Chapter 2 Card 16

"THE RUSSIAN ROULETTE"

The moon hung low over the dark waters of the Venetian Lagoon, casting an eerie silver glow across the abandoned island of Poveglia. Known for its plague-ridden past and cursed history, the island had been left to decay, its crumbling buildings and overgrown paths a testament to years of isolation. Tonight, however, it had become the stage for a deadly game, one that would seal the fate of a man who had made a grave mistake.

Alessandro stood at the edge of the island, the wind tugging at his black coat. His dark eyes, cold as the lagoon's water, reflected a mixture of fury and satisfaction. His plan had been set in motion the moment he received the news that Arkady, one of his men, had run off with a small fortune money that had belonged to the Alfonso empire. But Arkady had made one fatal mistake: he thought he could escape Alessandro's reach.

Alessandro had heard whispers of the rumors that surrounded the island. The dead, it was said, roamed Poveglia's ruins. But for Alessandro, a man who had buried countless enemies in his rise to power, such things were of little concern. Tonight, Arkady would join those lost souls, and the island's macabre history would only add to the dramatic end.

Arkady stood a few paces away, his hands bound behind his back, looking pale and frightened. The cold air bit at his exposed skin as he trembled, not just from the chill but from the terror gnawing at his soul. He had heard the stories about Poveglia stories of ghosts, madness, and death but they were nothing compared to the real terror he now faced: Moretti. The mafia lord, a man whose reputation had been built on fear and cruelty, had cornered him on this forsaken island.

"Arkday, Arkday " Alessandro's voice was smooth and cold, like the surface of a frozen lake. "You thought you could run away with my money, huh? You thought the world outside my reach was safe? You're a fool."

Arkday's heart pounded in his chest as Alessandro stepped forward, a smile playing at the edges of his lips.

"You know the game, don't you?" Alessandro continued, pulling out a small velvet box from underneath the table separating them, The weight of the Box seemed to carry the weight of a thousand lives with it.

Arkady swallowed hard. "What.... what do you want to do .... he quivered

"We're going to play a game my dear friend. The game is simple: Thirty cards and all you have to do is pick one.......

"Please," Arkady whispered, his voice cracking with fear. "Please don't. I'll do anything. I'll give you everything I have just let me go. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to"

Alessandro cut him off, his smile turning into something darker. "Too late for apologies, Marco. You made your choice when you stole from me. And now... you play my game."

He opened the box slowly, revealing a stack of weathered cards inside. The dim light gleamed off their edges, but their faces were hidden. Each card, Alessandro knew, was a testament to something something dark and unforgiving. He had always trusted the box to reveal what needed to be shown. And today, it would reveal judgment.

"Pick a card," Alessandro said, his voice lowering. "And know that once you choose, there's no turning back."

Arkady hesitated. He could feel the sweat collecting at the back of his neck, his breath coming in shallow bursts. The thought of what might be on those cards was almost too much to bear. But he knew, too, that his life was no longer in his hands. Alessandro had him, and no amount of pleading would change that.

With trembling fingers, Arkday reached into the box and pulled out a single card. He turned it over.

CARD 16 * THE RUSSIAN ROULETTE

The Russian Roulette method.

Alessandro's smile widened as he saw the card. "You've chosen wisely, it seems," he said, his voice like cold steel. "Now, let's play"

Arkday's face was drained of color. He didn't need to ask what the card meant; he knew. He had heard of the Russian roulette method before an old, deadly game of chance. But he never imagined he would be forced to play it himself.

Nothing. The revolver's dry click echoed across the silent island, amplifying the tension that hung thick in the air. Arkday's breath caught in his throat as he realized he had been spared-for now.

Alessandro smirked and spun the cylinder again. "Another round."

Arkday's heart pounded louder this time. He could feel the cold metal pressing against his skin as Alessandro moved the gun lower, now pointing it directly at his chest.

"One more," Alessandro taunted, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "It's just a game, Marco. Isn't it?"

The wind picked up, rustling the dead leaves around them as Alessandro raised the revolver again. He pulled the trigger.

Click.

Another empty chamber. Arkday's body trembled, both from the cold and from the terror seizing his chest. He realized he had no idea how many rounds were left in the cylinder, no idea when his life would end.

"Come on, Arkday," Alessandro said, the amusement fading from his voice. "Don't tell me you're praying. You're not a religious man. You're a thief. A coward."

Arkady couldn't speak. His lips were dry, his throat tight. His mind raced, trying to think of a way out, but he knew it was futile. His fate was in the hands of this mafia lord.

And then, a voice from behind them interrupted the grim scene. A low, guttural whisper seemed to rise from the very ground beneath them. The island. The ghosts. They were watching.

Alessandro froze for just a moment, his eyes darting to the shadows behind them. The wind died down suddenly, and the temperature seemed to drop. It was as if the very spirits of Poveglia had awakened, sensing the violence unfolding on their soil.

"You believe in ghosts, Arkday ?" Alessandro's voice trembled slightly now, but he quickly regained his composure. "I think you'll be joining them soon enough."

He raised the revolver once more. Arkday's heart skipped a beat as Alessandro's finger tightened on the trigger. The barrel pressed against Arkday's chest, just above his heart.

Click.

Silence.

Arkday's breath hitched. He felt the coldness of the steel pressing against his chest, as if the island itself was holding him, keeping him tethered to the darkness. His mind spun, and for a fleeting moment, he thought of running but he was bound. There was nowhere to go.

Alessandro pulled the trigger once more. This time, the hammer fell.

BANG.

The shot rang out, its echo haunting the ruins of Poveglia. Arkday's body went limp, a single, fatal wound now sealing his fate. Blood pooled at his feet as the sounds of the island rustling leaves, distant crashing waves seemed to fade into a chilling silence.

Alessandro stood over the body, watching as life drained from Arkday's eyes. His breath steadied, but a strange sensation crept over him. The wind howled again, and in the distance, a low moan seemed to rise from the earth. The island had claimed another soul.

Aless turned, his footsteps slow, deliberate. He walked away from the body, the revolver now tucked back into his coat. But as he passed through the crumbling gates of Poveglia, the whispers of the dead seemed to follow him, carried by the cold breeze of the lagoon.

He didn't look back.

But the island did......