The Dasti Experiment...5

"Roll the dice, roll the dice, roll the dice." As Tsisas chanted, the knife he held to Bruesia's throat jumped with each repetition. A fine line of red decorated her skin from where Tsisas' knife had slipped.

"Roll the dice, roll the dice, roll the dice."

Ascaeliat's hands had gone sore. The dice assaulted his palms when he shook them. The dice assaulted his fingers when he picked them up. The dice held cruelty.

Tsisas chanted still, laughing as he drew Bruesia into a backward dance, singing his own music.

Bruesia's eyes stayed closed, as they had been. Her face betrayed nothing, not even if she still lived.

"Roll the dice!" Tsisas demanded.

Ascaeliat cast. The dice rolled four. The dice rolled nine. The dice rolled seven, twelve, six. The dice took on a life of their own. The black one with white marks liked to roll fives and sixes. The white die with black marks favored twos and threes.

Six. Twelve. Seven. Seven.

"Maybe rolling three will help," Tsisas cackled.

He tossed another white die on the table. The die had six faces. Each face was blank. Tsisas laughed. "Roll a one, roll a thirteen, and I'll let her go," he said.

Ascaeliat picked up the dice.

The bit his palms.

He wondered how long the abuse could go on. Bruesia looked dead. Her eyes remained closed. He could not tell if she was breathing. The blood on her neck had crusted. A thin line ran down from one edge. That had crusted too.

Tsisas pulled Bruesia against him.

Ascaeliat's hands tightened. The dice bit him. He rolled. Seven.

Tsisas just laughed.

Bruesia's head lolled to one side.

Ascaeliat snatched the dice up once more.

"Need another?"

Tsisas threw a black, faceless die on the table. "Roll a one, roll a thirteen, roll a nineteen!"

Ascaeliat threw the dice down. They hit the table and bounced. Bruesia did not move. Tsisas did not move, but his eyes glittered. Ascaeliat snatched the dice up before the numbers fell.

"Spoil sport!" Tsisas complained. "What if that had been a one?" Wicked light gleamed. "You could have saved her, you know. Or maybe not, but maybe so."

IF there existed anything to hate, Ascaeliat decided it was Tsisas' laughter. For Tsisas' laughter ran down the corridors of thought and chased away the light. Tsisas' laughter bubbled in darkness so deep it blinded. Tsisas' laughter hurt.

Ascaeliat grabbed the dice and rolled.

The knife blade in Tsisas' hand slipped.

Ascaeliat slammed his hand down on all four spinning dice.

They did not bite this time.

He raised his hand.

Three dice lay embedded in his palm.

Ascaeliat smiled.

Tsisas smiled back.

One die lay on the table.

It showed four.

"Better luck next time."

Tsisas drew the knife.

Bruesias' eyes opened.

Ascaeliat stared.

So she had been alive.