Today's #flashfiction #TheLawyersGame

“The one ring to rule them all.”

Kay Jewelers* #quote

Today I got a Christmas card from Grandma. Thanks Grandma, love ya! Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Lawyer's Game

         Tom Copper met Death with a fancy suit on and fancy hairstyle. But the type of fancy that fits business and screams “I'm here for you and I know what I'm doing.” Only thirty years the lawyer had his life taken away by an accident. His firm wept, the big bosses and coworkers knew what a promising career he had. And even the most heartless there cared because he pulled in the money from his success.

        The manifestation of Death took many forms. Like the millions of reapers gathering souls and watching over the dying each day. The lawyer met one in an endless field full of black grass when he died.

       “So Tom Copper,” the reaper said, “My shift's almost over. So please let's make this quick. If you can beat me in a game of your chooisng, which you can't, you can get a second chance at life. If you fail we can send you off and we can go from there. What's your game so I can get this over with.”

       The lawyer could feel the wind in the field, and his cautious nature made him not dismiss this as merely a dream. “So you can beat anyone in a game?”

       “We reapers are trained in that. Why don't you pick rock paper scissors? That's fast.”

       “I can pick any game?”

       “Yes.”

       “Even one of my own creation?”

        The reaper nodded. “Yes, even one where the rule you make up is that you win by default. But I've got magic powers so I've won that too. Just a bit of body swapping to make me win then I transfer back.”

         The lawyer smiled. “Sounds like its pretty hopeless.”

         “Yup,” the reaper laughed, “the afterlife ain't so bad. So please just get on with it.”

          The lawyer then began to think. The reaper waited for a response. It took five minutes but Tom used all his legal powers to create a game for him to win.

          “First rule of the game: The rules of the game take effect as soon as they are spoken by me, Tom Copper, the individual speaking at this location in space time saying these words. Second Rule of the game: The game has started. Third rule of the game: I, Tom Copper, am Player 1. Fourth Rule of the Game: Any players may do nothing to alter the outcomes that come of the rules, including magic. Fifth Rule of the game, Tom Copper, the one saying this rule at this very moment in space time, wins.”

          By the time the reaper started to get all the rules simplified in his head the lawyer had won.