The cobra suddenly stroke the lion with its venomous bite, defending itself with the only defense it knew. It was more of an act of instinct than a cold-blooded murder, and the cobra surely did not know what it had accomplished as it crawled away from the scene of action. The proud animal staggered and fell, not able to resist the snake's venom.

The shabby nightclub smelled of cheap cigarettes and liquor, which filled the room with its invisible vapor floating around just for the annoyance of the guests. Ill dressed men, who still had a small sum of money they could spend on the few pleasures in life they still had left, surrounded by bogus wooden tables, marked by years of mistreatment and whiskey stains. The yellowish light of the few lams, which still worked, age the atmosphere a cozy feeling although there was nothing cozy about this place.
    It may not be everyone's cup of tea to sit around a bad imitation of a wood table, playing cards all night with pals worse scum than yourself, but — believe it or not — there where people who by the help of time learned to enjoy it. Ray Millman was one of this odd folk.. He often killed time over a philosophical discussion of life and a glass of bad liquor in a joint like this.
    "Straight flush," Jims said spreading his cards on the table, with a wicked grin, exposing his bad yellow-brownish teeth. "you money's in ma pocket," he kept dwelling on in slurred English, while gathering the small change he had won.
    "I heard he's in hospital. Seems to have broken a leg or something'," Joshua continued.
    "Life's a bitch," someone replied.
    "Yeah, think he fell down some stairs. Slid on a banana-peel or something. Like in a damn cartoon."
    "I can imagine big ol' Sal bouncing down some filthy stairs," Ben said dealing a new round. "At least he has something to do. I mean he doesn't have to sit around here listening to bad jokes, and he has all those pretty nurses whose job's only too look after him. If there's anyone you should feel sorry about, it's yourself. Sal's in heaven."
    "What stops you from jumping down a staircase?"
    "Didn't say I'd volunteer, but if the luck would strike me so..."
    "That's bull," Jims interrupted, simultaneously requesting a new card from Ben, with a sly look, forgetting the poker face for a moment. "You'd have so damn much pain in your leg you wouldn't even see all the pretty faces around ya. No, ma dream's to hike through the mountains a cool autumn morning."
    "You, hike?!" Ben laughed. "You ain't even fit to go to the subway from here, and think of all the perils that hide in the mountains."
    "What perils?"
    "Ya know snakes and things."
    "There's no snakes in the mountains."
    "What do you know about that?" Ray took sides. "Ever been to them?" A dull form of laughter appeared and was gone.
    "House!" Jims grinned, showing his cards. "Someone wanna beat it?"
    "You're cheating or something?" Ray asked with his usual unsatisfaction.
    "I could do this blindfolded and still win. 'Cuz you're a bunch of pussies! Yeah, that's what you are, pussies! I can win any time I like."
    "Do you wish to bet on that, Sir?"
    Everyone's looks turned towards a well dressed, tall man, standing in front of the company. "Do you have room for one more player, gentlemen?" he asked in his snobbish French accent.
    Room was silently made for the newly-entered player and he sat down by the table, making an odd contrast tot he ill dressed company, with his well cut suit and gloved hands.
    "Does anyone mind if we use a fresh deck of cards?" the stranger asked producing a deck from his left coat pocket.
    "Fine with me," Ben said, putting away the old, worn out deck.
    "Excuse me for being rude," the stranger said while shuffling the cards, which where tagged with a red smiling she-devil on the reverse side. "I have not even introduced myself. My name is Jaques Mire. The phrase started a chain reaction as the other members spoke their names.
    "So you're a pro gambler Jack?" Ray asked after a moment of total silence.
    "I've done some gambling in my life, but I have not raised the whopping by gambling. Would not call me a professional. And you?"
    "You're kidding. I don't think I've won in poker ore than ten times in my whole life."
    "Well, perhaps your luck will change, my friend. Shall we begin?"
    Agreeing nods from the other players made him deal the cards.
    "Let us play a somewhat different variant from the one you where just playing. One give, no toss, you bet for each card, but you do not change any cards. What you are given si what you are taking. If you want to lay down — okay."
    "Sounds a lil to dependant on luck to me," Jims said.
    "Every game has it's pros and cons, but if you want to lay down already it's alright with me. But I thought it was you who just bragged about how good you where at this game."
    "I'm in," Jims said after a moment of quiet.
    The first card was dealt and Ray sat there looking at his single knave.
    What, no-one raising? Jaques joked before dealing the second card.
    One more knave.
    "I'll raise," Ray found himself saying.
    "Already?!"
    "If I gonna win, I gonna win now."
    "That is courageous, I respect that. You have to risk, or you won't come anywhere here in life."
    The black queen stared back at Ray as he picked up his third card and put it in his hand. Her twin sister, the Black Mary, came up as number four. The state had now risen to a sum Ray had only dreamt of ever possessing due to poker game.
    "I haven't got anything more to bet," Ray protested as he picked up his third card. He was holding a house, consisting of three queens and two knaves. Surely no-one could beat that .
    What about that watch you are wearing? It doesn't look to fancy but not as some junk you could by anywhere either."
    "Not the watch, it's a family treasure."
    "Oh, you break ma hart," Jims replied, being one of the few still in. "Bet something, or lay down, as everyone else."
    Ray looked around for compassion, unable to find it, in the old poker faces.
    "Okay, I'll bet the watch."
    "That's cool with me," Jims replied. "Show."
    Every look turned to the mystic poker-player stranger.
    "Flush."
    "What?!" Ray exclaimed.
    "I have a flush. I believe I win."
    "You cheater! I know why you wanted a fresh deck. 'Cuz you had it fixed. You knew which cards I had all the time, didn't ya?"
    "Do not be a sore loser now, my friend."
    Before anything got a chance to react a blade stiletto was out-folded and bit into the soft flesh of Ray's foe. Without really realizing what was happening Ray ran out on the street, clenching his watch.