The Pitch (standard:science fiction, 1293 words)
Author: T.Mack	Added: Feb 20 2005	Views/Reads: 3148/2183	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Who is pitching a story to who?

THE PITCH 

Zarg the magnificent surveyed his kingdom. 

A bed, a blanket, some cold gruel, a bowl of algae ridden water and a
single tiny window - Its pleasant view, cruelty intersected by the iron 
bars that ran down the center. 

He sighed and stretched out on the stone bed. Almost unconsciously, his
limbs found the least uncomfortable position, as they had done for the 
last three hundred and sixty four days. A small droplet of sweat 
finally made the gigantic leap from the tip of his rather over-long 
nose, to his lower lip. 

He frowned, tasting the rank salty liquid with a disgusted splutter. The
heat was relentless and far away, he could hear the distant chanting of 
the crowds that would applaud his sacrifice, some three hours from now. 


He smiled ruefully - this heat was nothing compared to what was to come.
Although calm mentally, his body began to twitch uncomfortably, as the 
picture of himself being hurled into the center of the volcano took 
hold. 

Stop it... Control yourself. He breathed slowly till the demons
retreated. After all - he was still King. 

"But he is still the King!" the speaker was a small man, with powerful
arms and a strong presence, "there is some doubt regarding the evidence 
-" 

"Are you doubting the courts integrity?" His interrogator was tall,
cold, and foreboding. 

The younger man shook his head: 

"No, Lord Sirius, I really believe he is innocent. I won't change my
mind." 

The tall man got to his feet and crossed the magnificent chamber towards
a water fountain, sculptured from the bare rock. Absently, he trailed 
his fingers in the pool. Nervous fish scattered. 

He looked at the young man before him, not unsympathetically. 

"Your father has committed the Supreme crime... And now he must pay the
supreme penalty." He looked down, "it is the law." 

The young man nodded, "the law, yes." 

"You may see him. Remember, fifteen minutes only." He waved
dismissively. 

The three men seated at the small screen leaned back. 

"Well?" said one, a sandy-haired slightly built man with the air of an
over-friendly spaniel. "What do you think?" 

The others were silent, stroking their chins reflectively. Then one of
them, a more senior man in his mid-fifties shook his head slowly: 

" Volcanoes? Human sacrifices? I don't know -" 

"Bob, it's got the right ingredients. Drama, adventure, everything!"
Norman, the third man was enthusiastic, his hands waving as he spoke. 

"Well, where did you get the guy playing Sirius for God's sake, he looks
like Bella Lugosi." 

"That was Bella, we comped it together from his other movies." 

Bob looked stunned. 

"I'm telling you, this software is amazing! Did you recognize the son?" 



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