taipan

With each mile that he passed with his car his anger turned from fury to a blinding fire to a pitch black pit of chaos. And yet the pitch black chaos was too small a word as further ahead he went, until there he stood in front of ‘Manerium Somniorum’
The manor of dreams.
Standing at the gates his anger dissipated to a form of fear and melancholy. Christian knew it like he knew the back of his hand that these emotions were his. Whatever he was feeling was an aftermath of what the manor was listening in on. The walls were screaming the story that unfolded between their bricks as the windows tried to leap open, over powered by the yearning need for some kind of a void. An escape from what unfolded. 
The gate of the manor seemed barred from reality. Acutely preoccupied by the nightmare. Participating and escaping every word the manor screamed. Time did not exist beyond these gates. No what was left behind was simply the shadow of broken hearts.
With each second that passed Christian watched a darkness descend upon the manor as thick mists of clouds and shadows formed. Untouched was the reality outside the gate but inside Manerium Somniorum dreamed. 
Dreamed of a heartbroken man. Echoed of an unquenchable thirst. Begged for her return. Pulling every reality into it in its desperation, whispering and moaning Christian or anyone that dared to watch to enter. Enter their dream. Dream their love. And bathe in their despair as a symphony lulled Christian into a heavy sleep. With each ticking minute the manor seemed to draw further and further away, without even realizing his eyes had closed and his body was mesmerized by her. 
By them.
It played out again like a song, starting with a verse. A look. A pair of eyes. A shadow. As translucent darkness shone brightly around a man and interlaced with his soul. And there she stood. It was her form and her face and yet her eyes betrayed who she was. A conscious thought metaphored into her existence, standing right there under the soft glow of his lantern. Christian was the prince and the prince was chaos as their fell in love for the first time. As their skin felt the fleeting graze of her smile and their ears heard the soft whisper of her gown tease the ground. 
There all three souls stood as one falling in love with the same form and yet a different woman. 
"We were never meant for tomorrow ..." 
She said with a trembling voice as her hand reached out for his, so close and yet much like their fates all there was between them were dreams.

Unveiled (MLL)

The five of them sat down on the ground in a circle with a large jug of daiquiris as Daniel shuffled the deck of cards, making a spectacle out of it. 


He split the deck into two equal halves, and then he split the top of the deck into another two halves clipping the deck with his thumb then twists it to the side. He called it the Sybil cut. He then distributed a pair of cards to each of them. 


He waited for everyone to pick up their cards and placed the three community cards, one at a time, scanning everyone's faces with the placement of each card. 


"The first round will be a trial round for Athena's sake." Daniel announced.


Athena looked at her own cards; she had a 2 of spades and a 6 of hearts. The three community cards in the center of the table were a king of hearts, 4 of diamonds and 8 of clubs. Athena doubted this was a winning hand in any way. 


"I bet 1 chip considering this is a trial round I don't want to waste my time counting." 


"Call" Athena announced, placing her own chip in the pot.


Daniel placed another community card. It was a 2 of hearts. Turning to Freda waiting for her.


Everyone followed with a call. Finally, Daniel placed the final community card on the table. 3 of clubs.


"Fold" Freda announced placing her cards face down on the table.


"I meet you and raise it by 2 chips" Arsenio announced.


That was the end of the round as everyone followed that with a fold.


"Fuck I at least had a pair!" Athena grimaced.


"See, Athena this is what I meant when I said you don't play the man you play the game. Anyways collect your chips and let's start this for real."


"Hey I should still get something in return for winning…" Arsenio groaned.


Athena leaned forward and kissed Arsenio on his cheek, making everyone snicker.


"I guess you were properly compensated." Marco teased.


"Not nearly satisfying enough…I bet he wanted his elegant to kiss him somewhere else." Freda retorted.


"So, I see Arsenio's elegant is catching up here… also gross. Bugatti is a good boy… aren't you?"


Athena turned and looked at Arsenio with so much trust and sweetness that Arsenio forgot what was even happening for a moment, before gathering his wits and nodding in agreement. He just wasn't sure what he agreed to, but the smile on Athena's lips was worth whatever it was.


Athena clapped her hands together saying, "Let's start! I am getting the hack of this game. And if I don't the daiquiri looks too good to pass up on."


Daniel smiled, thinking he definitely their future queen. There was an innocence about her that made her unique. He only wished that after everything that was going to happen to her she retained this innocence about her. This sweet little childishness.


Chapter 12