Endz Casino & Resort

by Ben Larracey

  “This is an old sewer system,” she explained quietly, reloading a magazine. “Once you get to the other side, take the tunnel down until you see a ladder. It will take you to the surface level.” She lay down more gunfire.

  “Then what?” DeLeo yelled.

  “The extraction team. They’ll meet you there.” Ethel took her watch off and handed it to DeLeo. “There is a tracker in here. You have fifteen minutes. Be there. If you’re not, they’ll leave you. It’s too dangerous here now. Promise me you’ll be there?”

  DeLeo took the watch and strapped it to his wrist. “I’ll be there. But what about you?”

  Ethel grinned. “I’m not going anywhere. Remember, I’m the one with the big gun.” She effortlessly lay down a steady stream of gunfire and quickly reloaded. “Go on,” she shouted. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  DeLeo backed into the ventilation shaft but before he could get far, Ethel was hit by three shots, exploding her chest on impact. She fell to the ground, still continuing to fire.

  “Get out of here,” she gasped, spitting up blood and motioning down the shaft. Maroon liquid pooled around her. Her eyes began to fade. “You have to survive. This was all for you.” Ethel removed two grenades from her belt. “I’m not going without taking at least a few of those bastards with me. Go now.”

  Shocked and saddened by what had just happened, DeLeo faltered for a second. “Thank you,” he said, choking up and then, regaining his composure, he quickly crawled through the ventilation shaft.

  The shaft was tight and greasy but he kept moving. The echo of distant gunfire filled the small space. He suddenly spilled out in the opening covered in dirt and filth.

  Suddenly, Ethel’s grenades detonated and an explosion lit the small tube. A massive flame shot out of the ventilation shaft just above DeLeo’s head as he instinctively dove to the ground for cover. The smell of burnt hair and flesh filled the small area. DeLeo checked the watch: 5 minutes. He could hear the voices of the security forces through the tunnel. Ethel hadn’t been able to kill them all.

  DeLeo ran down the tunnel until he came to the ladder Ethel told him about. Hand over hand he made it up the cold, wet rungs as fast as he could, praying the extraction team wouldn’t leave him behind. His arms burned. His ears rung. The muffled noise of the security force was close behind.

  15

  Blinking, DeLeo exited the utility hole. White light flooded his eyes. It was daytime for sure, but the fog was so thick he could barely see ten feet in front of him. He stood on what felt like pavement and what seemed to be an empty parking lot. There was no one there. No extraction team waiting.

  He checked the watch: 2 minutes remained.

  Cold sweat ran down his face at the thought of being left behind. He had to see his family again. Amber, Delilah, they were the only things that mattered. He moved into the fog away from the utility hole to put some distance between him and whoever was on his tail. He prayed the tracker on the watch worked and that the extraction team would be able to find him.

  The crackle of radio chatter burst through the silence, followed by boots on pavement. The security forces were there. It had to be them, somewhere in the fog. DeLeo didn’t know where for sure, but he knew they had to be close.

  Suddenly the rotating swoosh of helicopter blades came from above, breaking DeLeo’s focus. Ethel’s watch began to glow a neon blue. The extraction team, DeLeo thought. They were here. Though he couldn’t see them, the helicopter had to be the team.

  He ran toward the sound of the helicopter blades. He still couldn’t see anything through the white mist and used his ears to guide him. The closer he got to the swoosh of the helicopter blades, the bluer his watch became. Suddenly, he slammed full-speed into a chain linked railing.

  The fog began to thin out and it was only then he noticed he was standing at the edge of a massive cliff that descended into what seemed like infinity. The pavement under his feet seemed to just end. If it weren’t for the chain railing, he would have toppled over, careened into the abyss.

  The sound of the helicopter slowly faded into the distance and the blue glow of his watch and hope for freedom dimmed with it.

  Standing on the edge of the cliff, DeLeo turned to face an abundance of military boots and radio chatter coming toward him. They were so close. His heart began to pound slower and what felt like deeper. It became harder to breathe and he felt as though he was going to pass out. There was no redemption, no extraction team, just the sound of boots on pavement getting closer by the second. This was the end.

