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The Spiral IV: Halloween Poker Night

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  1. #1
    K
    Kazakin

    The Spiral's a bar that pretty much everyone's heard of, and no one knows anything about. There's too many stories for it to be real; one guy says there's a European Human Trafficking ring running out of there one week, next week it's a group of people running flesh for NAMBLA, next it's illegal firearms, and the week after that, maybe the Hook-Handed Killer showed up and showed 'em all a thing or two. The truth's a lot more mundane and a lot less interesting.

    It's a bar, with wooden panelled walls and a scarred old guy, who looks like every other scarred bartender with a shotgun under the counter. The people who come here tend to be the people who want to get drunk. The booze swings between okay and paint-thinner, but at least it helps you sleep at night after a couple of shots.

    Hunters know it as a meeting point between cells, a place where you can slip down to the basement if the bartender knows you, and trade a bit of info or get a little no-questions-asked surgery.

    Mortals know it as a goddamned dive where you can get a quiet drink without anyone really paying attention to it. Either way, it's a good enough place to meet new people.

    How the Spiral Works


    Tonight though, in expression of the coming holiday, the Old Man has decorated the dusty bar. This consists of precisely 3 paper spiders stuck to one of the beer bottles. Or... maybe they're real spiders and he hasn't moved them. Hard to tell.

    There's also a few candles stuck around the place, but that's actually not uncommon. They're lit tonight, and the light's not exactly soothing. It's just a reminder that the Vigil is still on.

    However, on the other hand? It's also poker night. The box of battered chips, slightly suspicious playing cards, and the sign up sheet are all out.

  2. #2
    T
    TeethLikeCandy

    Thomas Hartman Paused to take in the ruff exterior of the building before lowering the lip of his worn green golf cap and stepping up to door and entering the bar, only once glancing back over his shoulder to his car before the door swings shut behind him. Turning his attention from the door back to the task at hand the middle aged man scanned the room, his eyes moving quickly from one face to another. He was rapidly beginning to regret his decision to even get out of his car. What could be possibly find here in this dusty old place anyway? Tom would much rather be back home, sitting in his office with his dog at his feet while enjoying a brew in front of his computer. The grey haired man had not gone out to a bar in years, In fact Tom hardly got out at all these days, unless of course you counted the occasional business lunch.

    That was just work, he could fake it at work, but this? This was more personal, he was far from his comfort zone here. Even a younger, more sociable version of Tom wouldn't have considered stepping one foot into a dive like the Spiral, it just wasn't his scene. As predicted he was already sticking out like a sore thumb, which Tom quickly realized that just standing at the front door staring at people probably wasn't helping. Quickly moving from the front Tom makes for the bar, more out of embarrassment than actual want to go anywhere near the worn bar-top or the man standing behind it.

    Not wanting to make any more of a spectacle out of himself Tom seats himself down at the bar and makes himself as comfortable as possible, trying his best to not look nervous or show his discomfort in the hard seat which was much to small for his large ass, which spilled over the seat. Stroking his bear thoughtfully Tom takes a look at the collection of spirits for sale, already he was wondering if he would be able to drum up the courage to both brave entering the Spiral AND order one of its questionable drinks all in the same night. But then again he would probably have to kill some brain cells if he wanted to make it through the night.

    Calling out to the Bartender Tom motions to catch his attention, "Excuse me sir? Whiskey sour please, oh and this is where the open poker game is being held tonight, right?", his face instinctualy adopting his salesman grin, the same that he wore every day at work while dealing with potential customers and when he was shooting one of his commercials. Tom only hoped that his cap and the wind breaker he was wearing over his polo shirt would be enough to keep anyone from recognizing him from his cheep and crummy car commercials.

  3. #3
    I
    IberianCastaway

    Jacque glided to a stop, setting his feet off his bicycle's pedals and onto the pavement. It was strange sight, a man who was a spitting image for the personification of sickness was dressed in a suit and tie he bought at the local Salvation Army while riding a beaten up messenger's bike.

