For this weeks Warmup Wednesday we had to risk something priceless in a story about the following prompt:

"Roulette--Carnival victory." CC2.0 photo by Derek Diaz.“Roulette–Carnival victory.” CC2.0 photo by Derek Diaz.

The Gamble

The Dragons roulette sits in the corner of the smoky room. Only the most desperate visit it.

Bill wiped the dust off the seat before sitting. The croupier stayed in the shadows, his bony fingers caressing the skull white ball. Bill placed the photograph on his chosen number. There was a hint of a smile in the darkness. The voice was thin and scratchy, “Your daughter?”

Bill nodded.

“You understand the price of losing?”
“I’ll risk eternal dragon fire to save her.”

The ball clattered around the wheel. As it came to a rest Bill stared at it in disbelief…