[Writing Contest] - THE ARENA

alchemist33

Challenge accepted. Engage!

harrythehat

At 7:15 the pantomime began.

Fake tan first, to ensure your skin is a thoroughly unlikely colour for the brisk November evening. A bra and thong in a garish pink. A too-short dress, sparkling accessories, make-up applied in layers.

The final touch, of course, the four inch black and pink snakeskin style heels that even you know you can't walk in.

Not to worry, a few drinks will sort that out, not to mention whatever else might be going around tonight.

A taxi is called and you make your way to the club, with three similarly clad imbeciles to
keep you company. You drank wine at the house, but now it's surely time for vodka. That only lasts for a while before someone calls "SHOTS!". You spend a lot of time on the dance floor but little of it is spent dancing. You preen, pout and take pictures of each other "ugh, no, delete that" to prove to your 296 facebook acquaintances that you are living life to the fullest and enjoying every minute of it.

A shy young fella approaches and asks for your number, but he's definitely not good enough. The sting of your laughter in his ears will bar him from doing that again for a very long time. Not that you'd stop to think about that.

Eventually, a guy that meet your standards approaches. You gyrate together on the dancefloor for a matter of minutes. During the brief period you spend talking, concentrating more batting your eye lashes and flicking your hair than what he's saying hetells you what a long day he has had. "Wanna go back and chillat mine for a while?" he asks. You hesitate, but only very briefly.

The nausea hits you before you even open your eyes. You stumble in the strange hallway and eventually find a bathroom where you throw up until stinking, acidic bile flows down through your nostrils.

As you wash your hands you glimpse yourself in the mirror. Only one of your false eyelashes is still on, your eye make-up smeared like coal down as far as your cheekbones. Your eyes are so bloodshot you can barely keep them open.

Cursing yourself for letting this happen again you make up your mind to leave before he - what was his name again? - wakes. You know he's not going to call anyway.

But you've got to go back into the room before you leave to get those bloody shoes.

harrythehat

Never mind, it seems it did go through!

alchemist33

She led him through the gyrating masses to the foot of the steps. She had to shout to be heard above the din of music. "Up here?"

He nodded, a lascivious smile on his face. On the gangway at the top, he took the lead and punched in the combination. The door to his office opened and he stepped inside. She took a deep breath and followed. No going back now.

The door closed and the music receded to a dull thud. The office was exactly what she'd expected -- an expensive table with chairs scattered about, expensive artwork on the walls, and a couch placed beside the mirrored glass wall, allowing a secretive view of the disco. No, not "disco." Niteclub, as Natalie had always admonished her. Her sister couldn't stand when she had used such anachronisms.

"So baby. Ready to have some fun?" He moved closer, sliding his arm around her waist.

"Not yet," she said with a mock pout. "You promised you'd show me your weapon first."

He smiled again. It seemed to be one of his two facial expressions, the other being anger, which she'd heard all about.

"Okay, then." He slid one of the paintings aside, revealing the safe. After punching another combination, he took out a handgun and twisted it about, showing it off. "This is the gun that's taken out some bad men. Some very bad men."

"Badder than you?"

"Well, maybe not."

This was it. The moment she had dreaded and dreamed about. What she had planned for for months. What she had left her husband and daughter behind for, on the other side of the country.

"That'll do me." She embraced him and kissed him fully on the lips. She grabbed his belt and pulled him towards the couch, causing him to leave the gun on the desk. She lay him on the couch, and he let her do it, let her take charge. She undid the belt and pulled his trousers and pants off, throwing them to the far end of the office.

"In a rush, honey?"

"Oh no. I just know what you like." And she did. The red dress, the high heels, the blonde hair -- all designed to ensnare him. Even the bravado about the gun. She knew he liked to talk big to the girls. "I know you like this too." She took off his tie and tied his roaming hands together, before fastening them to the stand of his TV screen.

Beyond the mirrored glass, two powerfully-built men roamed the gangway, searching. She had to move fast.

"You seem to know a lot about me, babe."

"Do you remember Natalie?" She removed one then the other, stiletto.

"No." He shook his head, puzzled.

"Blonde, petite, cute." Tears started to well up in her eyes. "Kind, gentle. She met you, you beat her. Then she got strung out on heroin and ended up in the harbour. Dispensible."

The first signs of fear appeared on his face. "Hey, let me go now. You don't want to make me mad."

"It's too late to go back now." She lifted one shoe up, the pointed heel aimed at his face.

He bucked against the tie desperately trying to get free. "Let me go, you f***ing bitch, or I swear I'll get the dogs to tear your arms off."

"No, too late." She swung the shoe and shattered the glass. Shards of mirror fell to the ground, sprinkling the floor around them. Her captive stared, open-mouthed and half-naked, as the shocked revellers turned and looked at them.

She put her shoes back on and stepped through the glass towards the two men.

"Officers."

"Miss Jones," the taller one said.

"Here's your man. And the murder weapon is on the desk."

slavetothegrind

harry i did get yours but it had the feel of a rant about it moreso than a story.

Alchemist's was more a story and i didn't guess the end correctly:p so i went for his.