    He hummed the tune to the Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil while removing his U-lock from the gym bag slung across his back. Last time I was at the Spiral I was beaten up, verbally abused, and had my entire preconception of the world blown apart. I wonder what's going to happen today. He fitted the lock around his bike and gave it a good tug, even though he knew that in this kind of neighborhood if anyone wanted his bike they would get it regardless of what he put on it.

    He opened through door and breathed in the wonderfully inviting smell of cheap alcohol and cigarettes. Looking to the bar he saw a new face, a middle aged WASP that looked completely out of place in the dingy surroundings. Knowing better than to judge a book by its covers (a lesson he learned last time he was here) Jacque adjusted the strap on his bag and walked over to the bar, clearing his throat before asking the man: "Excuse me guy, have you reserved this seat next to you?"

  4. #4
    T
    TeethLikeCandy

    Hearing the sound and the subsequent voice addressing him pulled Hartman attention from the barkeep to the man standing behind him. Taking only a moment to look him over Tom reasoned that he was more likely than not the one that had been pulling up on the motorcycle as he had been stepping inside as he had defiantly not seen him as he walked in, although he had to admit that the suit and french accent was not what he had expected from a biker. But then again what did Tom know? He never really associated with any before having only sold bikes at his shop twice in the past.

    Noticing that he was once again making a fool out of himself by not saying anything while lost in thought Tom brings his smile back to bear as he motions to the seat next to him. "Cant rightfully say that I am, by all means take a seat".

  5. #5
    I
    IberianCastaway

    "Thanks bro." Jacque said, taking a seat on the stool next to Thomas. He paused to take in the sight of the man, back in Paris people like him never came to this part of town, or if they did they came wearing a police uniform and holding an arrest warrant. He nodded to himself, happy at his observation and then unzipped his bag and removed a little red book.

    Jacque gave his trademarked smile, proudly showing off his mossy green teeth. "Tell me sir- and please forgive any social prohibition I might be breaking- but what brings you here? I mean look around this place, it's the perfect place to get jumped, no?" He laid the book on the counter and pushed it towards Thomas, in bold black lettering it read: Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung.

  6. #6
    T
    TeethLikeCandy

    "Not a problem", commented Tom as he dismissed the comment with a wave, all the while maintaining his salesman grin. Turning back around to the bar the overweight man picks up his drink and nods his thanks to the bartender as he listened to the stranger speak, curious to see what the odd (french?) man wanted to talk about. Tom had suspected some sort of small banter or bar talk, possibly a sob story or two (most of the people in the bar looked like they had their share of them) but surprisingly the stranger was cutting straight to the point, asking why Tom was at a place like the spiral.

    Luckily Tom was prepared for this question, even if he hadn't expected to have to use it until much later into the night. "Oh, me? I guess its pretty obvious that I don't exactly fit in around here", he comments with a chuckle. Pointing down to the stacks of poker chips and cards that had been dragged out he smiles, "Im actually here for the poker game. I play a lot of online poker and was thinking about maybe giving it a run in real life, heading down to Vegas or something like that, but wanted to try my hand at it with real people across the table from me before I commit. I thought a small place like this with people I don't know would make for good practice". Like all good Lies the story was grounded in reality, all those facts were true but at the same point not quite the reason why he was actually at the spiral.

    Then the guy slid something across the table in his direction, tilting his head Tom reads the title. Oh boy, what was this shit? Was this guy some sort of Commie or something like that? Turing his head back towards the stranger Tom lifts an eyebrow inquisitively as he takes another sip of his drink, not trusting himself not to say something that would get him stabbed by the biker.

  7. #7
    I
    IberianCastaway

    Jacque chuckled at Thomas's expression when saw the title of the book. "Please sir, hold back your judgement, or at least don't curse me yet." He glanced at the poker set the man was talking about, he looked back at him and clunked his tongue. "You've come here to gamble? Now far be it for me to condemn you for your decision but I simply can't find the honor in taking money from a person based on luck." He laughed again, "but of course I digress. Where was I?"

