A Deadly Culinary Experience -Fiction
My answer to a prompt from the Australian Writers’ Centre.
This story was my entry for August’s Furious Fiction challenge.
I posted the rules at the end of the story.
“We have superb catch of the day options for our Labyrinth Deluxe Experience. We’ll set loose a human in the maze area for you to hunt, and then our chef will cook it to perfection.
The price per human is around 270 Tauren coins, but today we have something peculiar. We captured a ship full of soldiers at 380 each.”
“Wow! Expensive.”
“Indeed, top quality. Furthermore, the ship’s leader is mankind’s biggest champion. Probably a demigod. Young, strong and beautiful. This delicacy is priced at 1500 coins.”
“Are you out of your horns?”
“Mister Bartalo, this quality is unprecedented. I would politely advise you to consider this unique opportunity.”
“Okay, take me to the pantry, I want to assess the product.”
After examining the champion, the minotaur was pleased so the human was let loose in the labyrinth by minotaur soldiers.
Afterward, Bartalo entered the labyrinth and sensed the human’s scent scattered, but as he tracked it, the odor transformed into a straight, thick line, leading him to his prey.
The euphoria of slaying humans fuels a primal bloodlust in minotaurs, making them increasingly aggressive and reckless.
Bartalo located the human with his sense of smell, just one metre from him around a corner. Though he couldn’t see the prey, he knew its exact location.
Frenzied, he hoofed the ground and charged towards his target.
Nevertheless, the prey wasn’t there. Suddenly, something struck him in the head and knocked him down. A blow so fast that he only saw a moving silhouette attacking him.
The human caught him by the horns and slammed him against a stone wall. The impact was so forceful that wall fragments fell.
The champion mercilessly smashed Bartalo with hammer fists until stunning him. Then, took a big stone from the broken wall, lifted it above his shoulders, and walked next to Bartalo’s head.
Dazed, Bartalo shouted out “don’t kill me, I came to save you!”
“Liar.”
“I don’t even eat humans! I want to free you and your people. Spare my life and we can release your crew.”
“Nonsense, you are just afraid to die.”
“I give you my minotaur’s word. If I betray you, may the gods doom me.”
“How could you manage to get me out of here without them noticing?”
“I will tell them that I take you as a pet, they know I am a collector. At home, I have weapons to help free your people but only if you assist me in overthrowing my Queen. Kill her and we’ll be even.”
“Do you really swear by the gods?”
After a long negotiation, Bartalo convinced the champion to agree to the plan.
Limping, he walked back to the dining area and called the waiter.
Splendid product! But I’ll share it with my friends. Butcher it and pack it to go. You better send a team of soldiers; it’s still inside, and it’s stronger than expected.
“Absolutely.”
“Keep one of his ears as your tip.”
“Delightful, thank you, Sir.”
These were the Rules:
- You have 55 hours to complete the task
- You can write a maximum of 500 words
- Your story must take place in a RESTAURANT
- Your story must include a character who smashes something
- Your story must include the words EUPHORIA, LABYRINTH and SILHOUETTE
Grandma Smillew changed my life.
Honorable mention: Ann James
