Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Help (02/20/06)
-
TITLE: The Naked Truth | Previous Challenge Entry
By Kylie Fenimore
02/22/06 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Struggling in vain, he tried to loosen the metal cuffs around his wrists. Nope, they were stuck on there for good. Naked, with his back pressed against a cold, wet pole in a dark, dingy place, he could only stand to his feet by sliding the handcuffs up--which was getting painful to do.
With no way to tell the time, Mark guessed that it must be around noon. He knew that he had been there for hours, held captive since the night before.
Oh why did I have to go out last night? he thought. Mark had been undecided all week, but in the end had wanted to be spontaneous and fun. He had always been warned that bad company corrupts good character, and now he wished that he had listened to that advice. If he had, he wouldn’t be in the mess that he was in.
Ahh, hindsight--it’s a wonderful thing, thought Mark. It really does remind you what an idiot you have been when you’re wearing the consequences!
Right at that moment, Mark wouldn’t have minded wearing anything at all--he had never felt so ashamed in his life.
Looking up into the light filtering dimly through the brickwork, Mark could see people approaching. They had been walking past all day. He didn’t know who they were, but their cruel faces showed no sympathy--everyone thought he was a joke.
Trying, with little success, to cover his nakedness, Mark pleaded with the strangers to free him, or at least to cover him up. Instead, the group laughed and shouted offensive profanities that brought a tear to his eye. One man even threw a rotting tomato at him, covering Mark in cold, stinking liquid. Others pointed and jeered at his shaved head and the markings his captors had made on his body. To them, he wasn’t a person; he was public property--standing there for their enjoyment, for all to see.
The night before had started out fairly well--Mark had been made to feel like he was the most popular guy in the room. That was, until they started drinking. After that, the rest of the night seemed hazy. It was then, when his judgment and resistance were crippled, that all this had happened.
His best friend, Donny, had been wise. He had originally wanted to go too, but had realized a little sooner than Mark that these were not people he wanted to be involved with. Mark had chastised his friend for not taking risks, and for being … how did he put it so eloquently? That’s right--a big sissy. If Mark hadn’t been tied up, he would have slapped himself for being so foolish.
I bet Donny would be laughing his head off if he saw me right now, Mark thought, then quickly reprimanded himself. No! Donny’s the one friend I actually do have--he wouldn’t have lowered himself to such a disgusting display of behavior.
Mark had been playing with the enemy, when he should have been spending quality time with his one real friend. Donny probably wouldn’t want to be seen with him again--not when he heard about this, that’s for sure.
Now, tied naked to a pole in the sleazy part of town, Mark really wished he had never gone to that buck’s night with the guys from work. They had promised him a great time, but now he realized that their fun was his humiliation.
Head bowed, Mark could hear yet another pair of footsteps coming towards him--probably to mock him like all the others had. Tentatively glancing up, Mark was shocked to see Donny approaching.
Not knowing what to say, Mark bowed his head and said a prayer of thanks as his friend broke the handcuffs with his shears. Then Donny took off his own coat to cover Mark’s shame and the crude pictures that had been painted on his skin.
“Don’t know how much this will help mate,” Donny grinned. “From what I hear, the whole city’s been staring at you on display like you were Michelangelo’s David.”
Mark groaned--it was going to take a while to live this one down!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.