Endz Casino & Resort

by Ben Larracey

  Sadie walked into the glow of the light. Her eyes were hollow and distant. DeLeo could tell she was afraid of the massive police officer. She kept her distance from him and avoided all eye contact, making sure to keep the small table with the lantern between them.

  The officer rounded the table and moved closer to DeLeo “Who is this guy?” the officer asked Sadie.

  “I found him out there, alone,” Sadie said timidly. Her eyes darted anywhere but toward the officer.

  “What’s going on?” DeLeo interrupted, “What the hell were those things back there?”

  The officer ignored DeLeo and addressed everyone in the vault but him. “We have to protect ourselves. We can’t take in strangers whenever we want. We don’t have enough food or supplies.”

  “There’s plenty of food John,” Sadie said. DeLeo could tell she was nervous. Sadie grabbed the lantern off the table and walked to the back of the room. Hundreds of canned foods; vegetables, pasta, fruit, lined the wooden shelving. “Just because you’re a cop doesn’t mean you get to run the show,” Sadie yelled. Her eyes turned to DeLeo, who was beginning to feel like he was now in a place with a whole new set of problems.

  “He was out there alone, with nothing,” Sadie added, “and those things would have gotten him if I left him.”

  DeLeo watched the cop, John, and waited for an explosive reaction. He was caught off guard when John’s demeanor changed to soft and caring, almost fatherly tone. “I was just worried about you Sadie. We can’t afford to lose you too.” John walked over to Sadie, rubbed her back and adjusted her hair.

  Sadie looked at the ground embarrassed, uncomfortable.

  What did I walk into, DeLeo thought to himself. Questions shot through his mind: who are these people? How long have they been here and what the hell was going on?

  DeLeo observed the blank faces in the vault and their reaction to the way John was acting toward Sadie. The twenty-something in the varsity jacket looked away pretending not to notice, scraping mud off the soles of his Doc Martins. The woman in the oversized religious dress was different. She stared right at Sadie, scowling like it was her she hated. Like Sadie was the problem, not John. The woman continued to hold the teenage boy in the Nirvana t-shirt in her arms, comforting him like a small puppy or baby.

  The teenager seemed not to care, indifferent to the whole thing. His eyes glossed over in what appeared to be fear. DeLeo couldn’t know for sure. Was it from those things outside, John, or the crazy lady that seemed to hold him over-protectively like his doll? Then the woman spoke, never taking her eyes off Sadie.

  “Everything is going to be okay Billy,” the woman said, adjusting the excess dress fabric under her while rubbing the boy’s head. “Everything is going to be okay. I’m going to keep you safe. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  The college kid looked up from his shoes and spoke with reservation. “John, give her some space huh?” His voice cracked as he spoke, like the final stages of puberty. “She’s had a rough time out there and so what if we add another to the group?”

  “What was that Tucker? Know-it-all college boy?” John snapped. His piercing eyes reflected the dull lantern light.

  DeLeo could tell Tucker was scared to death of John by the way he was overcome with nervous laughter. “I just meant she must be tired and might need some rest. That’s all,” Tucker stuttered.

  Tucker stood up and grabbed two bottles of water from the shelf, walked over to Sadie and DeLeo and handed them the water. “It’s from my share,” Tucker said to, John eyeing the transaction.

  “It better be,” John said.

  “My name is Tucker smiled at DeLeo. “That’s Billy,” Tucker said pointing to the teen in the Nirvana shirt. “Ethel is next to him,” Tucker said pointing at the scowling redheaded woman. “You already know Sadie, and the big guy right here is John.”

  DeLeo finally got a good look at John, who now stood in the light. He was easily a foot taller than him, his mouth pencil thin and hard.

  “I’m going to pat you down okay?” John said, moving closer.

  “Is he serious?” DeLeo asked Tucker.

  “Eyes here,” John snapped. Spit from his lips hit DeLeo in the face.

  “Just do whatever he says,” Sadie said, her voice defeated and weak.

