In Memoriam - An Unus Annus Fanfiction

10.02 - 02/10 - Nutball: The most dangerous game

»What?« The voice from behind the door sounded harsh and unfriendly. He could see the Marcus' eye through the door gap. It reminded him of the eyes of a hare, cautious yet seemingly staring right into your heart.
   Ignoring the cold welcome, Luís introduced himself.
  »My name is Luís Costa and...«
»I'm not buying anything.« The door closed and he quickly stopped it with one hand. Lixian leaned in, so that his face was on one height with the one on the other side of the room.
   »I've been researching Mark Fishbach for seven years. In these seven years, I have found more questions than answers, and I know that it is the same for you,« he whispered in a hushed tone. »That's why I'm here. I'm looking for answers.«

The door opened, revealing a man with messy hair and a stained shirt. Some of them seemed to be motor oil, others bleach and then there were some that looked suspiciously similar to blood.
The man took a step out and pulled him inside. »Don't just stand there,« he scolded him. »Or do you want him to see you?«
    »Who, the guy from downstairs?«
»Mark, you idiot!«
Luís blew out air through his nose. »But he's not even here.«
   »He doesn't need to be,« Marcus explained, waving his index finger. »He can hear everything, if he wants to.«
   »Aha.« Luís was beginning to have second thoughts about this whole operation.

»Do you know what life is all about?« Marcus didn't wait for an answer. »It's about pain. Everything we do, we do to avoid pain. Pain is what drives invention, evolution, knowledge. Physical pain and mental pain. Equally worse, yet very different in nature.« His soul-stealing gaze buried into Luís own, far less soul stealing eyes. »But you my friend, you look for pain. You know what you're getting into, I can see it. You're as insane as I am?«
  »Because I too search for pain?« Luís asked, trying to keep up with his logic.
»Exactly! But you could be lying. Nonono, we wouldn't want that, would we.« With astounding speed, he walked over to Lixian, grabbing him by the collar. »You need to prove yourself. Yes, there's no other way. If you really are who you say you are, you need to prove yourself.« He mentioned him to follow, leading the editor to a small room, filled only with a desk across from the door. A very old looking computer stood atop of it.

»How?« Luís, increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.
   »Sit down.«
»Where?«
   »Well on the floor, of course!«
»Of course.« Luís did as he said. The floor was cold, bare wooden planks underneath him.
   »Now spread your legs.«
»Excuse me?«
   »Spread your legs! Like this.« The man let himself fall into a cross-legged seat, stretching out his legs sideways.

Luís hesitated. He didn't know what he had expected the encounter to be, but it certainly wasn't this. He pulled himself together and imitated the pose.
   »Very good, very good!« Marcus got up, rummaging through his desk underneath the window on the other side of the small room.
He returned with a heavy looking ball and once again assumed position across from Luís.
   »16 pounds,« he explained in a dreamy voice. »Like they use for shot put. Have you ever heard of Nutball?«
   »I really don't like the implication of that.«
  »Don't worry, there's rarely any long lasting injuries. Most people walk away just fine. I'll roll it over to you, and you'll roll it back. But no catching!«

This would turn out to be an extreme game of chicken, he tried to convince himself. Marcus may be a little unhinged, but he didn't seem to be dangerous. At least he really hoped so.
Luís took a deep breath. »Bring it on then.«