Anthology for weekendwritein

Caesar's Arena

                The large wooden doors creaked and moaned as they opened letting a burst of sunlight illuminate the two rows of contestants. Alec, a middle aged accountant, jumped in fear as a whip cracked overhead. In unison the rows of men began their ascent into the arena.

As they walked on the sandy ground thousands of people cheered, booed, or toasted a beer at the contestants. Overhead everyone could see the chairman on the big screen TV's. When he stood at the microphone the crowd quieted down.

"Welcome to Caesar's Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada! We are proud to bring you our main attraction, the Gladiator Trials! Traitors and spies sent from our enemies were captured and forced to fight for our entertainment. Last man standing wins his freedom."

"Traitors? I'm not a traitor," Alec thought, "Ryan from coding called me a traitor and that's all it took. Now I'm a Gladiator?" His legs began to tremble and his hands shook from fear. Quickly he realized he was about to drop the sword and wooden shield that was given to him. If he dropped them he would be defenseless.

The crowd roared as the chairman blew the horn signaling the start of the fight. The men on the field sprang to life attacking anything close. Alec ducked behind his shield and turned quickly in a tight circle. He didn't want to die.

On one of those turns he spotted a man covered in blood rushing towards him battle-axe poised overhead. Alec made himself even smaller behind the shield bracing for impact. When the axe hit Alec felt his whole arm go numb. Inspecting the shield he saw a big chuck of wood missing from it.

Fear washed over him knowing he wouldn't survive the next. Alec acted on instinct as the man raised the axe for another blow and rushed him shield first. Alec landed on top of him with a shield separating them.

Eyes closed Alec stabbed repeatedly from the side. He finally stopped when his sword arm grew too tired to lunge it into his opponent. Alec looked slowly over the shield and saw the man's brown eyes wide but still.

"I just killed a man," Alec thought before rolling off the shield and onto the sand. Looking into the bright sky he reminded himself over and over that he had won, he was still alive.

It felt like he had just had the wind knocked out of him suddenly. Grunting with the pressure he looked down at his chest and saw half a blade coming out of his shirt. Following the sword up he saw a burly man with a calm expression on his face. Without ceremony the man ripped the sword out and ran off.

Alec began to feel pain from his wound and put his hand over it. When he lifted his hand and it was bloody. "I don't want to die," was his last thought as darkness swept over him.