Catch Perfect

Introduction

Berwald never meant for it to go this far. He stared fixedly at his hand of cards and tried to ignore the stares that burned into him through the smoky haze. A pile of cash lay heaped on the table along with empty bottles and overflowing ashtrays and all the trash that accumulated in a place like this. This small dingy room was stifling, suffocating, and uncannily silent. Berwald tried to breathe, and stared at his cards.

His pulse hammered in his neck and sweat rose to his forehead, but he kept his face and body still. Berwald was renowned for his poker face. He slowly raised his gaze, and icy blue eyes smiled tauntingly back at him. Damn it all. No one ever won against this opponent. Why the hell had Berwald thought he'd be any different?

Berwald felt the cards burning his fingers. He knew he had a good hand. He knew the odds were in his favour. But he also knew that no one ever walked away from this contender with their savings or their dignity intact. And having come this far, it was impossible to back down. Everything on the line now... nothing left to lose.

Finally, Berwald forced himself to place his cards on the table. But he did not see the four of a kind. He saw his rent, his car payments, everything he had left; he saw his own stupidity, and he could not believe he had let it go this far.

When those icy blue eyes crinkled in laughter, Berwald knew it was over. He felt his stomach drop and watched, feeling sick, at the straight flush laid out before him. An impossible hand, but one which Berwald should have seen coming.

No one could beat the Russian.

And that was it. He was broke. He had nothing. He had been completely wiped out. Berwald simply nodded, stood, and walked from the room. Amidst the voices rising from the smoke, one called after him.

"We will play again soon, da?"