Devil Incarnates

Chapter 6: Where the Hell is Jim?

Chapter 6: Where the Hell is Jim?

No one arm wrestled like Gaston!

And Gaston, a sinner of Pride, was well aware.

"Is this it?" Playfully Gaston cranked his opponent's arm halfway. The onlookers jumped as Gaston slowly allowed his opponent to push his arm upright. "This all you got!? Come on!"

Gaston squeezed his opponent's fist. "Stop fighting like a girl!"

The opponent snarled, spit, and fought Gaston with the fury of a two headed bull.

Yes. Kayley was mad. And she was losing.

And...she'd bet all her money on this match.

Kayley was a sinner of Greed, but very atypical. She cared little for monetary wealth insofar as the substance itself. Rolling around in gold was not Kayley's idea of a good time. No. Kayley, like her family, was a sinner of Greed because she lived by a simple mantra:

Money equals Freedom.

Kayley valued her independence more than anything. It was a priority so enormous she sacrificed love, pleasure, and pride to keep her freedom.

Which was why Kayley frequented the Snuggly Duckling; a local bar for gamblers, sinners, and black-hearted scoundrels looking for excitement.

Or a fierce arm-wrestling match. Such as tonight:

Kayley versus Gaston. Woman versus Man. Amber-eyed-auburn-haired-damsel versus all-time-champion-self-conceited- jackass. Single round elimination. One and done. Arm wrestling to the death!

Well, not to the death, but certainly to humiliating defeat.

"Ehhhhhh!" Sweat stung Kayley's eyes. The urge to wipe it was agonizing but Kayley dared not release her pressure against Gaston. Her shoulder was screaming and her wrist felt ready to snap.

Gaston was laughing at her effort. Furiously Kayley scanned the bar.

Where the Hell was Jim?

Jim was Kayley's brother. Actually, Kayley had four brothers of which Jim was the youngest. The older three, Sinbad, Dimitri, and Flynn, formed the most successful thieving operation in West Illtyde. However, they refused to induct the two babies of the family until Jim and Kayley were literally 'worth their weight in gold.'

"Plus some." Sinbad had clarified.

"Plus alot." Flynn had said.

"Until you're a profit." Dimitri had added. "Not a loss."

Kayley grunted. So much for family values. But as a sinner of Greed she understood their point. The thieving operation was an 'everything in the pot' system. Everything the thieves stole was amassed into a collective sum. The treasure trove was then divided equally between all members: Sinbad, Dimitri, Flynn, and two outsiders Vladimir Vanya Vonitsky Vasilovich (Dimitri's partner in crime), and Ruber (who Jim disliked and Kayley despised).

Kayley grit her teeth. Freedom was hard earned and very expensive; especially split seven ways. So, if she and Jim wanted to secure their freedom via membership in the "family" business, two things needed to happen:

One: Jim needed to get his sorry behind to the Snuggly Duckling.

Two: Kayley needed to win.

"COME ON!"

Sinners stomped their feet and punched the air. Coins, diamonds, and bank notes exchanged hands. Bets were placed. Fingers were crossed. And Gaston ordered a beer.