I arrived at this story by using the rules of TygerTyger's Writing Contest, #8.
Contest Specifications:
"Your mission, if you choose to take it, is to write a short story of 1000+ words (no longer than 3000 words). Write it including the following 3 prompts: #1 your protagonist is a contestant in a space age game show he/she/they/it have three challenges to overcome to win the grand prize. What are the challenges? The Prize is life altering and coveted by everyone on earth and our solar system. What is it ? Only 3 people in the history of this game show have completed the challenges and won. Will your protagonist win? Will /he /she/they/it lose and why? what are the consequences ? #2 a platypus #3 the story must include the sentence - “He put his tongue in my ear and offered me pancakes ”. "
Taken from TygerTyger's contest rules, found here:
@tygertyger/electricdreams-round-eight-win-sbd
All three suggestions looked like fun . . . so I present for your reading enjoyment:
The Game.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!"
"May I direct your attention to the center of the stage . . . PREPARE TO BE AMAZED!!"
A Circus Master: Top hat, cane, white gloves; the normal fare; although the creature is not entirely human, tonight it chooses the right apparel.
"The Universal - The Show of Shows- prepares to bring you . . . The Game!"
The crowd goes wild at the mention of The Game.
"No other contest in the history of the Known-Universe is so easy to play." The Circus Master holds his hand high to the audience and sweeps it from one side to the other slowly for dramatic effect.
"And no other contest in the history of the Known-Universe . . . is so easy to lose."
With both hands and fingers spread, he makes a slow exploding effect and holds it momentarily.
It is easy to see why The Game is so popular on planet after planet.
The Circus Master makes a great arc with both hands saying, "Tonight we have," suddenly, he points to a man sitting on a stool in the spotlight, " . . . a HUMAN!"
The crowd erupts with applause and thunderous cheering.
The Circus Master fixes a grin, a not too human, grin.
He smiles; but, his eyes are black and lifeless.
He turns to the human and says, "You know the rules . . . Human . . . You must answer five questions . . . 'Yes'.
"We call it . . . Answer Five Questions Yes."
The Circus Master swings back to the roaring crowd . . . "And, the Human gets to ask the questions!"
"He wins . . . for whatever he asks!!" The roaring grows even louder.
"Be warned, Human, if you answer one question 'no' you lose all your prizes . . . and will receive what I think you deserve instead . . . so ask wisely."
The human, sitting on the stool, shrugs his shoulders and says, "How can I lose? This is too easy."
"Start . . . . Now!"
A hush falls over the audience.
Like a villain hovering over his prey, the Circus Master covers part of his face with his cape, and says, "Your humanity effects the conditions of The Game."
"Only three beings in all of the Known-Universe have answered all five questions 'yes'. When they understood the nature of The Game they asked me . . . no . . . they begged me to grant them nothing; so be careful to what you answer 'yes' before you fully understand The Game . . . you may just get it."
The Circus Master turns back toward the audience saying, "Earlier . . . this human asked a female of his species to be his assistant. The lovely . . . TINA!!"
The audience cheers.
"Beautiful, isn't she, Human? Just your type, I hear."
"Yes," says the contestant.
"One!" Yells the Circus Master, "Tina is now your assistant and she is just your type. You have four 'yes' left!" He raises one finger to the crowd.
There is a roar of laughter.
The man frowns . . . The Circus Master smiles and continues, "I have done you a favor . . . you will not survive your own questions, this way you may make it out alive."
"That is not fair," says the Man.
"More fair than you will be, Human," responds the Circus Master.
"Now, Human, whisper and tell Tina what you would like to ask . . . and she will repeat it out loud . . . if you answer 'Yes' then you win that round. . . your wish will be granted. Remember . . . answer 'No' and you forfeit all prizes and receive the opposite of what you ask."
"Your goal is to win Tina's heart."
"Close your eyes before Tina asks . . . and open them before you answer . . . and remember you can quit at any time. . .. Any time."
"Good luck human."
Tina leaned close to the man on stage. He whispers, she nods and stands back.
She asks, " If I have 100 billion dollars will you go home with me?"
The man opens his eyes and says, "Yes."
The Circus Master yells to the audience,
The Human wins 100 billion dollars and she will go home with him!"
The crowd claps their hands, stomps their feet and whistles loudly.
To the Human, he says, "And by answering "Yes" I will not send you to live in the waters of a swamp."
The raucous crowd slowly becomes quiet for the next question.
The man hesitates.
"What's wrong, Human?" asks the Circus Master?"
