RUDEV MARY

House of Cards

Suddenly, khalifa climbed the table in the centre of the lounge."Hello, my brethren!" She got everyone's attention, and they turned to her. More people came into the lounge and gathered there. The crowd hailed her. Rudev didn't understand what was happening. "What's going on?"

Khalifa smiled and turned to Don, seeking her permission to go on. "May I?" she asked.

Don sat on the chair in the centre of the lounge, crossed her legs and beckoned to her to continue. Khalifa continued, "Who's ready for another round of fun?! It's gambling time!"

The crowd cheered."All I need is eight more ladies, " Khalifa said again. 

"Girls for what?" Rudev asked eve. Eve sighed and explained,

"Gambling is our means of survival here. Yes, we gamble. Everyone has to partake. When you lose so many times in the game, you become a debtor and gradually a house pet." Rudev needed further explanation.

"When you're a house pet, it means someone has a right over your life and those kinds of people are called Kingpins" Rudev froze at the mention of that 

"Can they kill you?" she asked 

"Not intentionally" Eve replied. "Being a Kingpin is another way to become powerful over here, they are highly respected because they are so good at this game and the more house pets you have, the more power"

Rudev understood slowly and asked again"So what happens next?"

Eve took rudev to one of the gambling tables"I'll teach you the rules. When Kingpins play against one another, they place their house pets on a bet. When house pets play against one another, they play to redeem their image, the more you lose, the lower you become in the food chain. "

Rudev nodded "What happens if a kingpin loses or wins?"

"A kingpin can have up to thirty house pets, it just depends on how good you are. When she loses, she has to give a required number of people for trafficking"                                                                 Rudev exclaimed "Trafficking?"

"Yes, house pets are being trafficked. They sell you for some time for money. The wardens collaborate with the kingpins to get the work done then they get a share of the money. After some time you're back in and no one knows what you're used to outside there, Have you seen why you need to have the power to survive? "

Rudev then looked at her and asked"So which one are you?"

Eve remained quiet and her tone changed when she replied"I'm a house pet..."

Rudev felt shocked and pitiful at the same time "So who's your Kingpin?"

Eve pointed towards another lady"Her name is Dianne" Rudev looked at Dianne and asked again"Have you ever been trafficked?"

"No but time will tell. The last badge will be returning today and the next will be leaving next week depending on the kingpins that play"

"Can you be a kingpin in a day?" rudev asked.

Eve nodded"Just challenge a kingpin if you win then yeah but if you lose then you automatically become a house pet"

Rudev and eve had a long talk, it was almost as if they weren't present in the lounge, but khalifa called for their attention.

"Ok so the kingpin playing this night are Mandy and Dianne"

Everyone clapped while eve and rudev shared a nervous glance. Mandy and Dianne sat at the extreme of the long table"Place your bets " khalifa said to them. Mandy called out five housepets, they arrange themselves on the line while Dianne called out hers including eve. The look on rudev's face at the mention of eve's name was even worse than eve's reaction.

"Let the game begin"Khalifa shared the cards evenly. Everyone else stood surrounding them, it was like a theatre play. 

"It's a simple game of Go fishing, at the end of the game your cards must have the same shape. That's just it, watch and learn"Eve says. 

The lounge became extremely quiet, it was almost as if they could hear the cards move. Dianne and Mandy glared at each other with their cards placed at chest level. Every time Dianne made a move, eve heart skipped a bit. The first round was won by Dianne, this made eve happy. Rudev squeezed eve's hand tightly. In the second round, Mandy won. Now there was Tension in the lounge for the final round "I got your back " rudev whispered to eve. Everyone stood on their feet to have a better view, this looked tough. Eve's eyes couldn't leave the cards, she followed every movement as if her life depended on it because it did.

"Game over !" Mandy threw her cards in the centre of the table signifying she had just one. Everyone regained their speech again, they murmured and cheered mandy. Eve shook her head and looked at rudev"It's over"

"Call your house pets," Khalifa said. Eve let go of rudev's hand and walked forward, rudev felt sad, she wanted to help desperately. Mandy and Dianne stood and shook each other"Good game" they chorused.  Everyone turned around and began to leave but rudev wasn't letting eve go that easily

"Excuse me, Khalifa!" she screamed. Eve knew rudev was up to something now but nothing could save her. Everyone turned back and looked at her, she was an unfamiliar face. She exhibited valour no new prisoner ever showed. Khalifa gushed at rudev's cuteness"Hello" khalifa said. 

Rudev walked towards her and said"I also want a house pet" Eve beckoned to her to shut up. The lounge became noisy again, this was interesting for everyone. Khalifa smiled, she turned to Don and Rasta for their opinion. " And who would that be ?" khalifa asked. Rudev pointed at eve. Don admired her courage and allowed it neglecting what Dianne thought about it.

"And yes. I know the rules" rudev said. Everyone got ready for another game. Dianne walked close to rudev and asked "Are you ready to be my housepet?"

Rudev loosened her bun and flipped her hair"Are you ready to lose a housepet?"

"Let the game begin!" Khalifa exclaimed.