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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/MaxMic11 on 2024-11-04 22:06:25+00:00.
The blood was fresh and being soaked up fairly quickly in the old shag carpet. It was a relief honestly. The blood dulled the smell of the cigarette residue that had been built up in the carpet for what I can assume to be decades.
Retched woman. I found her sprawled out on the floor with her curled gray and white hair, and wrinkled, shriveled-up body covered in liver spots. Whoever did this really wanted to get the job done. They not only slit her throat but both her wrists as well. Her children and grandkids won’t be too happy about this, but many more people will sigh, feeling an immense weight lifted off their shoulders.
Two weeks ago I was on the verge of going completely broke. This was nothing new though. Finances and I have never had a good relationship. I know I had a problem, at least half of me acknowledged it. The other half kept spinning that roulette wheel and betting on that one horse to beat the odds. I was always close, but not close enough. I was counting down the dollars at the grocery store, but being careful as to not forget the tax. I refused to be that person who would have to put some food back while checking out. “I think I got this one” I told myself. $45 with some wiggle room. That’ll last me… maybe five days? If I’m lucky?
I was walking through the bread aisle when an old woman with a back hump was pushing a shopping cart in the other direction. As we passed each other, I noticed not only the waft of cigarette smell, but something had fallen to the ground in my peripheral view. I looked down and saw that the old lady had dropped some money. As I went to pick it up, I saw it was two, crumbled-up $100 bills. I felt in my chest what I can only describe as getting giddy like a child. I had the immediate instinct to shove it into my jacket pocket and walk away. But, I didn’t. Caution override the desire of thievery.
It’s $200. I’m sure she would report the money missing to the grocery store just to be safe, and they would catch me on camera taking it. There was one of those black orb-looking cameras on the ceiling in the aisle right next to me where the blacked-out cover of it was to prevent people from knowing where the camera was looking. Also, the bills were in rough condition. What if she just managed to save enough money for a full grocery shopping trip for once? She very well could be broke like me. For some reason, this oldie hit a soft spot in me.
“Excuse me ma’am, I think you dropped this.” She turned to me to see if I was talking to her or someone else. She had bright turquoise eyes. I’ve never seen eyes that color before. They were very pretty, but they sent a shiver down my spine because of how odd they were. I noticed I had paused too long looking at her eyes.
“....Sorry, I think you dropped some money.” I handed her the $200.
She was shocked. “Oh, thank you very much. How did I manage to do that? Thank you.” I nodded, and as I began to walk away, she continued.
“Wait, I have something for you.” She reached into a small purse, and with the crumbled bills I handed back to her, she handed me two more crisp $100 bills. $400 total. I assumed she was not aware of what she was doing.
“Ma’am, no need.” I put my hand out to gently push her hand back.
“I’m aware,” she said.
“And now it’s yours.” She re-extended her hand, now eagerly getting me to take the money.
I replied, “That’s very kind of you, but there’s no way I could take this. That’s a lot of money.”
She replied, “You could have walked away with what you found. But you didn’t. Now, you have double.” There was a brief pause while I contemplated taking the money or not.
“If I needed it I wouldn’t be giving it to you” she said. I took the money from her.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“You don’t know how much this means to me.”
She looked at my shopping cart which so far only had a loaf of bread and a can of baked beans. “It looks like you have some shopping to do” she said with a smile before turning around and pushing her cart away.
If you know the mind of an addict, I’m sure this comes as no surprise. I spent $150 on groceries and the rest I immediately went to the casino that is conveniently seven minutes away from my apartment. The next horse race was the next day, but I couldn’t wait. I knew I was going to make it big this time. Screw the tables, I didn’t want to waste my money having to tip the croupier. I went first to the slot machines. I was going to spend maybe $20, $50 at most if I didn’t win, which I thought at least I’d make a little. But only half an hour later I realized I spent $200. I got caught up in it. I needed to get my head in the game.
