I’ve chosen the winner for the short story contest!<\/p>\n
Here is the winning entry:<\/p>\n
I was trapped by the fiend and I had to get moving again.<\/p>\n
I tried pleading with him:
\n\u201cCome on, just let me go. Please! I swear it\u2019s in your best interest to let me go.\u201d<\/p>\nHe was unmoved.<\/p>\n
I tried defiance:
\n\u201cYou can\u2019t keep me here forever, you know. Someone is going to come looking for me. They\u2019re going to notice I\u2019m not at work. My friends will rescue me, you\u2019ll see!\u201d<\/p>\nHe looked at me with that level gaze, imperturbable as ever.<\/p>\n
I tried threatening:
\n\u201cI\u2019ll get out of this chair, I swear! And when I do, you\u2019ll be sorry.\u201d<\/p>\nHe knew I lied. It wasn\u2019t chains that held me immobile.<\/p>\n
He yawned, showing white fangs of unnerving sharpness, but in the odor that emerged, revealed a weakness \u2014 bad breath.<\/p>\n
I pounced. \u201cPhew! Don\u2019t you ever brush? What have you been eating? Nevermind, I can tell.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he remained unruffled by my jibes, I sagged against the chair. He was immune to insults as well, the bastard.<\/p>\n
Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the phone ringing. Someone wanted to talk to me. What did they want? I\u2019d never know. Would I ever be permitted to move again?<\/p>\n
As the last ring faded into silence, my captor got bored and rose. He jumped off my lap and stretched luxuriously, first the front half, then the back.<\/p>\n
Looking back at me slyly, he twitched his whiskers and moved on.<\/p>\n
I was free to get the laundry, or that snack I\u2019d wanted half an hour ago.<\/p>\n
I was free!<\/p>\n
For now.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d be back.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And now that I have checked the logs, the winner is ANNE<\/a>! Congratulations Anne! <\/p>\n
Anne has won a copy of The Shape of Mercy<\/em> by Susan Meissner<\/a>. If I can get moving, I’ll try to get it in the mail today, otherwise you’ll have to wait until Saturday.<\/p>\n
I have to say that I really liked not knowing who wrote what, and that I was wrong in my guesses as to who wrote what story. If you all would like to out yourselves, let me know. :)<\/p>\n
ADDENDUM the First<\/strong>:
\n<\/p>\nNathan <\/a>wrote:<\/p>\n
When David made an entrance\u2026he made an entrance. He always exuded supreme confidence and tonight was no different. He didn\u2019t know a soul in the room and he was under no illusion that anyone there knew him from a hole in the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d he thought, \u201cI\u2019m the best at what I do and soon, they\u2019ll all know it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was completely underdressed for the event in question, but that didn\u2019t bother him either. He took a perverse pride in wearing whatever he damn well chose, whenever and wherever. The chances of anyone calling him on it were negligible. Besides that, he hadn\u2019t planned on making an appearance tonight. He\u2019d been comfortably ensconced at home re-reading some Sartre when the phone had rung. The caller had pleaded with him to show up.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, he\u2019d given in, but he had no intention of bowing to fashion.<\/p>\n
So David, as always showed up as himself\u2026unconcerned with anyone\u2019s opinion, unconcerned with peer pressure\u2026as if anyone in this crowd could claim to be his peer. None of them had his knowledge; his expertise, his talent.<\/p>\n
He stopped at the top of the stairs and surveyed the crowd for a brief moment before deciding who the Queen Bee was and he confidently strode straight toward her. The crowd, sensing someone different, split before him like the ocean gets out of the way of an aircraft carrier.<\/p>\n
Arriving at his destination, he tapped his target\u2019s shapely shoulder and said, \u201cWhere\u2019s the toilet with the problem lady? I charge hourly, so no need to rush.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I have to say that the first time I read this, I misread underdressed as undressed. That gave the story a different flavor entirely.<\/p>\n