    He set his hand on the red book and lifted it up, as if he was examining it for the first time. "Call me crazy sir but I am thinking you are not here for the gambling. What I think is that you've come here because your looking for something- I can see it in your eyes- and I know it's there because I've seen it to, while looking in the mirror. Now regardless of your position on political revolution can we both agree that our world is getting progressively worse by the second, and yet it seems so few people are actually asking questions? I mean the real questions bro."

  8. #8
    T
    TeethLikeCandy

    It would be more than a slight understatement to say that Tom was begging to think that this stranger was a few pieces short of a full puzzle box. Clearly the guy was attempting to sound at least somewhat intelligent but as the bizarre man continued Tom couldn't help but suspect more and more that while the lights were on upstairs that no one was home. Of course he didn't let on what he was thinking as he continued to sip from his glass, still not wanting to afraid him out of fear of making an unnecessary scene (of the aforementioned stabbing, Tom wouldn't put it past this character). And of course there was the fact that this was part of the reason he was actually here, to listen to people, listen to what they had to say. His mostly empty attempts at research had lead him to the spiral and its patrons, from what he had read the people here had some pretty crazy stories.

    From what Tom was seeing so far they were just plain crazy, period.

    "I can get behind that friend", Commented Tom neutrally as he sets down his glass. The last thing he wanted to do was make waves tonight. A thought was started to form in the back of his mind, one that he had shoved aside months ago. The way this guy was talking, maybe that is how he sounds online. It was a terrifying thought to Tom, but this was also part of the reason he had come tonight, to dip his toes into the water and see what it was like before submerging himself into something he could not handle. Well... that and hopefully win some money at the poker tables.

    The large man shrugs his shoulders as he mentally chews over what the man had said, "But what are you going to do?".

  9. #9
    D
    Daysha Jackson

    Daysha walked into the Spiral with a bag on her shoulder and a large orange bag peeking out from the top. It was her costume and she hadn't had time to put it on since she just left the costume store. The guy at the store said she needed some 'extras' and she told him to put whatever was needed in the bag. Which was a lot more than she expected. The Detective walked in wearing jeans and a simple blouse with her leather jacket on. Fucking great, Jacque is here again. I'm buying you a fancy toothbrush for Christmas. Did you even rinse out your mouth after vomiting? I’d rather put up with Derevko for a week.

    "Wow old man, you outdid yourself. Paper spiders?" Daysha gave the old man a polite familiar face. "When you get a chance, no hurry, I'll take the usual. I'm gonna need to change in a few."

    "Hello, Jacque." She said in a blank tone, not indicating an emotion of any sort to the Frenchman. "Sorry to interrupt. I'm Daysha Jackson." She said to the guy in the golf hat. Are you the Derevko type or…. something else… I'll leave out the detective bit for now.

  10. #10
    T
    TeethLikeCandy

    So intent was Toms focus on the stranger that he had not even heard the door open and close, only realizing that someone ells had entered the bar once she was calling out her order to the bartender (whom she ha called the 'old man') and tossed a monotone greeting to the strange Frenchman (Jacque). Turning his attention from his drink to the woman Tom smiles, maybe there was some hope for the Spiral, after all this woman had to have some sense about her to rearguard this Jacque character the way she did.

    "Tiller, Mr. Tiller, A pleasure to meet you", nodded the middle aged man with a tip of his cap (accidentally showing of more of his grey hair to the woman that he had planned). "And your not interrupting anything, I was just about to excuse myself to go and add my name to the roster for the poker game", this time Tom's smile was genuine as he was glad for any excuse to exit swiftly from his conversation with the Frenchmen, well that and he had gotten a chance to use his alias he had come up with earlier this evening which made him feel almost like a spy.

    Standing up Tom picks up his glass and turns to Jacque before leaving to sign up, "An interesting conversation, Jacque was it? maybe we can chat later on in the evening".

    Of course it would have to be over Toms dead body if he had anything to say about it.

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