The Gaming Initiative
an excerpt

     Justin heard the engine of the Cadillac come to life and fade out as it drove away. He sat motionless staring at the envelope, his mind racing. He wanted to reach out and take it, but he couldn’t move. It was as if some unseen force was keeping him from doing so. He thought about all the times he dreamed of this moment and how he imagined it would be. The shock from the sudden and unexpected encounter really threw him for a spin. At this point he really didn’t know what to make of it. He started to think about what it would mean for him to go through with this. In all the years that he obsessed with the idea, all the years he prepared himself with endless exercise and training that he imposed on his daily routing, the one thing that he never thought about or accounted for, was how he would feel or what he would do if he actually got the chance. Today would have been just another day in his life, a new turning point. He was set on putting this behind him and moving on with his life and suddenly as if out of spite, life decided that it wouldn’t be that easy. No, now he would have to make a real decision. This could truly be the moment that he puts his past behind him and moves forward.
     But as suddenly as the shock of this turn of events had set in, it was gone. Justin felt like he was in control again. He took his eyes of the envelope and drank a long sip of coffee. He placed the cup back on the table, stood up and for a moment it seemed like he was just going to walk out, but he paused. It wasn’t a pause of hesitation, it was just long enough to grab the envelope.