"Almost Green"

Living Room

A familiar, new place spread its roots there.

Andy has never seen anything quite like it. The golden chandeliers that showered the large halls with warm and pristine radiance were unlike the ones his own library boasted. Each of them carried bunches and bundles of tiny, translucent gems that spread the light evenly across the rich plaza. Across each green table standing diligently in row, like a soldier waiting for orders. Across the dealers' sunglasses, which betrayed nothing and protected the identities of men and women laying devilish pranks on the hordes of well dressed customers, taking entire lives and giving away scraps on occasion. Entire bookshelves of slot machines lined the walls and pooled in the very middle of this sinful kingdom, all of them spinning and rattling, pulling and spitting. They ate more than they vomited, always making sure the customer stayed – lured with a tiny payout here and there, yet never enough to actually cheat the house. Andy stood on a fluffy carpet the color of wine, watching the golden masses filtering through card tables, one armed machines, gigantic screens filled with fruit and vegetables, closely followed by large sums of numbers – anything to keep the colorful monopoly going. All of it whirled around his eyes, and the colors took his brain for a wild spin. Much like the many roulette wheels down below, his gray matter kept circling and circling, stirring and boiling, aroused beyond belief by the clinking of coins, shuffling of cards, rattling of chips and singing of those who managed to win. A hand on his shoulder hastily dragged his head back down from the clouds.

"Isn't it all just swell, dear Andy?"

The worm-man slithered his way back into Andy's vision. His eyes took him in, but his brain somehow refused the command. It screamed for freedom, but the cashmere that plated his suit had somewhat reminded him of Duflot and Andy didn't know what to even think anymore. Something about the union, something about wanting out, something about Croissant, and finally something about just going home and sleeping the terrible day off.

"I don't think gambling counts as a business opportunity." He uttered. The worm-man took his words as a mere suggestion, rather than a statement. His lips smiled, baring shiny whites.

"Of course it doesn't, Andy. I'm not here to cast you into the wild world of coin-chasing and roulette-spinning, dear. You and I both know that's not what you're actually looking for, is it?"

"Why?" He blinked. "Why me? Why do you know my name? Why are you so focused on me? That guy from the alley, how–..." Andy tried voicing his concerns, but to no avail. His brain wouldn't cooperate, not with the sound of slot-machines singing and money spilling in wild tumult. Some part of it felt allured and buzzed by it all, and another just wanted the day to end. "... Why?"

"Andy, Andy, Andy..." The wormy voice poured into his ears like melted gold. Like a soothing balm to his burning worries... "Why? The real query you should be asking yourself is "Why do I care?" You're in a real pearl of the lower layers of the city, you know that. A golden palace amidst the half-eaten finball rottings, and wrappers of tutti frutti chewing gum. This is the place to be. Not out there, with the masses, but here, with the select few. The select few, like you, Andrew."

"I still don't understand. It's just..." His brain felt particularly warm. As if it was ready to melt and spill through his ears. "I'm... I'm having a really bad day. I know you don't care, but I'm just tired. I'm really tired. My head hurts, my legs hurt, my arms hurt, I... I don't even know where my papers are. The forecast papers."

"The forecast papers for your drive back home?" The worm-man chimed in. Of course he'd know. Andy wanted to take a mental note of his appearance, but his eyes refused.

"Of course. You know all about it."

"You're our esteemed customer, Andy-..."

"Yeah, you HAVE to know. I get it." His lungs filled with air, then slowly let go. "I'm really tired. I just want to go home. I wanna go home."