  DeLeo let John search him. The room returned to quiet as John found nothing. Moments later DeLeo was walking around the room waiting for someone to speak first. The vault was twenty by twenty. In the back there was floor to ceiling shelving that DeLeo imagined once held money; now it seem to have endless amounts of expired canned food. Beans, olives, corn, spaghetti-o’s. Next to the shelf was a curtain. DeLeo looked behind it. A piss-smelling, five-gallon white pail sat in the corner. Dark yellow dehydrated piss floated at the bottom.

  DeLeo shut the curtain and addressed the room, “Is anyone going to tell me what those things are out there?” He looked from face to face. Everyone avoided his eye contact. Finally, DeLeo turned to Tucker and grabbed his varsity jacket.

  “Tell me?!”

  Tucker let out a long breath, “We honestly know as much as you.”

  DeLeo didn’t believe him. “Endz Casino,” DeLeo shouted, “never heard of it. I seriously doubt I know as much as you.”

  DeLeo watched Tucker glance at the others in the room. Obviously, they had discussed their situation and how they each had gotten there before.

  “We all have our theories,” Tucker said.

  “What do you think?” DeLeo said.

  Tucker hesitated, then spoke, “I think it’s the government. You know some experiment, like how the CIA experimented on people using LSD back in the fifties. I think this is the same thing.”

  “Shut up,” John’s voice blared from the corner of the steel room. “It’s not the government you idiot, or aliens, or any of that hippie shit. So if I hear one more word about conspiracy theories, I’m going to throw you out there with those fuckers. Got me?”

  Tucker shrugged. He wasn’t going to argue with John. “That’s just my opinion,” he said, in a tone implying it didn’t matter.

  “I believe you,” Billy said, looking up from Ethel’s arms.

  “Thanks.” Tucker forced a smile.

  In the faint glimmer of the lamp light, DeLeo saw Ethel squeeze Billy tighter. She whispered in his ear, “Don’t listen to him, Billy. John is the one who will protect us.” Ethel lifted her head, her eyes the color of ice. She scanned the room until she locked eyes with DeLeo.

  “It’s much worse than the government,” she said with absolute conviction. “I knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time. We are being judged. It’s time you get right with God or suffer the fate of those things outside.”

  “Enough with that crazy talk,” Sadie said from the corner. “God has nothing to do with this.”

  “Slut,” Ethel said under her breath. “You wish the Lord had nothing to do with this because you live a life of sin.”

  “Ethel, why don’t you let go of Billy,” Tucker said coming to Sadie’s defense. “Give him some space. You’re not even his mother.”

  “Blasphemy! How dare you. I know you have feelings for this little hussy, but never question me again.”

  “Enough of this shit!” John shouted. ‘Everyone just shut the fuck up. All that matters is staying alive. That’s it. Nothing else.”

  DeLeo watched the fragile people in front of him begin to fracture, and the thought of the Dealer and his eerie stare came to mind.

  “There was a man back there, wasn’t there?” DeLeo asked, curious and wishing to stop the situation from deteriorating even further. “Who was he?” It seemed to work. Everyone’s attention was now drawn back to him.

  “A man?” Sadie asked. A puzzled look in her eye, “I didn’t see anyone with you.”

  “The Dealer, at the casino,” DeLeo implored. “He sa
id something about playing a game.”

  “Look, pal,” John said standing up and walking toward him. The hard soles of his knee-high leather boots thumping against the concrete floor. The buckle of his holster rubbed against the nylon of his belt. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, sow a little dissent or plant a seed of false hope, but no one here has heard or seen any dealer. Or been to any casino, so you best either shut up or tell us something.”

  “I swear, I’m telling you the truth.” DeLeo looked to Sadie for support. “It was right where you found me. Through the fog somewhere. It couldn’t have been more than two hundred feet away.”

  John asked Sadie, “You see anything?”

  Sadie avoided eye contact and looked to the ground shaking her head, “No. I didn’t see anything.”

  “Sadie,” DeLeo said. “I’m not lying.”

  “I’m sorry, I just didn’t see it.”

  DeLeo knew what he saw. The Dealer, the casino, all of that was real. And god forbid if he was going to spend another second in the same vault with these nuts. This steel tomb was just a match away from exploding. The casino couldn’t be far he thought. Maybe the fog had cleared. ‘I’m not lying,” DeLeo walked toward the door. “I’ll show you.”

