The Casino

Luckily, the corridor takes me somewhere very quickly. Where I am now is such a huge contrast to where I was that I close my eyes and pinch myself to make sure I'm really seeing what I think I'm seeing. Looming ahead of me is a vast, disorienting, tacky casino. It seems to have some kind of Middle Eastern theme, with plastic palm trees, showgirls in harem outfits, and cod-Arabian music. Two plastic palm trees tower over the entrance I just came in through. Slot machines blink nearby, with all kinds of people lined up at them, putting their money on the line. It makes me feel dirty, queasy, and nauseated.

Why did that random space warp put me at a casino, anyway? I've never been to one in my life. I'm just a--what am I, anyway? That's a good question. I can't even remember my own name. It's probably just as a result of being pulled through that void and will be over in no time (at least, that's what I tell myself), but it still feels very unpleasant.

I shift through my pockets, wishing I'd remembered to take a look in the mirror while I was in the bathroom. (I'm not going back in those corridors. I'd get utterly lost in no time.) I realize before too long that I'm wearing a gun on my side. That makes me feel even worse. I hate guns. Was that put on me when I was pulled through the void, or was it always on me?

I really need to get out of this casino, go to somewhere I can think straight. But it's not going to be easy. One thing I do remember is that casinos are often designed so that it's not easy for people to leave them--that makes it easier to milk their customers' money. Luckily, most of the people don't seem to notice me all that much--they take a brief glance in my direction, smirk contemptuously at my confused manner, then go back to their gambling. I do have a gun, but I get the impression that this isn't that uncommon here.

As I walk away from the entrance I came in through, someone catches my eye. It's a showgirl, dressed in a hideous pseudo-harem bikini outfit with red sequins. Now, I'm not the kind of guy who watches that kind of entertainment (or at least, I think I'm not), but there seemed to be something genuinely beautiful about her that went beyond mere appearance. She was a redhead with blue eyes that sparkled like, um, what was that gem that was blue? I think it was sapphires. Yeah, sapphires. And she was also so beautiful that she made men think in clichés. The way she carried herself, she made even that outfit look good. She smiles a very warm, human smile at me, and I wonder if I know her from somewhere or that's just wishful thinking. I notice after a moment that there's a letter in her hand. Then, I hear a snatch of conversation benhind me, and I turn around. But there's no one there. I guess it was just people who were walking behind me and didn't notice me at all. I'm getting jumpy--better get out of here before something happens that would make me consider using the gun.

Before I can go anywhere, however, I notice something.

1. The redhead had dropped the letter she was carrying.
2. Someone is approaching me who seems to recognize me. It looks like a mob boss. I think I'm going to barf.
3. The conversation starts again. As I turn around, I realize it actually seems to be coming from the fake palm trees.
4. There's a small white bunny in a cage nearby. Something seems weirdly familiar about it.
5. There's a dime on the floor

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