I felt a sense of unease as the old man dealt the cards for our game. I had never played “Old Maid” before, but the thought of refusing the request of the lonely man seemed cruel. We played in silence, the only sounds being the shuffle of cards and the occasional creak of the floorboards. I also never knew the reason it was called that until the old man smiled and laid down the last card. It was the “Old Maid”, and I had lost. Suddenly, the old man’s eyes widened, and he began to laugh maniacally. I tried to grab the cards and run, but he held onto them tightly as he ran out of the room. To my horror, he looked decades younger as he disappeared into the darkness. I never heard from him again, but I always felt like I had made a deal with the devil that night.