  Then, just as suddenly as it started, everything stopped. The boots, the radio, the bouncing utility belts. All of it was gone.

  Silence.

  A cold gust of wind blew along the edge of the cliff, twisting and twirling the fog that eventually lifted to reveal Chip Johnson standing no more than ten feet away.

  “Long way down, huh?” Chip mused, lifting an eyebrow.

  DeLeo was shocked. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing once again.

  “Is this real??” DeLeo asked. “Are those people really dead back there or are you still messing with me? Where are the cameras?” DeLeo shouted, his agony piercing the otherwise silent cliff.

  “Interesting take on things Wes, but I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.”

  “I can’t go back. I can’t. Never.”

  “We can talk about that later.”

  The thought of crazy Tim Sherman passed through DeLeo’s mind. “Just push the reset button,” he remembered Tim saying to him just before he jammed that shank into his neck. “It’s the only way out.”

  DeLeo looked over the edge. There was no way someone would survive a jump from this height. He thought of his wife and daughter, then he thought about being locked in that padded cell for god knows how many years. There’s no way they would let him leave. Not this time. They’d pump him full of so much shit, like all those other vegetables, he would never be able to form a coherent thought again.

  “What do you mean, later? What’s next?” DeLeo pressed, unmoving.

  “We’ll figure that out later.”

  “I’m not going back. You’ll lock me up for good this time.” DeLeo threw his leg over the railing and put his foot down on the six-inch lip. He finally understood what Tim Sherman had done, and why. There was no way out. Once people think you’re crazy—that’s it. There’s no coming back from that.

  “What are you doing Wes?” Chip said with what seemed to be newfound compassion. “Don’t do it. We can help you.”

  Tears flowed from Wes’s eyes. “You’ve ruined my life. You took my family away from me. You’ve taken everything from me. I’m already dead so what does it really matter anymore? This is all your fault.”

  DeLeo closed his eyes, leaned back, and let himself fall off the edge. He was at peace as the cool air passed through his hair until everything went black.

  ♣♣♣

  DeLeo woke to the sound of slot machines ringing in his ears. He was in Endz Casino. Again. Dressed in the same clothes as when he first woke up, before all this craziness began: gray cardigan, black jeans. He rubbed his face and looked around the room. Everything was identical.

  Was this still the TV show?

  The TV monitor turned on, playing the same Endz Resort & Casino infomercial starring Tim Sherman as the fat, middle-age glutton lounging poolside and stuffing his face with bacon.

  “What the hell?” DeLeo mumbled.

  “Still hurts, doesn’t it?” a familiar voice said.

  DeLeo quickly turned around. Chip Johnson stood at the poker table shuffling a deck of cards.

  “What the hell is this?”

  “I think you already know,” Chip replied.

  “Where are the cameras, the audience? Where is everyone?”

  Chip shrugged.

  “Fuck you!” De
Leo screamed. He looked around for a brief second, turned, and ran out of the casino.

  The air was the same as he remembered, stale with a hint of sulfur. Light gray fog blanket the dark city. Deja-vu.

  “Hello?” DeLeo yelled into the dark.

  Silence.

  “Your TV show sucks!” he bellowed, once again to silence.

  DeLeo thought about going back inside and pounding the hell out of Chip, but the familiar sound of feet dragging broke his concentration. “Oh this game again,” he said into the encroaching mist. “I’m going to mess you up buddy. If you come close to me, I will put my fist down your throat. I don’t care if you’re part of the Screen Actors Guild or some other bullshit union.”

  DeLeo felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down. It was Sadie.

  “Shh, they’ll hear you,” Sadie said.

  “Sadie?” DeLeo said laughing. “Of course, you’d be here. Let me tell you I’m in a very fragile state right now. So back off or someone’s going to get hurt.”

  “How do you know my name?” Sadie whispered.

