Consequence Of Failure

Dale stares at the target. Everything is riding on him. The difference between victory and defeat. The difference between eternal glory and a lifetime of infamy.

Dale takes a deep breath and bounces the ball three times. He focuses his mind on this simple act he's done a million times. He refuses to look at his teammates, or listen to the fans nervously watching from the stands.

If he misses, his family will receive death threats. He'll be retired in shame.

Dale releases the ball. He doesn't need to watch to know it's clanked off the front of the rim.

The Arena

He sat on the stone bench waiting his turn. All his training for the last ten years led up to this moment. He could hear the muffled roar of sixty-thousand screaming fans in the stadium above. If he won today, the Emperor would grant him his freedom and the citizenship.

His trainer signaled him to get ready. He picked up his shield and sword and walked to the platform that would slowly raise him to the arena floor. As his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, he saw the lions. A sudden foreboding flooded through his body. The crowd cheered.

From Guest Contributor Janice Siderius