Screwtape
was in a good mood. Souls were pouring in like cash from a slot
machine. In fact, exactly like cash from a slot machine. The new
casinos in Glubwart’s district were starting to pay off.
“It’s a sweet machine, chief,” Glubwart told him. “It just keeps coming. The idiots keep pulling the levers. They put in bad money after good. When it’s almost all gone, they get a few coins back, and that encourages them to keep going. Or they get a little ahead, then they get greedy, and it all drains away. Then they try to win it back! It’s comical, I tell you! The divorce rate is through the roof. One man emptied his retirement savings, then wound up losing his house. The whole family is on the dole.”
“Good work, Glubwart,” Screwtape stroked his top soul-winning demon.
Glubwart couldn’t stop gloating. “The possibilities are endless. One woman gambled away all of her housekeeping money, then cleaned out her checking and savings accounts. I’m anxious to see what happens when her husband finds out. Should be juicy.”
———
Jennifer Simmons staggered through her front door, drunk and dazed. She couldn’t believe what she had done. The money was just gone. She slumped down on the couch and put her head in her hands. Her husband stalked into the room. “At it again?”
“Don’t start,” she muttered.
“How much this time?”
“All.”
“What do you mean, ‘all?’”
“What part of ‘all’ don’t you understand?”
He stood there for a moment, speechless, breathless, unbelieving. Then the screaming started. “Bitch!” “Asshole!” “Loser!” “I’m gonna...” “Yeah, right. You never!” “You always!”
Don Simmons disappeared into the bedroom. When he came back, a .357 magnum was in his hand. Seconds later, Jennifer Simmons’ head exploded and soaked their fine Persian carpet.
“It’s a sweet machine, chief,” Glubwart told him. “It just keeps coming. The idiots keep pulling the levers. They put in bad money after good. When it’s almost all gone, they get a few coins back, and that encourages them to keep going. Or they get a little ahead, then they get greedy, and it all drains away. Then they try to win it back! It’s comical, I tell you! The divorce rate is through the roof. One man emptied his retirement savings, then wound up losing his house. The whole family is on the dole.”
“Good work, Glubwart,” Screwtape stroked his top soul-winning demon.
Glubwart couldn’t stop gloating. “The possibilities are endless. One woman gambled away all of her housekeeping money, then cleaned out her checking and savings accounts. I’m anxious to see what happens when her husband finds out. Should be juicy.”
———
Jennifer Simmons staggered through her front door, drunk and dazed. She couldn’t believe what she had done. The money was just gone. She slumped down on the couch and put her head in her hands. Her husband stalked into the room. “At it again?”
“Don’t start,” she muttered.
“How much this time?”
“All.”
“What do you mean, ‘all?’”
“What part of ‘all’ don’t you understand?”
He stood there for a moment, speechless, breathless, unbelieving. Then the screaming started. “Bitch!” “Asshole!” “Loser!” “I’m gonna...” “Yeah, right. You never!” “You always!”
Don Simmons disappeared into the bedroom. When he came back, a .357 magnum was in his hand. Seconds later, Jennifer Simmons’ head exploded and soaked their fine Persian carpet.
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