"Gentlemen, if you please," said Alexis.
Making one last-ditch effort at a properly exciting and dangerous duel, Alexis offers each of the men their choice of épée, foil, or sabre. The Duelists decline as expected, choosing instead for their weapons their widely acknowledged ability with the written word. With a resigned, albeit disappointed, shrug, she sets aside the blades and steps back.
She draw upon her well-developed sense of the dramatic (some might say "overdramatic," to which she would tell those some to 'bite me.') and unrolls a piece of paper which looks suspiciously as though it was just pulled from her printer.
"Mr. Urfé, Dr. Spin, assembled guests and spectators. I present to you the rules for today's competition."
Alexis continued, "On the Third day of March, Mr. Urfé did accuse Dr. Spin of misusing common words or phrases in his writings. A challenge ensued. The format for today's competition shall include no bloodshed. That fiction referred to as "Flash" being the agreed upon weapons.
"Gentlemen? I ask from you stories of no more than 300 words, no limit as to topic or subject matter. Posted by Midnight tonight, Wednesday, this Sixth day of March, 2002. Presented to this audience by your choosen Seconds. Selena Jardine for Mr. Nicholas Urfé and myself, Alexis Siefert, for Dr. Spin."
Finished, she wads the paper and tosses it careless behind her, into the trash can.
"The game shall now commence."
She senses hesitation from her opponent. Perhaps a last minute case of nerves? The good Doctor's second makes a decision to strike first.
Flash! "Paper Slip", by Dr.Spin
Selena steps forward into the spotlight. "Can't say "Hello, Mother" in under 600 words, can he?" Her eyes are cold, colder than anyone here supposed they could become. Her voice is not tentative. "There may be some here," and those steel-grey eyes travel the room, causing unsuspecting patrons of the bar to shrink and look away, " who think that Nicholas Urfé doesn't know when to say when.
"I'd like those people to take a look at this."
Selena takes from somewhere about her person --where has she been hiding it in that dress? -- never mind -- a manuscript. A *short* manuscript. It is called Flash! The Sidewalks of Old New York.
Selena has not moved. She has scarcely blinked. She knows what the outcome will be. Leather... and blood.
Shon winces at the first sight of blood. "I have to say that Spin won the first round, though just by a slip. I'm amazed by both efforts. I can't write a grocery list under 300 words much less a coherent story. What I want to know is, when does the stripping start?
Alexis delicately wipes the small drop of blood from her Principal's weapon. With a critical eye, she spies the wound left on Sir Urfé's writing hand.
She clicks her tongue softly, "tsking" almost under her breath. Then, raising her eyes she meets the gaze of her opponent's coldly beautiful eyes. Beautiful? Yes. Yet perhaps not as confident as her opponent might hope.
Raising her voice to be heard over the rumble of comments and exchange of betting chits, Alexis announces, "May I just say.... You ain't seen nothing yet.
"I present for your reading pleasure--"
Flash! Evidence of Betrayal
And yet again, Dr. Spin's thrust hits its mark. His opponent is visibly wounded and appears dazed.
Building up speed, the Good Doctor lunges quickly, striking in rapid salvo with: Flash! Fathers and Daughters 1: Cut Finger, Flash! Fathers and Daughters 2: Cut Finger and Flash! Fathers and Daughters 3: Cut Finger
The bright-copper tang of blood hangs heavily in the closed air of the room. No longer are the spectators commenting amongst themselves. They've gone silent, awed by the skill and mastery shown in this duel.
Both opponents are, without a doubt, exceedingly skilled in their art and their craft, but the stamina shown by the Good Doctor has all but the most cynical and jaded of observers shaking their heads in amazement.
In a moment of generosity, Alexis takes notice of the sweat--er--glow on dear Selena's brow and hands her a frosted glass. "A drink, perhaps? To worthy competition?"
She raises her glass in a respectful salute to the pair, the Writer Urfé and his delightful Second, Selena. She stands back, sipping thoughtfully, as her Principal, the Good Doctor Spin, moves in for his final, and most deadly of moves.
Flash! Off-white Wedding
the aftermath...
