Gambling Addiction. The darkness that starts with the words:
"I have to take back what I lost!"
But they don't have any idea that they already took their first step in the darkness called gambling. The devil is just waiting for them to walk the path themselves, and when they're near enough... that's the time where they'll swallow them whole.
Antonio's grip already loosened, Jose knew that and removed his hand from his shoulder, and pushed it away from him. After that, he took a dart and immediately threw it. Even Antonio can't stop a dart from hitting the board. That's why... the moment Jose threw the dart... is the moment where he took his first step in the darkness.
Antonio was filled with agonizing pain...
"Why!? Jose, why!? Can't you tell that they're cheating!? Can't you!? I don't know how, but they're going to win this! Can't you see that you can't win!!!"
This is the line of thought of Antonio right now. Even if Jose wants to stop... he can't stop!!! Like a driver who has broken breaks, he wants to stop but he can't!!! If he wants to save himself, he could just jump out of the truck... but... by doing this, there's no one going to control the truck and an accident he might never expect will occur. But if he takes courage to let the truck collide with a tree or a post, he might die... but he can ensure the life of other people. Truly, a heroic feat.
But this is kind of different to Jose. Because... even if he colluded with a tree or not... someone will still die... because there's someone beside him... at the passenger's seat.
+++++
After throwing the dart, Jose hits the number 3×. The bet was multiplied by 3. If he wins, he will have at least 5000 Pesos! But if he loses... he will go in the red. At that moment, Jose felt a pang in his chest. He doesn't know why but he felt it.
As Jose felt that pang, the roulette already started to spin. At that moment, Jose felt a hand touching his heart, messaging it, touching it, and eventually... crush it!!!
That time, Jose realized it all! He's going to lose! But he doesn't how the hell he knows but he just knows that he's going to lose! All the money that he saved... will be gone!!! Completely vanished! As if It didn't exist at all!
"STOP!!!"
He shouted to stop the roulette, but... he's too late!!! The roulette stopped at number 1! Another one tile from the win!!!
Jose just crouched down at the ground and cried his eyes out! He cried and cried at the ground while Antonio is consoling him. While... the demons are staring at him... smirking... as if what happened is according to their plans.
While Jose is bawling his eyes out... Yanlei made his move!!!
+++++
Yanlei approached Jose and told something to him...
"Oh no! Jose... you don't have money now! How can you pay your 5000 Pesos bet!?"
While still crying and... he answered Yanlei...
"I'll work..."
"But you still have the case with your wife, isn't it? Why don't you gamble with me one more time?"
Yanlei was straight to the point. Jose is still crying but his shocked face is written in his face. Antonio immediately retorted to Yanlei and said:
"What is it now!? We don't have any money to bet on!!!"
"No, no, no. You're going to bet on something entirely different."
Antonio and Jose looked at him with a shocked face. What could be that "something different"? Yanlei just smirked and walked towards the stairs at the corner of the room.
"Well, to remove that shocked face of yours, why don't you listen first to my proposal? Then, decide based on that."
Antonio and Jose nodded to each other and followed Yanlei to the stairs. It's not really a long stair so It only took them about half a minute to reach the top and enter the room.
After they entered the room, Jose and Antonio were filled with surprise. The room below was rather plain compared to this room. It has a glowing chandelier, high-class furniture, and a red carpet they're just stepping on. Truly, a room of an elite.
"Now, this is where we'll start our gamble. This will be a one-on-one gamble between me and Jose!"
At this elite class of a room, a new gamble will begin!!! Gambling that would descend beyond sanity! Gambling Of The Demons!!!
END OF CHAPTER 11