“ID please,” the man standing outside the door was tall, lines crisscrossing his ghostly face. Will pulled the plastic card from his wallet, and handed it to him. He studied the picture on the card, then moved his gaze to Will’s face. He placed the plastic on his desk and slid it back towards him. Then he grabbed Will’s sleeve and pulled him forward.

“One of the main rules of the Casino: don’t mess with anyone. Trust me” he let go of him and pointed to a scar above his top lip. Then he moved aside and gestured to a piece of white card behind a glass case.

“These are the rules. Break them, and your out.”

Will studied them, then pushed the handles of the double doors and was met with noise like the bitter taste of a lemon. He knew it was coming, yet at the same time it caught him off guard. Flashing lights shone on the floor, and the individual music from each machine merged and warped into one long sound.

He made his way to the bar in the middle of the room, and climbed onto on of the tall chairs that surrounded it.

The man behind the counter came up to him, teeth protruding from underneath his top lip. He leaned forward.

“A drink tells ya a lot ‘bout a person. So, what do ya want?” He asked.

“Just a pint of beer will be fine.”

The man grunted, a flicker of a smile on his face, then walked away, muttering to himself. Will studied the machines and tables that were scattered around the room. They all seemed relatively new, however there was one that particulary struck his attention. An old, beaten up slot machine. The lights still cast a faint, barely visible glow on its surroundings. A woman was stood staring at it, with an empty coin bucket in her hand.

“Here you go lad. One pint o’ beer” the bar tender returned with a full glass in hand. “So, why you ‘ere then,”

“I don’t know. Just came across it”

“Well, be careful. There are some strange people that come here. My advice? Stick to your own business” he forced a smile on his face, then walked away. Will finished his drink and wandered over to the woman in the corner, still staring at the same tattered machine. He reached into his pocket and was met with a cold , disregarded pound coin. He had forgotten it was there, and it had sunk deep into the crevices of his jeans.

“Here, I don’t need it,” Will said to her, the money placed in his outstretched palm. She turned around, and Will got a proper view of what she looked like. She wore a tight crimson dress that accentuated her figure. Her lips were painted with lipstick. Her hair fell in brunette curls that had been tied back into a long pony tail, some of it escaping and falling over her face. She did indeed look attractive, yet there was an element of mystery concealed behind her emerald eyes.

“Thank you,” she said, taking it from his hand. It fell into the machine, and she pulled the leaver, watching the shapes spin around. She whispered something illegible under her breath. Each image came to a halt. 7, 7, then a picture of a pineapple. She sighed.

“Thank you anyway! I’m Aubrey.” She looked up at him innocently, her gentle smile giving her dimples.

Then she dragged him away.

“Four tequila shots please, kind sir” she said as they sat down. The bartender pulled Will towards him, something that had been happening more than he would have liked.

“Nice work, Willy boy. She’s a cutie!” He winked at him.

“Oh we’re not a-”

“Four tequila shots coming up!”

They watched as he poured tequila into four shot glasses, then he pushed them across the counter. Will didn’t think she had any money…

They finished their drinks, and Aubrey turned to Will and put her hands on his cheeks. They were cold, and it send butterflies to his stomach. She pulled him forward. There was a fading bruise around her eye...

Will was perched on his bed, eyes closed, rocking back and forth. He opened his eyes, and found himself sat at the bar facing Aubrey once again. Two men looked in on him from behind the glass that formed his room. They muttered to each other, watching him slip further and further into insanity.