meomeo
good girl, fit for duty
- Joined
- May 13, 2010
She staggered towards the sounds of gurgling water. Growing louder every second, like music to her ears. She rounded a bend and saw it – a babbling stream, no more than ankle-deep. But that’s plenty good enough.
She dropped her backpack and sank to her knees. The soft muddy bank a welcome cushion for her tired legs. With both hands she cupped water and drank greedily. Her raging thirst quenched, the woman let out a satisfied groan. Until she became abruptly aware of water dribbling down her half-naked front – it's a messy way to drink after all. She knew the cameras – wherever they are, mounted on branches, hidden in tree trunks, disguised as a songbird perhaps – would be aimed at her, zooming in, recording everything for posterity. For a half-second she felt dreadfully aware. Then she did not. It’s best not to think about the cameras. For the next 3 days, everything she does would be recorded and broadcasted to the nation – she knew this coming in. There would be no nook or cranny to hide, so the producers have stressed. So I best not worry about the cameras, and focus on survival. On winning.
A draft of wind brought welcome respite to her sweat-drenched body. But something else came with the breeze… from far off, the faint but unmistakable thumping of a chopper’s rotating blades. THWOMP… THWOMP… THWOMP…
The sound froze her.
With a shudder she regained her composure and glanced at her wristwatch. 71:31 ticked down to 71:30. Has it been 30 minutes already? Good thing I’ve set a brisk pace. But there goes my head start. He is here.
She hastily drank another mouthful, shouldered her backpack, and made for the opposite direction. As far away from the hunter as she can manage.
This is what a deer in the headlights feels like. Blinded by the stage lights and camera flashes. Deafened by the boisterous clapping, cheering, whistles, calls. Her heart hammered in her chest; her mind wiped out. All she managed was her practiced smile, and a robotic wave at the live audience, imitating how celebrities behave on these kind of shows. Knees felt like jelly. Good thing the host tapped her lightly on the shoulder, as if reminding her to sit down. Her ass sunk into the couch. He seems nice.
This niche gameshow pilot couldn’t quite afford Jimmy Fallon. The host settling behind the wooden desk reminded her of Robert De Niro from that Joker movie.
“Okay, okay, settle down, boys. You all are as excited as I am to finally meet our little mouse. Huh?” Another chorus of clapping and cheering. Smile, wave. “Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself, sweetheart?”
Lucky she recited her lines ad nauseam - otherwise she wouldn’t make it through the constant interruptions from the riotous crowd, and her nerves. “My name is…” Cheering, wolf-whistles, cat-calls. “My name’s Hailey. Hailey Santiago. I’m 25.” Shit… what comes next?
“And what do you do, Hailey?” The host offered helpfully.
“Right! I am a part-time fitness instructor, also working towards my sports science degree. I’m an outdoors kinda gal – on the weekends I love to go mountain-climbing, camping, fishing sometimes. I also run track on my school varsity team…”
She stopped - the host interrupted her with a chuckle. Somewhat patronizingly, thought Hailey. “Guys, our cute ‘lil mouse ‘ere is an outdoors girl! I suppose you’d feel right at home on the island, Hailey?”
“I think I like my chances.” Hailey blurted out.
“While dressed like that?” The host teased with a cheshire cat grin. The live crowd roared in laughter. Hailey’s throat went rigid, she tried to stiffen her quivering lower lips. No comeback for that. He isn’t the genteel grandfatherly figure after all. For the pre-show, the producers made her wear the outfit “he” picked out, exactly how she would start off on the island. It’s skimpy… obvious pandering to the show’s target demographic. Hailey wouldn’t get caught wearing this at the skankiest Halloween party! She had to stomach her revulsion tugging each item on in the dressing room.
“He picked it out just for you, didn’t he? Now, speak of the devil, ladies and gentlemen, I hear he is ready come on stage! You ready to meet your hunter, Hailey?”
When you put it like that… Hailey gulped in dread, while maintaining her practiced smile.
She dropped her backpack and sank to her knees. The soft muddy bank a welcome cushion for her tired legs. With both hands she cupped water and drank greedily. Her raging thirst quenched, the woman let out a satisfied groan. Until she became abruptly aware of water dribbling down her half-naked front – it's a messy way to drink after all. She knew the cameras – wherever they are, mounted on branches, hidden in tree trunks, disguised as a songbird perhaps – would be aimed at her, zooming in, recording everything for posterity. For a half-second she felt dreadfully aware. Then she did not. It’s best not to think about the cameras. For the next 3 days, everything she does would be recorded and broadcasted to the nation – she knew this coming in. There would be no nook or cranny to hide, so the producers have stressed. So I best not worry about the cameras, and focus on survival. On winning.
A draft of wind brought welcome respite to her sweat-drenched body. But something else came with the breeze… from far off, the faint but unmistakable thumping of a chopper’s rotating blades. THWOMP… THWOMP… THWOMP…
The sound froze her.
With a shudder she regained her composure and glanced at her wristwatch. 71:31 ticked down to 71:30. Has it been 30 minutes already? Good thing I’ve set a brisk pace. But there goes my head start. He is here.
She hastily drank another mouthful, shouldered her backpack, and made for the opposite direction. As far away from the hunter as she can manage.
**One week ago**
**
**
This is what a deer in the headlights feels like. Blinded by the stage lights and camera flashes. Deafened by the boisterous clapping, cheering, whistles, calls. Her heart hammered in her chest; her mind wiped out. All she managed was her practiced smile, and a robotic wave at the live audience, imitating how celebrities behave on these kind of shows. Knees felt like jelly. Good thing the host tapped her lightly on the shoulder, as if reminding her to sit down. Her ass sunk into the couch. He seems nice.
This niche gameshow pilot couldn’t quite afford Jimmy Fallon. The host settling behind the wooden desk reminded her of Robert De Niro from that Joker movie.
“Okay, okay, settle down, boys. You all are as excited as I am to finally meet our little mouse. Huh?” Another chorus of clapping and cheering. Smile, wave. “Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself, sweetheart?”
Lucky she recited her lines ad nauseam - otherwise she wouldn’t make it through the constant interruptions from the riotous crowd, and her nerves. “My name is…” Cheering, wolf-whistles, cat-calls. “My name’s Hailey. Hailey Santiago. I’m 25.” Shit… what comes next?
“And what do you do, Hailey?” The host offered helpfully.
“Right! I am a part-time fitness instructor, also working towards my sports science degree. I’m an outdoors kinda gal – on the weekends I love to go mountain-climbing, camping, fishing sometimes. I also run track on my school varsity team…”
She stopped - the host interrupted her with a chuckle. Somewhat patronizingly, thought Hailey. “Guys, our cute ‘lil mouse ‘ere is an outdoors girl! I suppose you’d feel right at home on the island, Hailey?”
“I think I like my chances.” Hailey blurted out.
“While dressed like that?” The host teased with a cheshire cat grin. The live crowd roared in laughter. Hailey’s throat went rigid, she tried to stiffen her quivering lower lips. No comeback for that. He isn’t the genteel grandfatherly figure after all. For the pre-show, the producers made her wear the outfit “he” picked out, exactly how she would start off on the island. It’s skimpy… obvious pandering to the show’s target demographic. Hailey wouldn’t get caught wearing this at the skankiest Halloween party! She had to stomach her revulsion tugging each item on in the dressing room.
“He picked it out just for you, didn’t he? Now, speak of the devil, ladies and gentlemen, I hear he is ready come on stage! You ready to meet your hunter, Hailey?”
When you put it like that… Hailey gulped in dread, while maintaining her practiced smile.
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