Station 2-14: Chapter One

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Chapter One: Voss

Some would call Fernleigh’s pub the hidden gem of the station.

Some would call it a shithole.

Voss, however, knows that it’s both. He knows that the roof is too low, and the uneven floors are never clean. He knows that the beer is always ice-cold but it’s the only relief from the heat. It means that you’re never comfortable in Fernleigh’s but you’re always drunk.

Yes, it’s the dodgiest bar in the station but he knows that it’s the perfect place for his little game. So he pays a month up front to keep two tables free at all times. One in the back corner for himself, and one in the centre of the room for his Champion.

Voss always sets him up in the middle so that he’s visible, while he slinks into the shadows watching potential competitors over the rim of his glass. He makes notes of who’s studying the Champion in his seat and who’s waiting for the show. He notices some first-timers but there’s mostly familiar faces.

Voss motions to the bartender to refill his glass. A few more, he thinks. A few more bodies in the room and the heat will be insufferable. Then they’ll be ready. He likes the gamblers to sweat while they bet their money - makes for poorer choices.

Finally, he gets up and walks towards the small crowd that’s gathered around his Champion. He starts shaking hands and spraying jokes, wrapping them around his movements with the nuances he’s learned about them over the years. He knows that they don’t just come here to lose their money, they come to Fernleigh’s to feel special. Then they follow that glimmer of hope that they could win and place a bet.

And then they lose their money.

It’s all a performance that Voss knows by heart. When he throws his arms up in the air, they cheer. When he calls for silence, they fall quiet.

In the grips of their attention, he explains the rules:

‘Now it’s quite simple, gentlemen. In order to defeat my great champion, all you have to do is move this dice.’ He removes the dice with a flourish, presenting it to the crowd like he’s done a thousand times before. ‘That’s it. That’s all you have to do. Move this dice past my champion. It’s so simple a child could do it, and yet, no one has succeeded.’

He places the dice on the table and the crowd leans in to catch a glimpse.

‘So, who will it be? Who will dare?’

No one makes a sound as they wait for someone else to compete. Voss doesn’t let his disappointment show. He’s already making plans on how to change the game. How to mix up the approach to get these suckers hooked once more.

‘Well, I guess if no one has the guts we’ll call it a day…’

‘I’d like to try,’ says a quiet voice in the crowd. A smile erupts onto Voss’ face as he searches for the fool.

‘Who said that?’ The crowd parts to reveal a young girl shrinking underneath the gaze of the men around her. Voss can’t help but laugh.

‘When I said a child could do it, it was a figure of speech, kid.’ He laughs and urges the crowd to join him. ‘We don’t actually want children to play.’

‘I’m 13,’ says the girl.

‘Exactly, beat it, Kid.’

‘My name is Ley and I’d like to play.’

‘Still a no.’ Voss wraps his arm around another patron. One he could have sworn had opened his mouth to volunteer before they were all so rudely interrupted. But then something familiar catches his eye as Ley puts a wad of cash onto the table.

‘Still,’ she says, her voice breaking. ‘I’d like to try.’ Voss points to the cash.

’Now, if you lose that’s mine.’

‘But if it win, I get double back, right?’ The sheer look of innocence in her eyes should have made him turn her away. He knows that it’s one thing to take money from a drunk and another to take money from a child but when she takes a second wad of cash and puts it on the table, he can’t help himself.

‘That’s the game,’ he says and releases the loser he was holding onto. He places his money on the table, right next to hers. ‘Well, looks like we have a deal.’

‘Deal,’ she says and holds out her hand. Voss takes it and in one swift movement pulls up her sleeve a slaps UV-bracelet onto her wrist. The light shines down her bare skin: zero bands. He smirks as he pulls out her chair for her to sit before he turns back to the crowd.

‘Well, gentlemen… and lady… it seems that we have a new opponent!’ The crowd erupt into applause once more until Voss calls for silence. ‘Arms on the table.’

The Champion places his right arm on the table where his bracelet shines a light across his skin revealing three bands of black wrapping around his forearm.

‘Three versus…’

Ley places her right arm on the table.

‘…None.’ Ley looks nervously around her as the men snigger. ‘Now, because you seem nice, I’ll even do you a favour: Best of three.’ The crowd hates it. ‘Hey! Hey! Now I make the rules, and I personally would like to see this young thing lose three times before I take her money - alright?’

The crowd loves that.

He nods at the dice, ‘Go on then.’

She picks up the dice as if she’s never seen one before, holding it awkwardly before turning it over in her hands counting the faces. Voss can feel the crowd getting impatient. Normally people snatch it and throw - hoping to catch the Champion off guard. Or hoping that their strength will out match the mountain in front of them. But Ley just sits. And thinks.

‘It’s not rocket science, Kid,’ says Voss.

She places the dice on the table and with careful aim flicks it across. It’s quick. It’s clever. It’s -

Over.

The Champion stops the dice with a heavy fist. The crowd barely reacts - it’s too easy. But that’s why Voss gave her three tries. One easy loss is boring. Three at least makes it mildly interesting.

Voss grins and resets the dice.

‘Round two,’ he says.

Before his hand has cleared the table, she’s snatches it up and throws it past the Champion - higher than she thinks he can reach but he’s up with lightning speed and catches it once more.

The crowd loves it, and Voss can’t help but chuckle to himself. At least she’s switching up the strategy. But the reason why this game is so easy is because it’s simple. It’s nothing to do with strategy or speed. The guy is just too big to get anything by him. That’s why Voss chose him. Why he took away his name and called him Champion.

They lose as soon as they sit down.

‘Last try,’ he says as he resets the dice, wondering if the crowd would hate it if he picked up the money before she has her final shot.

Before he has a chance, she picks up the dice and holds it in the air, closing one eye for better aim.

Then she drops her hand, barely an inch, and leaves the dice hanging in the air. It hovers for a second above her palm before it starts to spin.

Voss registers it before anyone else:

T.K.

She’s going to move the dice with her mind.

‘Wait —’ he starts but it’s too late. She slams her hand to the table and pushes the dice with her mind - sending it straight for the Champion’s heart. She moves it with such force that he’s sent flying out of his chair and onto the ground while the dice flies straight into the wall behind him, splintering stone.

Everyone falls silent.

‘Shit,’ breathes Voss. People have already stepped forward to check on the Champion, but Voss pays him no attention. The kid had zero bands; she shouldn’t be able to move anything. He finds the girl quietly grabbing the money that’s still lying on the table.

Voss grabs her wrist:

‘You cheated.’

‘No,’ she snaps, trying to pull her arm out of his grip. ‘I won fair and square.’ Voss looks closely at her arm, now noticing that there’s a different sheen underneath the bracelet’s glow. As if her skin was thicker on that exact part where the bands would be. He rubs at her arm and a thick paste smudges away, revealing four black bands wrapping around her skin.

‘You little shit,’ he says. ‘You have four!’

Ley grins, ‘Nope - eight.’ She holds her other arm on top, letting the light pool over and reveal four more bands. Voss can’t help but gasp as he counts them. Can’t believe his eyes as he lets go of one arm to study another.

He’s never heard of anyone having eight.

‘Who are you?’

She grins.

‘I’m the kid who just won all your money,’ she says as she slaps him hard across the face, snatches her winnings from the table and scrambles out the door.

Station 2-14 is the latest fiction project for verse. Chapters will be released weekly on Thursdays at 6.30pm AEDT.

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