Pen to the Paper 11: The Announcement

"Yo, Nick."

"What's up?" he called back from outside my office.

"What do you think of my new suit?"

He opened my door and looked me up and down. Trying to suppress a smile, he said, barely holding in his laugh, "Ya look great."

Happy with my life choices, I turned around in the mirror. "You sure it doesn't make my butt look big?"

"That's the least of your worries, my friend."

"I wanted to do something special for the year anniversary of Pen to the Paper, which is coming up pretty soon. Pen to the Paper 13 marks a whole year of Pen to the Paper contests. And, quite frankly, I'm excited to see the crowd and the works it brings in."

"Well, I think you definitely chose the proper outfit. Why 13 though? Shouldn't it be 12?"

"No, the first one was set up wrong. The first proper challenge was Pen to the Paper 2, which I created the same day as the original and is the true first. Or, at the very least, same week."

"Wouldn't 14 be a whole year?"

"That's the start of season 2 of Pen to the Paper. 13 is like December is to January, or the season finale, if you get what I mean. I'll be doing something special for both."

Nick and I talked for a few more minutes. After he left, I changed out of my super-special, super-secret suit and got dressed in my typical Pen to the Paper suit: white jacket, blue pants. I adjusted my grey bow tie, which I finally taught myself how to tie, and wiped some fuzz off of my sky blue shirt. "Spiffy."

Running my hand through my hair, which was too short after telling my barber the wrong number for the clipper size, I ran myself through the list of winners once more.

Nick knocked on the door. "It's time!" he called.

"Thanks, mi amigo."

"Just doing my job."

Not in a rush, as I was finally prepared when it was time for the announcement, I walked towards stage.

Squeak! Squank! Squink! Squonk!

"Weird. I don't remember my shoes being this squeaky," I said into the microphone as I walked towards center stage.

Squeak! Plop!

The crowd gasped in horror as I slipped and fell: then I wasn't anywhere to be seen! From the V.I.P. section, Dance and Chadwick ran up to the stage to investigate. They stared in disbelief at what they found. No holes in the floor, no me, just a bunch of car oil covering the floor.

The audience let out another gasp.

"Look!" someone called.

"Up there!" said another audience member. Slowly, I lowered from the ceiling on a cable.

Chadwick and Dance returned to their seats, slightly angry with me for pulling off such a stunt.

"Is your blood pumping now!? Who's ready for some announcements!" I called.

Cheering, hooting, and hollering erupted from the crowd.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!

"In third place, we have a random rant by OllieOctopus. It was quite the interesting rant, and very much deserving of its third place ranking!

"Now, second and first place were very difficult to choose between. Both were absolutely incredible! And I applaud both of you for writing such masterpieces. With that being said, I must choose who places where.

"So, in second, we have… may I get a drum roll, Nick?"

The curtain behind me dropped to reveal Nick at a drum set.

"In second… we have… Haunting Memories by GLD! Chilling, I must say. Beautiful. And, to quote Helena, 'intriguing.' You did an amazing job, my friend, and I always look forward to seeing from you in these challenges!

"Our first place winner is… Sanjana_S with her work The Power of Greed!!!"

The audience erupted, giving their congrats to the winner.

"It was amazing. Beautiful, well written, and I agree with Dance: the rhyme scheme was great!

"Thank you, every last one of you, for coming out this afternoon! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and I'll see you next month!"