Core Collectors

The Bet

Maya was completely confused as to what was happening and frowned at Finley suspiciously.

“Sorry I didn’t realise she was with you.” The man stammered opposite looking as perplexed as Maya.

“Well she is not exactly with me. I’m her carer. She only goes out for a day or two every few weeks and I’m supposed to be looking after her.” Finley replied taking Maya forcibly by the arm.

“I have never seen this man in my life.” Maya replied beginning to feel very irritated.

“Come on now Milly let’s leave this nice gentlemen alone so he can get on with his breakfast.” He spoke patronisingly to her and put his arm round her waist to push her to the door.

“Get off of me!” Maya protested trying to duck out of his reach.

“Now Milly let’s not get excited we don’t want to have to postpone your next trip out now do we.” He lifted her up with strength that Maya couldn’t fight against and made his way out the door with her under his arm.

When they reached the outside wind Maya began to kick her legs to be put down.

“What an earth was that about!” She yelled feeling her blood boiling.

“Well I can’t have you winning our little bet now can I.” He smiled and put her lightly to the ground.

“You can’t be serious? You want to play dirty do you then?” She lowered her tone and folded her arms against her chest.

“You know you are pretty cute when you’re angry.” He mocked.

“It’s not funny. Are you trying to get me killed?” Maya bellowed losing control.

Finley started and remained quiet for a moment with a look of confusion.

“What do you mean killed?” He said slowly.

“If I don’t get my quota I’m dead meat ok.” Maya snapped brushing herself down.

“How would you be dead meat? I would be picking up your slack wouldn’t I?” He joked smirking to himself.

“Yeah good one.” She rolled her eyes back and started to stomp down the street towards home.

Finley caught up next to her.

“Well I don’t understand surely if we all make the target as a group then he’ll be happy enough right?”

Maya was stunned by his ignorance.

“That’s not exactly how it works. I was only just spared last time because of my previous performances and you’re large haul. If I come back with hardly anything again that will seriously be the end of me.” Maya was trying to hold back the tears as she spoke.

“I didn’t realise” Finley said quietly looking at the ground.

“Well you wouldn’t. Look just forget I even said anything.

She continued walking and this time he didn’t catch up with her.

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Maya prepared herself for the social dating evening. She picked out a dark blue dress that came up to her knees and a black bolero. She wondered whether Finley would dare to make an appearance. Two weeks had passed and she hadn’t heard anything from him. She slipped into some black high heels and surveyed herself.

Satisfied she looked the part she made her way to the bar a few streets down that the evening would start in. As she walked in she noticed how many more women there were two men and cringe thinking it wasn’t going to be an easy task. She could see no sign of Finley so made her way to the bar clocking a few stares from potential victims. She ordered an orange juice and waited for proceedings to start. A woman stood up in a dark red mini skirt and tottered up the stage nestled in the back of the room. She tapped on the mike smiling for attention.

“Hi all, just to say thanks for coming and we hope you have a great night. We will be starting off the night with a quiz so we need teams of five. I’m going to pull some names out of a hat and announce the teams then we will swap round for some more games later.” She said excitedly.

Maya grimaced. She hated the idea of being stuck with five people that she hardly knew answering questions that she hardly knew. It was like a nightmare come true.

A man appeared next to the red mini skirt cradling a large pink bowl and she began placing her long dark red nails into it pulling out scraps of paper and declaring the teams.

The bar door swung open and Finley stood there. Everyone turned around to see who had interrupted proceedings.

“Hi sorry I’m late.” He grinned sheepishly.

Maya considered making a beeline for the door.

“No problem. You can be on my team” The mini skirt said flashing him a flirtatiously grin.

Maya rolled her eyes and headed towards the table she had been dictated to sit at avoiding eye contact with Finley as much as possible.

She sat down at the table awkwardly and was greeted by two men eagerly. They looked in their late thirties and had a desperate air about them.

“Hi I’m Luke”. One of them said nearly falling over the other one to introduce himself.

“I’m Ian.” The other said adjusting the glasses he was wearing.

“Tanya.” Maya replied coming up with the first name that sprang to her mind.

Maya couldn’t help noticing that the mini skirt had latched onto Finley wrapping her arm around his and chatting away merrily to him. She tried to push it from her mind and concentrate on the job at hand.

“So Tanya what do you do for a living?” Luke asked confidently taking a swig of beer.

“I’m a beauty therapist.” Maya replied twiddling with her hair playfully.

“Nice.” Luke said opening his mouth before thinking.

Another two women joined the table introducing themselves as Lyn and Jane and Maya took the opportunity to go and powder her nose.

She walked passed Finley’s table as she headed for the toilets and jumped when Finley came up behind her and whispered in her ear.

“Thought you might be here.” He said.

“Was hoping you wouldn’t be.” Maya replied opening the door to the ladies and practically shutting it in his face.

She calmed herself down and after applying some powder and lipstick headed back to her table ignoring Finley who was in an animated conversation with the mini skirt. She had no idea why he made her so angry.

“Are we ready?” A man’s voice boomed across the room.

“Yes get on with it.” Luke heckled making Maya wish she wasn’t on that particular table.

“Ok who wrote the following? If music be the food of love, play on?” The man bellowed.

