Locked Away [10k Z Nation]

15

"Miss Eliza!" Katie's voice rang throughout the hall, and was met with sickening barbaric cheering and applause.

Eliza smoothed down the front of her dress, and stepped onto the stage and into the spotlight.

It was finally happening, The Pageant had arrived, and we were making our first appearance onto the stage one by one. This was the first impression, and Katie had spent all week stressing to us how important it was.

I felt relief that my first outfit was a floor length black dress, and not some cocktail dress like Eliza had on. She strutted across the stage confidently as she was hooped and hollered at. She spun around once, as Katie had instructed, and exited stage left.

I felt my legs quiver under me. Meg was next.

"I'm next!" She mouthed at me, grinning so happily, she shot me a thumbs up before rolling her shoulders back and lining herself up with the backstage curtain, ready to enter.

"And next on our list, Miss Meg!"
Katie cheerily announced from her place stage right.

Meg adjusted her backless sparkly red gown and confidently stepped into the spotlight. She held her shoulders back and smiled dazzlingly at the groups of men. Her hair gleamed effortlessly in the lights and her eyes even seemed to shine. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and then I remembered...

I was next.

I pulled up my dress, despite the fact that it was floor length, it was also strapless and liked to sag if I didn't pull it up enough.

The men clapped in the audience and Meg strutted off stage left. I saw her begin to pull her dress off and squeeze into her animal wear.

"Miss Cody!"

I never thought the sound of my own name would terrify me like that.

I stepped out on stage and took in the many rows of tables lined up in the room. The white floor and walls seemed to blind me. The men clapped, and I took them in. Most of them seemed to be wearing pretty standard lace up boots and jeans, but some were dressed in suits and had slicked back hair, but they all had a small placard with a number around their neck.

As I finished my little spin, I realized that one man was wearing an oversized hat and thick wire framed glasses that looked absolutely too absurd, and I had to keep a giggle down.

Which reminds me... I had forgot to smile that whole time on stage.

I was off to a great start.

As soon as I stepped off stage I was rushed into a stall so I could change into my animal wear. I listened to all the other "contestants" names be called as I was pulling on my spandex and crop top. Meg pinned the tail on me and I helped zip her up. A security guard watched us creepily from the exit door. I felt my stomachs shift uneasily.

"Hey, you looked really hot out there," she told me as we made our way to the other side of the stage, behind the curtain.

"I didn't smile!"

"Yeah I know, but you managed to look really mysterious, and slightly teasing!" She wiggled her shoulders at me and I laughed and shoved her lightly.

Ten minutes later they had almost made their way through the first round, and we're about to start Animal Wear.
Jeez, sometimes this is all too sick to even think about.

"Thank you gentlemen, and now beginning the second portion of our Pageant, Animal Wear. The men whooped and hollered, and Meg and I rolled out eyes at one another.