  John’s massive frame blocked the vault door, surprising DeLeo by how fast he moved.

  “You touch that door pal, and I’ll break your arm,” John growled.

  DeLeo stopped and tried to explain himself, but no words came to his mouth, “I’m just –”

  “John he’s scaring Billy,” Ethel said from the back of the vault. She squeezed Billy.

  “I’m just –” DeLeo tried again to justify his case but quickly regretted it as John’s large hand grabbed his chest.

  “You touch that door, and I’ll break your neck.” John pulled DeLeo closer. He could feel the heat radiating off John like a furnace.

  “I’m in charge,” John said in a gravelly whisper. “Now,” John let out a steamy breath, “Sit down!” he roared pushing, DeLeo so hard he fell to the ground.

  Sadie rushed to DeLeo’s side, “Are you okay?” She turned to John “Why did you do that?”

  John ignored her and returned to one of the dark corners of the vault.

  “I’m fine,” DeLeo said standing up and brushing off the bits of dust and dirt. “I’m fine.” He scanned the room. No one seemed to care what just happened. They were all prisoners here, not only to the beast outside, but to John in here.

  “John’s a good man,” Ethel said to DeLeo. “He’s just trying to keep the peace.”

  “Is that so?” DeLeo asked rhetorically, knowing whose side she was on.

  “Let’s pray,” Ethel said reaching out her hand, “the Lord Almighty only lets those who love him into his house.”

  DeLeo had caused enough problems and reluctantly gave Ethel his hand. Billy reached next to him and grabbed Tucker’s hand. John joined from his chair.

  DeLeo noticed bandages on both of Billy’s wrists. He had seen that type of injury a long time ago with one of his high school friends.

  “Oh, he’s fine,” Ethel said quickly to DeLeo, in a fine southern accent, almost as if she knew what he was thinking. “Now let us pray.”

  DeLeo bowed his head with everyone else. When Ethel was a good way into her prayer, DeLeo lifted his head, watching the others. It was all nonsense to him.

  Sadie gazed at DeLeo and smiled. She wasn’t praying either. He liked her. She seemed like the only normal one offering any ray of hope. Sadie then rolled her eyes and made her hand in the shape of a gun and pretended to shoot herself in the head.

  DeLeo chuckled.

  Ethel and the others continued to pray, oblivious to Sadie’s mockery. DeLeo bit his bottom lip. Sadie winked, continuing to try and make him laugh. DeLeo smirked, rolled his eyes, and pretended to tie a noose around his neck, all the while, unbeknownst to them, John was watching,with more than a hint of jealousy.

  4

  “Nice shirt,” DeLeo said referring to Billy’s Nirvana shirt, trying to make conversation.

  “Thanks,” Billy rubbed the creases out. “You a fan?”

  “I am. I was always more of a Soundgarden fan, but I like all the Seattle stuff: Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam. Anything by Chris Cornell really.”

  “You a musician?” Sadie asked, enthused. “I mean you look like one,” she added.

  “Really? I didn’t know I was that obvious. I play guitar and sing.”

  “Wow,” Sadie said blushing. Her eyelashes flickered like butterfly wings.

  “Musicians,” John mocked from the corner. “Bunch of freeloaders. You’re a little old to be chasing a kid’s dream, aren’t you? What are you? Thirty-five, forty? Your pathetic attempt to chase tail? What’s your real job? Welfare fraud?” John laughed at his own words.

  DeLeo ignored him. The truth was he had found some minor success in his twenties. A song on a TV show he never watched, sometimes a royalty check came. It had been tough making money since then.

  “Do you have any groupies?” Sadie asked, raising an eyebrow.

  DeLeo blushed. He couldn’t believe she was asking these questions in front of everyone. In any other circumstance it would have been fine, but here she was coming on strong.

  “I miss music,” Sadie lamented. “You know they used to call me Sexy Sadie, like the Beatles song. You like the Beatles?”

