Read My Shorts

Gladiator

Dedicated to Jewel1307 and Fauxpunker for running a superb competition.

~

"May the Gods be with you," whispered the old man as the gladiators stepped out into the arena.

The roar of the crowd assaulted him and he moved back into the cool chambers under the arena.

"Are you not watching?" the boy asked, brush in hand.

"I have no wish to see people die any more boy."

"I'd give anything to be able to fight."

"I hope you never have to lad. It's a fool's game."

"But the crowds, the money, the adulation!" The boy's eyes shone with the dream as the discordant clash of metal and fighting echoed down the tunnels.

"The death, the blood, the fear, the stench of shit," spat the old man. "There is nothing glorious in the aftermath of a fight. They've not let you clean the pit after a fight yet have they?" The boy shook his head, stunned into silence by the bitterness in his voice.

"Strong, good men die for the momentary amusement of the Romans. Most are simply crow food, stinking bowel emptied carcasses whose souls stalk the wailing halls of dark Hades."

Pausing for air he cast a baleful glance at the boy. "I was a gladiator: I was the best, once. Now I train others to die as slowly as possible for the enjoyment of others." He rolled up his sleeve to show the boy an ugly knot of scars. "I have many more. Everything I do hurts lad. But nothing hurts as much as knowing I'm responsible for those boys out there dying. I train them as best I can. One or two make it, the rest walk the lonely halls of the damned."

He lifted a wineskin from the bench at his side. "Do yourself a favour lad, get another dream, one that doesn't involve fighting. You'll be far less likely to see your own entrails before you die that way."

There was a roar from above and the old man stood, swaying as he took a swig from the wineskin. "Once they shouted my name in the Halls of the Emperor. Now, I am broken, drunk and old.

"Die listening to the crying of loved ones boy, not to the cheers of crowd. If only the crows love you at your death, you've not had a life..." 

 ~~~ The End ~~~

Round 3 for the Challenge Corner Grand Prix, the other stories in the grand prix follow on after this one. I was re-arranging some writing and realised I hadn't posted this one, so here it is. The story is designed to fit into a comment box in the club threads, so this one is bang on 2000 characters.