  DeLeo grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

  “Let go of me,” Sadie said trying her best to maintain a whisper.

  “You know, it has crossed my mind what I would do to you if I ever got the chance to see you again.”

  “Let go of me! I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

  Sadie pulled her arm away from DeLeo and disappeared into the fog. He didn’t bother to chase her. He was tired of running.

  A figure came into view. Arms extended. Swinging like a pendulum. Same as before.

  “Nice suit buddy,” DeLeo said. “I’m not going to be nice this time. I’m feeling, well, incredibly violent right now.”

  The figure walked toward him. DeLeo squeezed his fists as hard as he could. He wanted to bury them as deep as possible into whoever touched him. He looked forward to it. He wanted to hurt whatever piece of shit was wearing that stupid costume, with its cheesy reptilian skin and stupid rubber mask.

  “I hope you have insurance. I’m going to rip that thing off your head and punch you in the teeth,” DeLeo laughed. “You messed with the wrong guy, pal.”

  The person came at DeLeo and he swung as hard as he could. His fist connected hard against the slimy surface of the suit. DeLeo grabbed at the head and tried to rip off his mask. It didn’t move. Confused, he tried again. His hands slipped.

  DeLeo felt a jab and then a sharp pain in his stomach. Before he knew it, he was on the ground gasping for air. The figure stood over him. DeLeo looked around and saw blood. It was everywhere. His intestines seemed to have spilled out on to the pavement.

  DeLeo coughed up blood. He felt nauseous.

  A high-pitched, agonizing screamed roared from the mouth of the thing that stood over him. DeLeo watched as it raised its razor-like claws, and then everything went black.

  ♦♦♦

  DeLeo woke at the poker table in a cold sweat frantically grabbing at his stomach. He looked down. Everything was fine. No blood, no wound. Back to normal.

  The TV turned on, showing the infomercial with Tim Sherman, same as before. Chip Johnson appeared in front of him like he had done every other time.

  “This isn’t happening, it can’t be,” DeLeo pleaded. A new sense of dread overcame him at the thought of where he might actually be.

  “Oh, but it is,” Chip Johnson replied.

  “What’s your real name?” DeLeo asked

  “I go by many names. Chip seems appropriate for now. Very theatrical—daytime TV.”

  DeLeo ran around the casino and looked behind every door. Bricks—everywhere. “Where is everyone? Where are the cameras? Where’s the crew?”

  DeLeo didn’t wait for Chip to answer. He burst through the revolving door into the dark. Once outside he ran down the red carpet. The fog thickened just like it had done before.

  “Hello?” he whispered, hoping in vain for a different result.

  After a few moments, he felt a tug at his pants. It was Sadie. Same as before. “Quiet,” she whispered.

  She offered her help like she had done the first time, only this time DeLeo accepted, pretending he had never met her before. Like clockwork, a groan from one of the creatures came from the fog.

  DeLeo waited for Sadie’s signal and then the two of them were running through the fog, just as they had done the very first time, the heavy breathing and precise steps of the beasts right behind them.

  When they entered the old bank DeLeo quickly stuck out his foot, tripping Sadie. She fell to the ground, crying out in surprise and fear. DeLeo kept running, not once looking back. He heard the creatures crash through the glass and attack Sadie as she tried to get up.

  By the time DeLeo heard Sadie’s scream, he was already at the vault. He picked up the wrench and banged on the door.

  The door opened and DeLeo swung the wrench as hard as he could cracking John in the face. John fell to the ground, his face bloodied, his nose probably broken. DeLeo closed the door to the vault and quickly unclipped John’s gun from his belt.

  “Don’t move,” DeLeo yelled, backing himself into the corner so no one could attack him from behind. He pointed the pistol at Ethel, remembering their time together in the bunker. How she had rescued him. Saved his life. The nice things she had said to him. Was that real? he thought. Nothing was real. It wasn’t even a dream.

  “Don’t you remember me?” DeLeo asked her.

  Ethel shook her head. She was scared. Terrified. Her eyes teared.

