Flaxday Firstweek, Swallow's Reap, 147/32

Woke up this morning in a bin. Not one of my better starts. Since I was upside down it took me a while to get out of it, after which I stumbled around trying to work out where in buggery I was. I was covered in all kinds of vile crap, and I had one of those hangovers where I could feel my eyes throb every time my heart beat. I would have been sick, but I think I left it all behind in that bin.

I was feeling so bad I didn't realise I'd been beaten up and robbed for quite some time.

Somehow I found a street I recognised and got back to the Ketty Jay without being stopped by the militia. Barely a flicker of surprise from anybody. Only the passenger made a passing inquiry about my well-being, but I just snarled at him. The cat obviously likes my new scent: he started following me as soon as I set foot on the craft and he hasn't left me alone all day. I went to my quarters and did my best to sleep, but the hangover and three tons of cat on my chest didn't make it easy.

Took me a long time to work out what happened, but from the bits and pieces I remember, I'm pretty sure someone spiked me. Second day I went back to the den they were playing Rake, and that's my game. I was flying. Came away considerably richer, and with the promise of a game the next day. So I went back for that one, and after that...

Well, I remember I was doing well. I remember I kept taking risks and coming up good. I remember beating Wings Full with a Run to the Ace of Skulls. Poor bugger I was playing with almost broke down in tears.

After that, I lose it. Someone sat down to play. Grinning at me, front teeth missing. He stank like sweat. Bought me a drink. The owner. Feller named Feckley, as I recall. It was him that did me. Guess he didn't like my run of luck.

Well, at least they were decent enough not to kill me. They didn't know who I was. Probably thought I was just someone passing through, possibly a professional cheat. Not that they'll find me grateful. Think I'd rather they had killed me right now.

But they didn't. So as soon as I start feeling a little less bloody awful, I'm going back there. For once, I won that money honestly, and I'm damned if I'm not getting it back with interest.