“It’s Michael Caine”

Ding!

“That is correct!” Laura announced.

Alice’s heart leaped. One challenge, one success. This was definitely the start she’d had in mind when she signed the waiver that afternoon.

“That’s five-thousand in the bank,” she continued. “Why don’t you give the wheel a spin for round two?”

She spun the wheel with a decent amount of ****. It clicked and clacked as it rotated. Finally, it slowed and stopped on an orange segment. Laura grabbed it and took a moment to read it.

“We’ll need one audience member to join us for the next contest,” she announced. “Jamie Miller, seat number 318, please come down to the stage.”

The crowd cheered. A spotlight highlighted him on his path towards the stage. He stopped in front of both of the women. Alice and Jamie shook hands. He wasn’t half bad looking--a redhead with a thin, tall body.

“Alice, Jamie,” Laura said, indicating each of them, “the contest you both face is a foot race. You’ll start at one end of the stage and run to the other end and back, a distance of about one hundred meters. Alice, if you win, you’ll get another fifteen-thousand dollars.”

With that, Alice and Jamie walked to the starting line at the end of the stage and prepared themselves.

“Alice, are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she answered, trying to put on as brave a face as she could.

“Jamie, are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. On your marks, set, go!”

Alice took off as quickly as she could. She took a glance at Jaimie. Thankfully, he wasn’t the fastest runner. They kept an even pace through the turn at the far end of the stage.

A ribbon was held taught at the start-finish line by two of the stagehands. Alice put all she could into running as quickly as she could. It was definitely going to be a photo finish. Just three strides to go. Two. One. Deafening cheers filled the auditorium.