Part 36 Game...

Ankit aka Arnav has been watched by the villagers keenly. As he lost the money by gambling, they were willing to play with him. They wonder about his don't care mentality. But they didn't think how a man could not bother about losing money. Their greediness didn't allow their mind to think anything. MONEY the most powerful weapon of the world... made them lose their minds. There was a big competition among the villagers to play with Arnav. Arnav gave them a chance to earn money. The villagers named him BANK. Of course, he won one or two games as he doesn't want to get suspected.

Khushi doesn't like it when she heard him gambling with the villagers. She got upset as she didn't know his intention. Why he is gambling when he has very important work here? What is he going to do? Why he is wasting time gambling and losing money? She was fed-up thinking about it because she didn't get anything.

The third day

Arnav came to the gambling hall with Shyam a little late. Almost all the tables were being occupied by people. He sat at Akash's table as the man who played with him lost the game to Akash.

"Akash, can you go to another table?" Shyam requested him.

"Why? Won't you guys play with me?" Akash asked.

"I heard you are the best gambler of this village... are you planning to make my purse empty?" Arnav intentionally praised his gambling skill.

"However you are going to lose the game no matter with whom you are playing. What if you lose to me?" Akash said with extreme haughtiness.

"Sometimes... I also win..." Arnav said grinning.

"You mean you could win Akash?" Shyam asked.

"Of course... the best gambler of the village is going to be defeated." Arnav intentionally provoked Akash's ego.

"Don't you think this is too much?" Akash asked.

"What if I win?" Arnav challenged.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Defeat me and then leave the place...."

"Means?"

"Until you win the game, you should not leave the place."

"I will leave the place in the first game itself."

Akash laughed. So did the villagers.

"Hey... oldie, don't show your attitude... you will be left with nothing...." one of the villagers shouted from the corner.

"What do you think of Akash? No one could play like him..."

The villagers supported Akash.

"Ok... then start. Until you win Ankit sir, you should not leave the place. What say?" Shyam asked.

"He won't leave..."

"He won't leave..."

The villagers said, on behalf of Akash. Akash felt proud.

Akash accepted the deal. He kept a thousand rupees on the table.

"That's all?" Shyam asked.

"Leave Shyam... he needs money for the next game also. Because I'm the one who is going to win."

Akash removed all the money from his pocket and kept it on the table.

When they started playing, the villagers saw the inspector getting inside the hall. They spared one another's glance.

"I heard noise... what's happening here?" Daniel questioned them.

The villagers didn't open their mouths but Shyam told him about the challenge.

"It seems interesting yet difficult."

"Why sir?"

"What if you guys will fight?"

"We won't sir." One of the villagers said.

"Why risk?"

Pulling a chair, the inspector sat there to watch the game.

Arnav and Akash played. As Akash didn't expect, he lost the game. The inspector appreciated Arnav.

"You are rocking sir... I heard Akash never losses the game and also you win rarely... but today, you won him."

"Sir, this is the first game... he would have won by the fluke. Ask him to play again." Akash said.

"Yes, sir... Akash won't back off if he started something." Someone said.

"What's the bet?" Arnav asked.

"I have no money now... not that I won't play. I bet my cows."

"Wow... that's great...from today onwards; we don't have to buy milk..." Arnav said looking at Shyam and he nodded yes.

"Play and then talk..." Akash said irritatingly.

"Yeah... play and then talk," Daniel said.

They played and Arnav won again.

"I think he is cheating." Someone said.

Arnav stood from the chair.

"Come and check me..." He raised his hands up.

"If you have doubt then check him," Daniel said.

A villager came forward and checked Arnav thoroughly.

He nodded no and went back. Arnav again sat on the chair and looked at Akash.

"Will you play or accept the defeat?" Arnav asked sarcastically.

"Don't give up Akash... he is not worthy of it... you will definitely win." Someone encouraged him.

"This time my tractor will be on the bet."

Of course, at the end of the game, Akash's tractor became Arnav's whereas Akash became furious. He was losing his property one by one along with his patience. He lost his mind completely. But Arnav played very coolly. After the tractor, Akash lost his field, house, three hundred grams of gold jewelry. Daniel was writing the list and getting a signature from Akash.

The hall went pin-drop silent. Everyone looked like they were being surrounded by ghosts. They couldn't understand what's happening. How a man could win all the games continuously who always losses the game? Akash's state was not explained by words. He was sitting with a burning mind. There was nothing in his hand. He lost everything to Arnav.

"What next?" Daniel asked.

"It's over... he is a loser," Shyam said.

"He is right. Akash is a loser." Daniel said.

"You should register all the properties on his name by tomorrow," Shyam said.

"Vacate your house also," Daniel said.

"Yeah... tomorrow morning we will be waiting in the Register office."

The villagers felt bad for Akash.

Arnav was looking at Akash who was bowing down.

"I will give you one last chance...."

Akash raised his head and looked at Arnav.

"I will return all your properties back if you win this time. But only on the bet."

Akash thought something and called someone.

"Virat..."

"Yes, Akash?"

"Give me your land which we are going to do settlement on."

The man named Virat became shocked.

"What rubbish Akash? You have lost everything you had. What if you lose my land also? How will you give me money? Leave all that... what are you going to do to eat food? Think about it first. " Virat said sarcastically.

"I will afford a job for him in my field." Someone said teasingly.

Akash felt insulted. This is heights of humiliation. How proudly he roamed in this village... how big his name is... this old man ruined everything... what would he do now? How could he be in this village without a penny where he flaunted once?

He gulped, thinking something. He raised his head sternly.

"Can I play betting on SOMEONE?" Akash asked.

Arnav spared Shyam and Daniel's glance.

"What would he do with that SOMEONE? Is that SOMEONE equal to all the property?" Daniel asked whereas Arnav was observing his expression.

"She is my would-be wife," Akash said firmly.

Everyone where dumbfounded. Shyam looked at Arnav shockingly who was glaring at Akash wrathfully. How dare he bet on Khushi?

"Have you gone mad?" Daniel asked him furiously.

"I have no choice."

Arnav was about to say something, Shyam pressed his thigh and whispered.

"We planned to show how irresponsible he is. He himself is making our job easy. Don't lose your control."

"Don't you know what happened to Dhrowpathi in Maha Bharatha? Will you do the same with Khushi?"

{Maha Baratha is one of the epics of India}

"I won't lose the game."

"What if you lose the game?" Someone asked.

"I will win." He said confidently.

"You have not won a single game. Then how could you do that hopefully?" Another one asked.

"I will win and get all my properties back."

"You will lose your would-be wife if you lose the game." Daniel said.

"I won't..."

"Remember... you can't change anything if you lose the game. Only he will have rights on her." Daniel said.

Akash gulped. Arnav was doing nothing other than glaring at him.

"I can't be like a beggar... I want my properties back. For that, I will do anything." Akash said without caring about anything.

Arnav removed a paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. He kept it on the table, looking at Akash.

"If you lose the game, you have no right on the girl. Sign on it," he said.

Without thinking of anything, he signed the paper. Arnav wondered how he could be so confident.

Daniel asked the villagers to be in the distance. All of them got a step back and watched.

They started playing. Akash's face lit seeing his cards. The villagers sighed in relief, seeing his expression. He got a very good set of cards it seems.

To be continued...

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Losing the Bet

The villagers became curious and watched them with the same curiosity. They felt relieved, seeing the brightened face of Akash. Of course, Akash got a very good set of cards.

All of their eyes turned on Arnav as he started arranging his cards but they couldn't see any change of expression on his face. He looked calm.