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The Cartomancer's Last Hand
fantasy◐ Teen5 contributors · 4 paragraphs deep
Mireille loses the first hand on purpose, watching the Queen's face. A year drains out of her, and her knees ache like an old woman's. But now she sees it: when the Queen wins, she leans left, guarding one sleeve. There's a card hidden there.
Mireille keeps losing small, learning the Queen's tells. By the time her hair has gone gray and her hands are spotted, she finally moves. 'I'll bet ten years on this hand,' she says. The Queen, greedy now, agrees at once.
↔ version 1 of 2 of this paragraph — hover its sides to flip. The card below is what happens next.
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A possible continuation
Mireille wins the big hand using the tell. Ten years rush back into her, and ten more drain out of the Queen. The painted woman is suddenly old and frail, begging. Mireille deals one last hand and takes everything. The Queen dissolves, and Mireille walks home young again.
HK
Hana Kim
8 votes · future 1 of 2