Elena wins

The intern watches with baited breath as ****-Myra hovers over her and ****-Jess, lips pursed as if she’s about to hand out an Academy Award. She crosses her fingers. Please let it be me.

****-Myra clears her throat dramatically.

“Game’s over. And by my count, the winner is…”

“Yes?”

“Elena!”

The intern lets out a sigh of relief.

“Thank God.”

The joy is short lived as ****-Jess pierces the air with a scream.

“Not fair! How could you!”

She charges towards the referee of the match, hair falling in rings around her face.

“Ow!” ****-Myra slaps her.

The shock in ****-Jess’s eyes is palpable.

“But…we were friends!”

“I never said I was. Besides, the rules are the rules.”

“But why her? Why not me?”

The raven-haired maid glances at the blindfolds on the floor, littered with glass.

****-Jess pouts.

“I don’t get it. Does this mean we’re both disqualified?”

“But yours slipped off first during the tussle. I saw it.”

“Shit!”

****-Jess shoots a look at her former friend, who shrugs.

“C’est la vie.”

“You know what this means, Jess.” ****-Myra directs her words at the pink-haired
beauty.

****-Jess tears up.

“I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

“I’ll make the calls and have you picked up shortly.”

“Shit!”

“Congratulations, ****…”

Elena spins around.

“You’ve won yourself a well-deserved detour to the outside world. Your clothing will be laid out in your quarters, now if you excuse me Jess and I have to come to something of an understanding.”

The intern wanders around the complex, bruised and in a daze. I can’t believe it! I actually won! Her head spins around with possibilities There are visits to Rockerfeller Center, the natural history museum…and so little time to take it all in. She slumps on the couch, not quite believing her own luck.

As if the day isn’t dramatic enough, the phone suddenly rings. ****-Myra dashes through the corridor towards the receiver.

“Mistress? Is that you?” She nods. “What? You want me to get her ready? Now? But we’ve barely begun training! Yes, yes…I understand, Mistress. I’m just saying that…No ma’am, I wouldn’t contravene your orders for the entire world. Just give me a few minutes. I’ll let her know.”

****-Myra hangs up the receiver with a sigh.

“****? ****?”

Elena whips her head towards Myra’s direction.

“Yeah, I’m talking to you, ****. Mistress wants to see you.”

“See me?

“As in tonight.”

“But…what about Jess?”

“Jess can handle herself. Now be a good girl and get cleaned up. Mistress doesn’t like to be kept waiting, you know.”