Blackjack

Nick Larson has always been lucky; everything just went his way. His family was well-to-do and lived in the best part of Ferroburg. In high school, all the right kids liked him. He was captain of the football team and, although he never studied, always got good grades. He enrolled in a great college, joined a fraternity, and made money at cards without trying. His lucky streak took a dark turn one night while Nick and some buddies were driving home— a truck crossed the center line and plowed into them. His friends died almost instantly, but Nick walked away. “You’re so lucky,” everyone said to him. At his best friend’s funeral, he was confronted by the boy’s mother: “Why should you be so lucky when my son had to die?”   The question haunted Nick. He started to engage in riskier behavior: gambling more money, driving faster, picking fights in dive bars. He stopped going to class. But he still won every game, won every fight, passed every classes. He didn’t have to try to succeed, and everything became meaningless. He moved back home to Ferroburg, where he spent his time drinking, gambling, and fighting wherever he could find the opportunity. He figured this aimless existence was all his incredible luck could bring him.   One night—on a whim—he stepped in to stop a mugger; he didn’t lose, but the guy had friends, friends with knives. He sidestepped their attacks, stole their weapons, anticipated their every move. Suddenly he felt the sense of purpose he had lacked. He looked at his city, the place he grew up, and saw the poverty, the crime, the homelessness. Maybe, if he was going to be blessed or cursed with this crazy luck, he could use it to help those who weren’t so lucky.