Allison

17

The sun rose and everything fell. That faithful day down at Barney's Bar a man called Stump and his gambling friends gathered around the poker table preparing for their typical Friday night. Breathing in his puff of tobacco, Stump's eyes grew glassy as the nicotine settled in his capillaries. His eyelids grew heavy, closing halfway as he hit a temporary high. Stump gave his fellow men around the makeshift poker table crooked smile. Alex across from him smiled back but with a hint of hesitance. Then each man laid their cards down. One man, the one to the left, gasped. Another, the one to the right, simply shrugged. And the young man on the opposite side of Stump narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Congrats Stump," Groaned the man who shrugged as he began to empty his wallet to the point of it being bare. He then gazed through the rising smoke from Stump's cigarette and whispered in a low voice, "Hey Stump, mind if I keep a dollar or two, you know, for my fare home?"
"Sure," Stump replied.
"I'll pay you back, you know, next time?"
"Nah," Stump said with a wink, "Don't worry about it, Jack."
"Ha-ha," Dave laughed aloud, "Looks like Stump had the upper hand!"
The group of friends shook their heads disapprovingly. Though it was true that Stump was missing a hand, which he had lost back in the war due to bomb shrapnel, it wasn't necessary to bring up that sensitive topic.
Jack kept a couple dollar bills and bid his goodbyes, so that he could catch the late bus. Then Dave, the man who gasped, was invited to a bit of small talk with Stump before excusing himself from the table to get another drink. Afterwards, when he suspected that no one was really watching him, Stump snuck sticking a piece of briefly chewed gum to the bottom of the table, but Alex, the young man, across for him happened to notice. And without saying a single word, Stump winked at him before joining Dave and the bartender at the counter.
Naturally, Alex grew curious. He was well aware that Stump was down here at the bar almost every night excluding Sunday. If he placed gum beneath the table every night, the thing must be covered the disgusting mixture of Stump's saliva and sweet sugar. The man rested his hand upon the table and exerted his weight in order to glance under the table. Unsurprisingly, he was correct, the thing was covered with gunk, but he didn't expect to see was that the wads of chewed gunk were serving a purpose. With the exception of the freshest one, they each held a playing card.
The same four men from the previous morning took the same seats around the same makeshift poker table. Each intently focused on their current hand, though there was the occasional pair wandering of eyes to the neighboring players face to examine their expressions. Dave and Jack simply stared each other down for a good minute or two. Stump leaned back slightly in his seat as his hand disappeared under the table. Alex him gave a dirty look. When Stump's attention came back to the game he noticed Alex's glare and chuckled.
"You younglings," he said with a smile, "always taking things to seriously."
Alex remained unfazed in his glower. Stump shifted uncomfortably with both his torso and his eyes. Something was most definitely off, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was exactly. With the game coming to a close, the players prepared to lay down their cards. Suddenly, a fist slammed the table.
"Damn it!"
Everyone's attention turned to Alex whose face was full of an odd irked emotion. A vein bulged from under the facial skin of his forehead. His face trembling. Not with fear, but with rage. Jack scooted his chair away from the table, weary of what would happen next. Dave took out his cell phone, expecting a sudden outburst of violence between the drunk and the mad.
"I can't take it anymore!" Alex hollered causing the whole bar to some to an awkward silence as a few of the people's eyes fell upon the poker table.
"Take what, exactly?" Jack asked.
"Stump!" He cried, "He's been cheating the whole time!"
The onlookers gasped at the rising drama as their eyes turned to the accused. Stump shrugged his shoulders and slowly shook his head. A voice in the back suddenly demanded for a fight, and eventually the whole bar joined in.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Alex rolled up his sleeves before rising from his seat. Stump sank in his. There was no way he could take on a twenty year old at the age of fifty. He looked up at Alex, his eyes attempting to conceal his fear. Alex cracked his knuckles. Stump readied himself for a fatal blow as he closed his eyes and silently recited the Lord's prayer.
There was a sudden bang, but Stump felt no impact. One by one he opened his eyes to see what was going on. Alex laid passed out on the floor. Jack stood over him holding a compressed folding chair loosely in his grasp, his eyes panicked and petrified.
"Now would be a good time to run," Dave noted.
Without saying a single word, Stump took his advice.
Stump was halfway across the parking lot when he heard a door slam. His eyes widened as he turned his head toward the source of the sound. Alex stumbled out of the bar's doorway and cried out for the man who had wronged him.
"Stump!" He said, "Fight me you coward!"
The crowd of onlookers gathered around in a circle enclosing on Stump and Alex. Stump tried to fight his way out of the trap, but no one would let his through. They were too thirsty for blood. Alex limped his way toward Stump and swung a punch. The blow hit Stump right in the eye. He tired to evade the next attack, but Stump tumbled to the ground when he was struck in the knee.
"Is that all you got?" Alex asked with a laugh and smirk, "I thought you were Vietnam Veteran or something."
Disoriented and lying flat on the cold hard ground, Stump rolled over and managed to evade Alex's body slam. Alex fell right on his face beside Stump and growled. The old man scooted away, but Alex grabbed Stump's collar and pulled him back. Stump struggled to get away, but did not prevail. Alex then began to strangle him, but not for long. Stump bit his arm and quickly wobbled to his feet. Alex stared him down and asked the question.
"Why'd you do it, Stump?"
Stump avoided all eye contact and stared down at the pavement. He shifted uncomfortably as if struggling to reply.
"I-I" Stump stuttered, "I just n-need the cash..."
"Who doesn't, old man?"
"For my wife, you see, she's slowly dying and..."
The crowed grew silent as a wave of pity came from each of their hearts. Alex gazed down at his bloodied hands as Stump rubbed this throbbing black eye.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Stump. " Alex said, cutting him off, "You could've just asked for a few bucks or so, I would've been happy to help.
"I don't take charity."
And with that the crowed opened up and Stump was allowed to pass. However, Dave followed him. His eyes staring him down skeptically as he called for his pal.
"Stump," He said, "What you said back there... "
"Yeah?"
"I don't ever remember you getting married..."
From a distance, Alex heard their words before returning to the bar. He stood inside for a moment, seemingly processing this critical piece of information. Again, he rolled up his sleeves as the crowd that had followed him in grew lively with excitement and cheered:
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Alex stared at the door handle and slowly turned the knob.