  “Of course,” DeLeo said, happy to change the subject back to music.

  Sadie twirled her hair. “I miss beautiful things,” she gazed DeLeo directly in her eyes. “Do you think I’m beautiful?”

  DeLeo felt uncomfortable. Their conversation was getting a bit awkward for this place, especially in front of these people.

  “You know I used to play piano,” Tucker said trying to gain Sadie’s affection.

  “Nobody cares Tucker,” John bellowed from the corner, his eyes locked on Sadie.

  “So, are you married? You have a girlfriend?” Sadie said inching toward DeLeo.

  DeLeo froze. He felt uncomfortable. It seemed like everyone in the room was watching his interaction with Sadie.

  “Um…,” DeLeo searched for a way to change the subject. “So.....does anyone remember how they got here? All I remember was I was at a club finishing an acoustic set, and then suddenly there were bright lights. Like headlights or something. Then I woke up at the...” he stopped before he said casino, “then I woke up here.”

  “The same for me,” Sadie added. “One minute I was at work and then the next I was here. It’s all still so foggy.”

  Ethel laughed. “At work, you say? A strip club isn’t work.”

  “I’m a dancer,” Sadie shot back.

  “You’re a whore. A creature of the night. You fit in well here,” Ethel smiled to herself, satisfied with her insult.

  Sadie pulled back her hair, “Aren’t you the martyr, all high and mighty and dressed like a pilgrim.”

  “God has left you alone sister. I’ll pray extra hard for you.”

  DeLeo watched the back and forth continue between the two women until it was interrupted by John screeching his chair across the concrete floor.

  “This is a waste of time,” John said. “It doesn’t matter. I’m a cop. Sadie’s a…a dancer — so what?” John turned his frustration toward DeLeo. “Are we supposed to team up like a group of super heroes? The Avengers? Each of us with some fucking special power, and you’re our leader right?” John continued toward DeLeo. “Not on my watch.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” DeLeo attempted to defend himself against the brute of a man standing in front of him. “I just want to know why the hell we’re here!”

  “Remember, everything was fine until you got here.” John pointed at the hourglass. Sand still fell. “Consider this a job interview. A trial period. Your time to prove yourself
before time runs out. Now let’s get some shuteye,” John returned to his dark corner. “We need to be rested up. We’ll only have an hour maybe two once those things are gone.”

  Everyone prepared for bed. Ethel and Billy moved to one of the empty corners, Tucker to another.

  Sadie tossed DeLeo a blanket. “It’s not much, but it’s something.”

  “Thanks,” DeLeo said and wrapped the blanket around himself. The fabric was coarse like sandpaper. “I don’t know what’s more dangerous those things out there or him,” DeLeo whispered to Sadie, motioning to John, who sat stoically on the other side of the vault cleaning his gun.

  “He’s just trying to scare you,” Sadie said, trying to comfort him.

  “Well, it’s working.”

  John snapped his gun shut. The click of metal on metal caused chills to run up DeLeo’s spine. “Getting a little close over there aren’t we?” John hissed from the corner.

  “Just giving him a little advice,” Sadie said, winking at DeLeo.

  “A little close for advice in my opinion,” John said lying down on the ground. He pulled up a blanket and rested his revolver on his belly. The silver barrel glinting in the light.

  DeLeo sat on the ground, preparing to lie down.

  Sadie crouched down in front of him. “You know,” Sadie whispered, “if you want you can come to my corner.”

  “Here? Now?” DeLeo said, startled she would even ask him, “I don’t know.” He nodded to the corners where John and Ethel lay.

  “I don’t belong to him,” Sadie said, taking offense.

  “That’s not what I meant,” DeLeo reassured her, sensing that she had gotten the wrong impression.

  “Well,” she smiled. “If you get lonely, I’m right over there.

  DeLeo swallowed and watched her disappear into the dark vault. He knew John must have been watching them. He always seemed to be keeping an eye on her.

  An hour must have passed but DeLeo couldn’t tell. Time had no meaning here. He just watched the flame dance around the lantern. The deep snore of John sleeping put DeLeo at ease. At least the beast was asleep, he thought to himself.