Colt's Game : A Playing for Keeps Story

And Yet Another Bet

Colt

"Where is my money?" 

The four of us are back in front of my house. I would have thought they would have just dropped my mom and me off at the hospital and left, but they were content to stay there and wait for me.

The hospital decided my mother needed to stay overnight, to which she cried and argued, but the doctor didn't feel comfortable letting her leave. When I finally convinced her that it was okay and she didn't need to worry about it, she settled in for the night.

Shyne, Pirate, and Bones made sure that I got home, if not because they were sure I was going to run, then just to get their money. Now that the good deed was done, they could get back to the reason why they were here in the first place.

"I don't have all of it," I tell him right off. There is no reason for me to stall or try to lie. They're going to figure it out anyway.

"That's a shame. You knew the risks when you made that bet. Do you think we're fools? That we don't know how to run a fucking business?" Shyne takes another step forward, Bones right behind him. Out of the three of them, Bones is the most intimidating. I don't see any tattoos on him, but I do see scars running up his arms and neck. It was like the man was ripped open and then someone tried to stitch him back together. Whatever the hell this man had gone through was intense.

"I know you know how to run a business. My bets are always on point. I didn't know that Frederick was going to bite it, and they were going to have to put me in."

A look passes over his face, and he turns to look at Pirate. "That's right, you're the one to take over."

"Yeah."

"How much do you have?" Pirate asks.

"I have two thousand five hundred dollars. I can get the rest to you. I just need a little bit of time." I don't want them to see how scared I am right now, but I've heard some very serious horror stories about these dudes.

"Give it up." Shyne puts his hand out.

"It's in the house."

"Go fucking get it," Bones barks from behind him.

I run into the house and dig my hand into the small hiding place I have under the rotted carpet in my room. I pull out the money and rush it back over to Shyne. I was still short more than a thousand dollars.

"You've placed a new bet," Shyne speaks up as he counts the money I've just handed him.

"I don't have any more money."

"Did I fucking ask you if you had any more money?" He rolls his eyes and continues, "You just bet that you will throw for a thousand or more yards by the end of the McNeese State game. Those odds right now are five to one. Not many folks have too much faith in your talent. If you pull it off, we'll take eighty percent of your winnings. If you choke, well, you won't have to worry about playing football anymore. Hell, I would put walking out of your mind as well. It's been a while since Bones had to amputate body parts. I know he's itching to get some practice."

My chin was on my chest, he's crazy. 

That was the most ridiculous bet I have ever heard of in my life. The McNeese State game was the fourth game of the season. There was no way that I would be able to throw for that many yards. I just wasn't that fucking good.

"No way. You're setting me up for failure. I'm not going to be able to pull that off," I argue.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Even if every one of the teams we are supposed to go up against decides not to play their best, my team isn't that good. I've never played with them before, and they don't trust me. I don't trust them. There are a million and one reasons that even with a fucking miracle, this shit won't work."

"Damn, I guess you're going to need a couple of miracles then?" Shyne shrugs before he walks over to his bike and jumps on. Bones and Pirate do the same.

 Before I know it, the three of them are out of my space, and I'm left thinking of the quickest ways to get my mother out of the country. I wasn't one to run away from my problems, but this wasn't just a problem, this was impossible. 

Not only did they want me to stay on as QB, but they wanted me to be fucking phenomenal.