I went up to the “self-serve” roulette table. A chair was open. Six other people sat around the wheel staring as it went round and round. Everybody anticipating that big break. That spin concluded. Some people groaned, some said nothing. I looked at my digital screen. Normally with roulette I like to spread my chances out; pick multiple numbers, overlap, etc. But something was telling me to put my whole $50 left on number seven. The guy sitting next to me saw my bet and scoffed.
“I’ve been losing money here for an hour. You’re not going to win that bet” he said. He noticed the others at the table were looking at us. He grinned.
“If it lands on seven, I’ll give you an extra $50. If you lose, you owe me $50” he said. There was a short pause.
“Same here. No way you’re winning that” a woman sitting across the table said.
“I will too” the man sitting next to her said. All six people were putting in $50 each. An extra $300 on top of my incoming winnings. I couldn’t resist.
“Alright” I said confidently. My heart sank. My face went flush. What have I done? The roulette ivorine was released, and round it went. I glanced back and forth between the wheel and the others. They were glancing back and forth between the wheel and me. It landed. Eight. It landed on eight. They cheered. Fight or flight kicked in. I reached into my jacket pocket. I decided I was going to pretend to get the money out of my wallet and then book it out of the casino.
When I opened my wallet, expecting nothing, were multiple crisp $50 bills. Seven of them. I tried to hide my shock and play it cool. I started to hand out the $50 bills to each of them. I sat back down. I was left again with $50. I… did seven. I put it all on seven again. I don’t know why, but I did. Everyone at the table laughed at me. Pity laughed.
“You must really have an issue” one of the guys said. The wheel spun. Everyone at the table was grinning, watching the wheel, waiting to make fun of me again. It landed. It was seven. The $50 that appeared in my wallet turned into $250. I made my money back. Everyone looked at me in utter disbelief. Again, I don’t know what took over me, but I put the whole $250 on eight. Now everyone was getting really irritated.
“Are you kidding me?” one guy said.
“This is ridiculous” another woman said.
The wheel spun. There was an anticipation at that table I had never experienced before. It landed. It was eight. I had won another $250. I had never won a single dollar gambling before. Not a penny. Everyone got pissed; in general, at the circumstance. Not at me. Thank god. Three people at the table got up and walked away angry. The force that had overcome me “told” me to leave the table. So, I did. I walked out of the casino. Normally I would keep going, but something was telling me to stop. Something.
I entered my little apartment and tossed my keys onto the kitchen table. Very cliche for a person struggling with money, I looked at the two overdue credit card bills and electric bill notice also sitting on the table. I sat down. What just happened? Finally winning with anything involving gambling didn’t feel as good as I thought it would. Facing again the fact that I am an addict, how was I even able to walk away from the table without spending all my winnings away?
I honestly became alarmed when I felt the urge to deposit my winnings at the bank tomorrow to start paying off my debts. Responsibility was a new desire for me. I got up and grabbed my jacket and keys. I felt antsy all of a sudden. I decided to go grab a coffee at the coffee shop across the street.
I got my iced Americano and decided to stand outside the coffee shop to feel the breeze. After a couple of minutes, an older woman with a cane started to walk up the sidewalk. It was weird. I hadn’t seen her cross the street or walk up from down the way. I realized after a moment that it was the same woman from the grocery store.
“Oh hello there. What a pleasant surprise. How are you?” The woman said this to me as though we had known each other for years. Her smile was kind, but her turquoise eyes showed no emotion.
“…Good, just grabbing some coffee. How ‘bout you?” I said.
“Me too. An iced Americano always makes my day” she said. She stopped in front of me and continued.
“How has the rest of your day been?” referencing since we met at the grocery store.
“Good. Thanks again” I replied. The woman grinned.
“Be careful now. Nothing stays for long. The good and the bad come and go” she said. I assumed she was making a corny old-person comment to spend the money she gave me wisely. I pretended her comment wasn’t annoying and arrogant, like how people want the barista to see and thank them for putting money in the tip jar. I gave her a “warm” smile.
She walked around me. I heard the little metal bells the coffee shop put on to...
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