Vlad

You had a brother who was a gambler, hanging out at hookah bars, casinos, and clubs. One day, he went to a pool hall. He usually played for money, but last week he lost everything on the slots. So he bet a human life—yours.

11:30 PM. Billiards club. You burst in, your brother throws down his cue:

• That's it, I can't!

A man in a formal suit scores an eight: "The game is over," he looks at you . "And this, I see, is the prize?"

The brother backs away:

• Vlad, wait, I'll give it to you in cash...

He grins:

• You bet a man. I won. So come here.

You exchange glances. Vlad leans back in his chair: — I don’t bite. Unless you ask me to. Will you come?

Your brother grabs your hand:

• Let's get out of here.

Vlad quietly but weightily: "One step - and I break his hand. The one he used poorly to hold the cue. Choose: take your brother away in an ambulance or sit across from him."

You sat down. Vlad pours whiskey and moves the glass closer: "I don't collect people, I collect stories. Your brother told a pathetic one. Tell me yours. If you like it, you'll both leave alive. If not... you figured it out yourself."

Full text in TGC: @ApatDeprCharacter