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Flip
Flip
The old man sat alone. He had lit a few candles to illuminate things enough to continue on. Flip. One step closer. He studied the table. Flip. He needed that. He started to smile to himself. He'd been at this for so long. This was his 37th attempt. He was sure this was the one. Flip. His heroin was all across his face. Flip.
Wait. That wasn't right. The one he needed. This wasn't it. His smile left. He angrily gathered all of the objects back together. 38. He began again. Flip. The same process. Looking. Searching. Flip. He knew he could do it. There was no way he could fail again. Flip. He was afraid to smile as he grew near the end. Flip. He was almost there. So close. Flip.
39. He had lost track of hours long this has gone on. He'd been so focused that he'd lost track of time. Flip. At this rate, he was going to need more candles. Down to the last one. Flip.
The night quickly became day and then night again. Flip. He knew he was forgetting something. Time was passing by, but to him, there was only one goal. Flip . Now, he'd lost count of his many times he'd done this. 130? 140? Nothing mattered anymore but to get this. He was always so close. Flip.
He scratched at a beard he didn't remember having. His frustration was growing. Flip. Close again. He dare not even look. He held his breath. Anxiety and fear had started to take over.
Flip.
The man had become deranged. Flip. How long could this go on. Flip. He had to do this. Flip. Had it been days? Flip. He was going to scream. He started breathing fast. Flip.
He screamed at the top of his lungs. This had to be hell! Was he being punished? He pushed his chair back, laid his forehead on the edge of the table, and closed his eyes as tears joined his animalistic scream.
The old man gathered himself. Rubbing his eyes, he opened them with his forehead still on the table. In the dim light, he noticed something by his foot. It was there. It has been there the whole time. He picked it up. It was real.
He held it in between his fingers and towards the light. It was the nine of clubs. There'd been one missing the whole time. He started laughing maniacally. It was there. Every flip. It was there. He lit the card on fire. He started lighting all of them on fire
Every card he lit he said, "Flip!". Each one. "Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip."
The old man fell over, holding his chest. It was his heart. He laughed as he fell over, gasping for breath.
Before his eyes glossed over, one word slipped from his lips with his final breath
"Flip".
The fire department was putting out the last of the flames. They found the old man's body, but there hadn't been a report of the cause of death. It appeared to be arson. One of the fireman walked up to a fellow emergency worker and asked about the scene.
The EMT said, "Damnedest thing I've ever seen. It looks like he just flipped out and set the place on fire. The autopsy should show if there were any other contributing factors."
" I hate to see these things happen", said the fireman, "He was a harmless old man "
The EMT nodded, "Yeah, but we all know he wasn't playing with a full deck."
© The Moonlight Bard
The old man sat alone. He had lit a few candles to illuminate things enough to continue on. Flip. One step closer. He studied the table. Flip. He needed that. He started to smile to himself. He'd been at this for so long. This was his 37th attempt. He was sure this was the one. Flip. His heroin was all across his face. Flip.
Wait. That wasn't right. The one he needed. This wasn't it. His smile left. He angrily gathered all of the objects back together. 38. He began again. Flip. The same process. Looking. Searching. Flip. He knew he could do it. There was no way he could fail again. Flip. He was afraid to smile as he grew near the end. Flip. He was almost there. So close. Flip.
39. He had lost track of hours long this has gone on. He'd been so focused that he'd lost track of time. Flip. At this rate, he was going to need more candles. Down to the last one. Flip.
The night quickly became day and then night again. Flip. He knew he was forgetting something. Time was passing by, but to him, there was only one goal. Flip . Now, he'd lost count of his many times he'd done this. 130? 140? Nothing mattered anymore but to get this. He was always so close. Flip.
He scratched at a beard he didn't remember having. His frustration was growing. Flip. Close again. He dare not even look. He held his breath. Anxiety and fear had started to take over.
Flip.
The man had become deranged. Flip. How long could this go on. Flip. He had to do this. Flip. Had it been days? Flip. He was going to scream. He started breathing fast. Flip.
He screamed at the top of his lungs. This had to be hell! Was he being punished? He pushed his chair back, laid his forehead on the edge of the table, and closed his eyes as tears joined his animalistic scream.
The old man gathered himself. Rubbing his eyes, he opened them with his forehead still on the table. In the dim light, he noticed something by his foot. It was there. It has been there the whole time. He picked it up. It was real.
He held it in between his fingers and towards the light. It was the nine of clubs. There'd been one missing the whole time. He started laughing maniacally. It was there. Every flip. It was there. He lit the card on fire. He started lighting all of them on fire
Every card he lit he said, "Flip!". Each one. "Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip."
The old man fell over, holding his chest. It was his heart. He laughed as he fell over, gasping for breath.
Before his eyes glossed over, one word slipped from his lips with his final breath
"Flip".
The fire department was putting out the last of the flames. They found the old man's body, but there hadn't been a report of the cause of death. It appeared to be arson. One of the fireman walked up to a fellow emergency worker and asked about the scene.
The EMT said, "Damnedest thing I've ever seen. It looks like he just flipped out and set the place on fire. The autopsy should show if there were any other contributing factors."
" I hate to see these things happen", said the fireman, "He was a harmless old man "
The EMT nodded, "Yeah, but we all know he wasn't playing with a full deck."
© The Moonlight Bard
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