One Gamble Too Many

There was only one rule: don't open the door. 

The ultimatum made no sense to me. The chamber's doors had been intentionally propped open. 

I had expected high strangeness, but my inability to follow any of this nonsense surprised me.

Studying my companions' faces about the table, I wondered whom they desperately sought to reach. Frustrated, I considered leaving until the woman next to me leaned in.

"It's a metaphor," she said as if that explained everything.

I cursed inwardly. I'd forgotten what a metaphor was.

"Obviously," I quipped.

"Your first seance?"

Her question unnerved me. Raised to fear the occult, I never uttered such words. 

"Yes."

"We're lucky. Alex's leading."

Her confidence irked me.

"Luck's fickle," I said. 

She clucked her tongue.

"Just remember…"

"Don't open the door."

She smiled, ignoring my interruption.

"Exactly."

Alex rapped the table three times. A hush fell. Holding hands, we closed our eyes, and the ritual began.

I didn't understand the language, but I felt compelled to join. How long we chanted, I couldn't tell, but the air felt chill when we stopped.

"Behold! A spiritual portal," Alex said.

Incredibly, I saw the image of a familiar door in my mind. 

A key appeared. 

"Lock it," Alex ordered.

Ignoring him, I knocked.

"Gramps?"

Freddy, my boy. Come in.

I trembled.

"I'm not supposed to."

Phooey.

"Gramps, I'm in debt to the wrong people."

Mob?

"Yes."

Freddy, you know better.

"It's this damn run of bad luck. If I had an edge, maybe one of your old cons…"

Got just the thing. Only it's complicated. I'll have to demonstrate. 

"Really?!"

Yeah, come in.

Relieved, I opened the door.

Freddy, never trust a con man.

That's how I ended up sharing this body with Gramp's soul. It's not ideal. But the debt's paid off.