Dispute

Imogen couldn't believe this was happening to her. Four losses in a row. Part of her wondered if this was a setup by Alma and her friends just to get her into this stupid game. But how could it? They had switched the order in the last round, and the result had been the same.

Alma reached her hand toward the deck again, seemingly ready to resume taking her apart.

"Wait," Imogen blurted out. "I want to pick the card."

Alma smiled sweetly. "You think it's rigged, don't you?"

"It's crossed my mind."

"Look, dumb ass, this is your friend's house. And our friends set this up together. Besides, we've already changed the order once."

It sounded logical. As much as she hated to admit it, there was no way Alma or her friends could have cheated. Even if they had, changing the order at random would put a stop to any cheating attempts. Nevertheless, she had to prove it to herself to ease her nerves.

"I want to pick the card anyway."

Alma sighed. "Go on, then. There's no cheating. You're just getting what you deserve."

Imogen's expression tightened as she approached the deck and picked out another card. She showed a nine. A decent number, which gave her a good chance of winning.

"Why don't you pick my card if you think I'm cheating?" asked Alma. "Take the card from anywhere in the deck. I don't care."

Imogen looked at her dumbfounded. Was she serious?

"Are you deaf or stupid? Pick my card."

Imogen decided to take her up on this offer. She picked up the remaining deck and fanned it out in her hands. With so many cards to choose from, she placed the fan on the table and tapped her finger on one of the cards. Alma took it out of the deck, leaving the chosen card face-down, and replaced the deck for round six if there was going to be a round six.

Two-and-a-half minutes were at stake here.

Alma turned the card over. A queen stared back at her.

Imogen couldn't believe it. She had broken the rules even to select that card. This was her doing, and she had lost yet again. Her luck was awful.