Receeding Tides (mcyt)

Chapter 10

Dream patiently explained to Tommy the game of blackjack, but the boy could not grasp the rules. When he first learned to play it, Dream constantly forgot how addition worked with the royals. The goal of the game is to have an Ace and a card or cards adding up to 10. How you went about doing that there were dozens of possible combinations. After a good hour, Tommy finally understood a rule. No cheating. It was a game of hasty math and quick decisions, and Tommy struggled a little lot more than he expected.

"Hit."

Dream dealt the boy a card. Tommy squinted counting on his fingers and face planted onto the table.

"Goddamit, 27 again."

"It's okay, man," Dream replied shuffling the deck. "This is all for shits and giggles. Shiggles if you will."

Tommy huffed, and took the card that Dream tossed his way. Good thing thing money had no value anymore; otherwise, he would have gone broke hours ago. He would not fare well in Las Vegas.

Counting the value of his two starting cards, Tommy debated his first move. 15 wasn't that close to 21. He could hit, but there were many cards that would push his number over the 21 limit. He didn't want a six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or any of the royal cards. Tommy scanned his cards again. An ace could be used as a one or an eleven. That wasn't too helpful. Dream impatiently tapped his fingers on the table.

"Any day now, Tommy."

He had a 4 of hearts and the ace of spades. If the next card pushed him over, Tommy could claim the ace was only a 1.

"Hit me."

He wound up with a six.

"I don't wanna play this game anymore."

"Why?" Dream teased dealing more cards. "Because you're losing?"

When Bad got back, the sun was nearly set, and it had been raining for hours. Dream and Tommy sat inside side by side at the kitchen table laughing at who knows what. Still playing blackjack with an over used candle between them. Only illuminating their faces and the cards between them. Bad crept behind Tommy wielding a whack-a-mole hammer.

"Tommy a seven and an eleven is twenty!" Dream wheezed like old times covering his eyes. "You could've won!"

"Shut up, man," he grumbled, "I knew that."

"How did you even pass high school algebra? What is wrong with you?"

Tommy cackled, "Mate, I've never played this game before! Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream, I've never-"

The sound of plastic meeting skin rang behind Tommy, and he face planted on the table and sent the cards in front of him scattering in all directions. Dream laughed before realising Tommy wasn't moving. He shook Tommy's shoulder, but the boy was out cold. Before another thought could cross his mind, Bad swung solidly hitting Dream's temple.

As he laid on the ground, the pounding in his head jabbed at Dream's focus. He watched through already blurred vision as Bad knelt down and dropped a hand on his shoulder. Bad mouthed something, but Dream couldn't here what he said.

"I'm so sorry, Dream. I promise you I don't want this either but I have no choice."

Word Count: 536