  “How can you not remember me?” DeLeo yelled. “None of you?”

  “Who are you, pal?” John asked, slowly standing up and using a towel to stop the blood that was now pouring down his face.

  “What do you know about this place?” DeLeo asked frantically. “I mean beyond those things. What’s out there?”

  “Don’t tell him anything,” John said. “He’s all strung out. If you’re looking for a fix pal, you won’t find it here.”

  DeLeo pointed the pistol at Tucker and screamed. “Tell me!”

  Suddenly, John dropped to the ground, reached for his ankle, and pulled out a small revolver. Two loud cracks followed by quick, bright flashes lit the vault.

  DeLeo felt his chest explode then everything went black.

  ♥♥♥

  DeLeo woke at the poker table, same as before. His ears were still ringing from the gunshots. He took a deep breath and checked his chest. Everything was fine.

  The TV monitor began to play but this time it wasn’t the same hotel infomercial. It was something different, footage of the inside of a hospital. Someone was lying in bed, unconscious, hooked up to tubes and monitors. Two people, with their backs toward the camera were also in the room. The heart rate monitor next to the bed slowly pulsed up and down.

  “Mrs. DeLeo,” a doctor said gently, walking into the room. “Perhaps I can talk to you in private for a moment, without your daughter present.”

  “She’ll have to learn about her father soon enough,” Amber said in a fatigued voice, now visible to DeLeo watching from the poker table.

  “Your husband,” the doctor took a deep breath, “has done significant damage to his body over the years. He’s in a coma. With this last overdose, his body couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t say that we expect him to recover.”

  Amber wiped the tears from her face and kissed Delilah who stood next to her, shaking.

  For the first time, DeLeo saw that it was himself lying in the bed hooked up to the heart monitor, tubes coming out of his mouth and an IV injected next to the track marks on his arm.

  DeLeo watched as the heart monitor began to skip beats and finally flat lined. Amber kissed him on the forehead.

  The monitor went black.

  “You can die a million times here,” Chip said from behind him. “But o
ut there, you only get one.”

  It finally sunk in where DeLeo was and the consequences of his actions that had brought him here.

  “Who are those people out there?” DeLeo asked, pointing towards the front of the casino where the whole cast of creatures stood: Sadie, John, Billy, Ethel, Tucker—all of them, watching. Their eyes now distant and sunken in. Gone were the resemblances to anything living.

  “You’re all here for different reasons,” Chip said.

  “Why didn’t any of them in the recognize me?”

  “Everyone is on their own journey. Denial is not easy to overcome. People reach an understanding of what’s happening at their own pace.” Chip put the deck of cards on the table. “You don’t look good Wes. A little dark under the eye maybe? Addiction is a terrible disease.”

  Overcome with regret and despair, DeLeo said. “I wasted my life, my talents. I was selfish, and I lost my family for it.”

  “And they lost you,” Chip added.

  DeLeo wiped his tears. “So now what?”

  “Are you ready to play again?”

  “Again? Where’s the crowd, the cameras, the show?”

  Chip smiled. “We don’t need that this time.”

  “No,” DeLeo said. “I don’t think I can do it.”

  Chip smiled, “The funny thing is Wes, you don’t get to decide.”

  Suddenly Amber and Delilah entered through the revolving door.

  “Daddy!” Delilah exclaimed, running toward DeLeo. “I’ve missed you.”

  DeLeo dropped to his knees and scooped up the young girl. He kissed her and said, “I love you. I’ve missed you so much.”

  DeLeo felt Amber’s arms around him. “I’m so happy to see you,” she whispered into his ear.

  DeLeo kissed her and smiled. He was so happy to see them again, to feel them in his arms.

  “Wait,” DeLeo said, pulling away. His mouth ran dry, his heart began to pump harder at the thought of what came next. DeLeo looked toward Chip, his eyes distant, his face straight and stern, showing no emotion, like it had when they first met.

  “Is this real or is this another game?” DeLeo asked.