“Wasn’t that Prince?” Lyn said looking thoughtful.

“No I think it was the other guy. What’s his name? Michael Jackson!” Luke cried out excitedly.

Maya grimaced trying to remain calm.

“William Shakespeare.” She said quietly.

“Who?” Jane said looking confused.

Maya realized it was going to be a lost cause and decided to sit watching while the others pondered the answers. Now and again she found herself glancing over at Finley who was laughing and flirting with the three women on his table. He would often look up and look back at her but she would engage Luke or Ian in a conversation and pretend to laugh as though she was having a great time.

The night dragged on and her table gradually got more and drunk while Maya remained sober. After a while Ian began to chew the face off Jane and Luke gave up on Maya and started to concentrate his attentions on Lyn who keenly accepted the offer.

Maya decided to call it a night and didn’t bother saying goodbye to her table as they looked too involved to care. The cold air hit her as she walked outside and she wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep in the warmth. Her mind was racing as she walked. She kept thinking about the fact Finley was probably taking down the numbers of those three women and for some reason it bugged her. She didn’t like losing.

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The weeks seemed to pass really quickly for Maya before she knew it was the morning before the next meeting. She had tried her hardest to get as many cores as she could but had failed miserably. She had only managed to get a measly two and that was through a lot of effort on her part and a lot of time on the internet. She couldn’t even use Finley as an excuse as she had heard nothing more from him. She sat in a chair looking out of her flat window considering what arrangements she would need to make before her imminent death. There wasn’t anyone she could call. She had no friends or relatives to say goodbye to. Living the life she had meant cutting off all ties and living as a spinster.

The sun was beginning to rise and she watched the beautiful colours beginning to manifest thinking this could be the last time she saw the spectacular sight.

Maya felt like she was giving up too easily. Before she would have hunted all night trying to increase her offering but it was a strange feeling of acceptance and guilt that swept over her. Maybe she deserved it with all the hurt and pain she had caused over the years.

As she slipped into deep thought a buzz made her jump. It took her a minute to realise that it was the buzzer to her flat and she leapt up feeling at ease that her sombre thoughts had been disturbed.

There was no reply as she picked up the white intercom phone attachment. Just what she needed kids playing around with her the night before she passes to the other side. She huffed loudly and as she began to walk back to the chair it buzzed again. She picked up the phone and barked a hello this time. Again there was no response.

Maya decided to head downstairs and check who it was. She day dreamt of it being a mad axe murderer that would strike her down so she didn’t have to attend the meeting. No such luck she thought as she opened the door and found nobody there. She was about to shut the door when something caught her eye sitting on the door step. There was a large glass jar with a note attached to it. Just in case was all it said. She didn’t need a physics degree to know who it was from. The jar brimmed with captured cores. She could see them tinkling in the daylight like small fireflies. She counted them reaching to ten before she realised she was no longer on death row. In fact she was well above her usual amount. Why would he have helped her? She couldn’t concentrate all day she found herself wandering round the flat aimlessly trying to work out why he would have stuck his neck on the line for her. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she thought. Maybe it was a trick.

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Before she knew it she was heading through the forest making her way towards the clearing still not sure whether it had all been a con. Clutching the jar tightly she made her way to the group. The bright moon lit the space and touched the faces with its warm glow. Maya glanced about trying to find any signs of Finley. She spotted him and couldn't help staring as he gazed back at her. The fire began to light of its own accord as everyone stood to attention. Soon the familiar voice began to crackle out of the flames.

It's a pleasure to see you all again. The devil said sinisterly.

Maya continued to stare at Finley trying to work out what he was thinking. She couldn't help noticing how good-looking he was in the firelight.

“I’m ready for you each to come forward and give me your offerings.” Said the flame.

Tentatively the figures began to step forward one by one. Maya found herself unable to breathe as Finley stepped into the firing line.

“You only bring me three. I expected a lot more from a relation of Regina's”.

Finley began to turn red and looked down at the floor. Maya felt a sudden twinge of guilt and immediately wished she could do something.

“I can only hope you improve with time”. The voice said menacingly.

Finley stepped back and Maya realised it was her turn. She slowly placed down the jar and tried her hardest not to look in Finley's direction.

“Again you please me greatly Maya. That is your biggest gathering yet. In fact I will take this opportunity to make you are new priestess. I have thought long and hard about who I would like to replace Regina and you have proven to me that I can trust you with this task. I wish you all to bow to your new leader”.

The group began to place their hands on the floor and bow down to her and Maya couldn’t help but feel proud of what she had achieved. The three years had not been in vain and she began to feel a sense of overwhelming power. As she glanced about the faces her eyes fell on Finley and the sense of power diminished as she saw the resentment on his face. She had never seen anyone look at her with such anger before even when she had broken so many men. He looked away and she stepped back hoping the ground would swallow her.

Well done you have all reached the target and I set you the same amount for the next meeting. The fire began to slowly fizzle out and the figures were left in darkness. Maya began to make her way out of the clearing being stopped by several people giving her their congratulations. She didn't want to speak to anyone she wanted to get back to her car and drive away from it all. When she finally managed to break free from the crowd she slipped into the darkness and walked quickly towards the edge of the forest. She could hear footsteps behind her and she tried her best to drown them out. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she turned.