears left my eyes.

“I’ll tell Oliva and Akio you said hello.”

I slung the gun on the floor. “They’re not with you.”

The glow in Death’s eyes went completely black. No more was there a red glow.

I gave him the middle finger. “Olivia and Akio are happy. They’re at peace. They’re smiling together. Get the fuck out of my room.”

The ocean rattled my windows, and then Death disappeared.

In the next moment, I woke up, but to my surprise I wasn’t in my bed.

I sat in the chair right next to the window. My shirt was off. I just had on my pajama pants. No shoes. No sign that I’d been sleepwalking. Not that I did anyway. But still. . .I couldn’t understand why I had been sitting in the chair.

What’s going on? I didn’t fall asleep here.

My gaze was drawn back to the table. A bullet lay in the center.

There was no gun.

I swallowed and looked out the window. It was morning. The sun shined bright within fluffy clouds. The same snowy landscape greeted me, but some of it had melted. Off in the distance, a huge vehicle ploughed the road in front of my property.