Great to read both though!

harrythehat

Excellent story Alchemist.

harrythehat

@slavetothegrind: thanks for the feedback - it was my first time doing this and I kind of got writers block so I did just rant a bit! and reading back, I think the switch from the night to the morning is too sudden. Still, it was good to try it as I have been reading for a while!

slavetothegrind

Ah sure look just throw that hat back in the ring if outvoted, sure i have a grudge match planned for Alchemist!!!:)


I may need the full 24hrs to have any chance but i do love the taking part, which is the whole point here.

FeetMagicII

How do you vote? Is it by thanking?

I'm a bit confused by a rules also. Whoever's story has less votes 24 hours after the challenge is accepted has a further 24 hours to re-challenge?

If the loser of this round doesn't re-challenge is it then up to me to challenge the winner or is there someone in line before me?

Sorry about all the confusion :rolleyes:

pickarooney

Vote by thanking. Check back the last couple of pages to see if anyone is next in line. Defeated challenger does not have first refusal on a rematch if another person issues a challenge first.

pickarooney

Harrythehat, any chance of making that sig a bit smaller?

harrythehat

pickarooney wrote: »

Harrythehat, any chance of making that sig a bit smaller?

I'm working on it!

coffee_cake

who could have a problem with such a pearl necklace?

harrythehat

Do you think it's okay now or should I go a bit smaller again - apologies for being so off topic!

alchemist33

Excellent story, harry, and well-fought. A draw! What now, chief?

pickarooney

This

In the event of a draw, the champion stays on.

alchemist33

There it was, hidden in plain view in the first post. Sorry, harry, but I'm sure you'll be back.

harrythehat

Well deserved Alchemist. I'm delighted to have gotten a draw out of it - I'll be back MARK YOU - I'LL BE BACK!

FeetMagicII

I'm making a challenge!

Theme: Tick tock (if this can be considered a theme?)

hous

Can i also pose a challenge and get next in line.
Theme = Mirror

hous

sorry double post

alchemist33

Patience, hous. First I accept FeetMagicII's challenge (done!) and you can then challenge the winner.

me-skywalker

I'm biding my time to make a challenge again, looks like could be bottleneck if people start making challenges and the last duel hasn't even been proposed yet!

harrythehat

I got in pretty quick but I think I was just lucky with my timing. If I was you I'd throw my hat in now and join the queue.

alchemist33

Tick-tock...

He felt time slipping away -- he just didn't have enough of it. The sound of explosions outside continued to draw nearer, and the tiny chance he had to save them all became smaller.

He twisted two more wires together and the screen lit up with the grandfather clock image he had programmed. Yes! He might just be able to do it yet. Another blast shook the room and plaster fell from the ceiling. He started typing as fast as he could. He might only have minutes left and every second counted.

"Time to leave, Professor. Now!" Sergeant Montoya stood in the doorway, his gun ready, keeping one wary eye on the corridor.

"Not yet, Sergeant. I can still do it." Montoya rolled his eyes, but didn't leave. Doing his duty to the end, even if he didn't believe they had a chance.

The Professor turned back to the screen and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of a hand. He had to focus on the task. Go back in time. Warn the President. Don't fire that missile. Don't start a war that will destroy everything. That was what he had to do. Nobody else had believed it could be done -- not in the time left to them. So they had left him alone in the compound -- all except Montoya -- while they fled with their families. But he knew he could do it.

In fact, they hadn't just disbelieved him; they had mocked him. Building their weapons, arming their soldiers and finding newer ways to kill more people were the only things they understood. They had never stopped to think there could be another way.

He finished entering the code as gunfire came from outside. Lights flashed in the metal cage which surrounded him and the air started to shimmer. Nearly there. He just had to enter the last piece of vital detail, before hitting the switch -- how far back in time did he want to go?

He wondered for a moment what it would be like. Would he meet himself? Would he create an alternative universe? Would he even be aware that he had travelled back? He didn't know and he didn't have time to spend on any more theory.

He started to turn the dial on the screen when the outer wall blew in. Pieces of rubble bounced off the cage, the precious components inside untouched. He breathed a sigh of relief and then saw the bloody remains of Montoya. Damn!

A smell of ozone hit him as the air around the cage flitted between times. A shot rang out and a bullet thumped into his back, knocking him forward over the keyboard. More shots shattered the screen. He pushed the button as blackness engulfed him, not knowing whether he'd done enough.

********

Tick-tock...

He felt time slipping away -- he just didn't have enough of it. The sound of explosions outside continued to draw nearer and the tiny chance he had to save them all became smaller...

alchemist33

It appears FeetMagicII has buggered off after making a challenge. I hope you've got a good excuse.

El Guapo!

alchemist33 wrote: »

It appears FeetMagicII has buggered off after making a challenge. I hope you've got a good excuse.

Maybe that's their entry. You know,....tick tock.......

Ya got my vote anyway alchemist!

slavetothegrind

Ah Deano, you can't do that! Sure the challenger could be amazing but tardy!

Still, will have to be good to beat alchemist i agree but i will await a story and then vote.

I do like alchemists though.

El Guapo!

But was the deadline to submit the story not last night?

harrythehat

Victory by default to alchemist?