"Aww," says the man . . . "Tina looks different . . . something has changed."
"You have changed," says the Circus Master. "You now have 100 billion dollars . . . and Tina is an assistant in a circus game . . . not very appealing to a man of your wealth. It is your human nature that has changed, nothing else."
"This is how your true nature will affect the game. Take heed of this clue or your human nature will cause you to lay an egg before we are done."
The Circus Master laughs.
"You have three 'yes' left."
"Ok,"
The man again whispers a question to Tina and closes his eyes.
Tina then asks, "If I had the body Hercules would you love me forever?
The crowd cheers. The Man feels his muscles suddenly grow . . . and he instantly becomes taller. He opens his eyes to a loving Tina.
"Yes," He answers, again.
The Circus Master yells out, "The Human has won the body of a Roman champion, and Tina will be by his side forever."
To the man, he asks, "What do you see now?"
"Tina is withering with age, and looks puny and weak."
"Of course," said the Circus Master, "you are now an immortal and can see her as other humans cannot."
"If you had answered "No" to your own question, I would have given you the body of a rodent!"
The crowd cheers with laughter, and applause.
"Ask . . . for your fourth 'yes' and beware; perception is reality . . . and you are changing what you perceive."
" You can stop while you are ahead."
"I'll continue," says the Man.
The man whispers his fourth 'yes' to Tina. She again steps to him this time she kisses him on the cheek; then asks, "If I have the face of Adonis . . . will you kiss me every day?
He opens his eyes and says, "Yes."
Suddenly, he seems shocked, and blood drains from his chiseled and handsome face.
The crowd rumbles restlessly.
"You seem troubled Human . . . what do you see?"
"She is ugly."
"Of course, she is ugly," Barks the Circus Master turning toward the audience, "This Human has won all the all the wealth he will ever need, the immortal body of a Roman hero, a face that captures Aphrodite! Our Tina is nothing to him now . . . nothing!"
The crowd is silent.
To the Man he says, "What do you want to do? Remember you can quit any time . . . any time."
"If you quit now I will return you to who you were when you were selected as our contestant. Perhaps Tina will still look upon you kindly . . . of her own volition."
"Do you want to continue?"
The man smiles and stands. He says nothing, remembering his earlier mistake.
The Circus master shouts to the man . . . "You have answered 'Yes' four times . . . choose wisely this next question . . . No human has ever won!"
The Circus Master’s voice is threatening now . . . "By answering 'Yes' a fourth time you avoid me giving you the face you deserve."
"You may not be so lucky this last time."
"Lucky? You think that answering my own questions 'Yes' takes any skill or luck?" Now, the man's voice grew dismissive, "Continue with your simple game."
"You may quit at any time . . .. Any time," says the Circus Master. "You are warned . . . don't forget the rules."
The man crosses his strong arms and stands proudly over the Circus Master. "I command it."
"I take pity on this poor wretch," The Man says.
"To show my mercy and my greatness, I give her the final question. I will allow her to be my servant and please me every day until she withers away to dust."
The human picks Tina up and holds her close, whispering into Tina's ear and closes his eyes.
He turns his head. Tina, kisses his ear gently, and asks, "You can have as many women to bear as many children as there are stars in the sky; will you let me come home and make you breakfast and please you every day?
The man has a smile on his face. He opens his eyes . . . Immediately he screams . . . "Nooooo!" And throws Tina to the ground.
The crowd is silent.
"What happened?" asks the Circus Master?
In shock at the latest change of his perception, the Man stammers, "He put his tongue in my ear and offered me pancakes!"
Laughter from the crowd arose.
"You no longer see Tina as a woman," says, the Circus Master.
"Because of your callous and arrogant behavior toward another of your species . . . treating your brethren like vessels for your pleasure, and propagation . . ." -with great furry- the Circus Master now shouts, "I take from you all your wealth and send you to live your days underwater in a swamp!"
And then, with increasing tone . . . he says," I take from you, your immortal body and give you the body of a rodent and the tail of a beaver."
"And now . . . from you . . . I take the face that wakened the heart of a goddess . . . and replace it with the bill of a duck!"
Turning to the audience, the Circus Master spreads his arms, “And for answering the final question of The Game incorrectly, "The human will lay eggs to birth its children!"
The crowd starts stomping their feet and chanting, "Human . . . human . . . human. . ."
"Yes," The Circus Master answers, "He will remain part human . . . his offspring will feed of milk from the mammary glands of his kind . . . to forever remind him of his own wickedness."
"And you, Tina, as a bonus, what will you have us give this contestant?"
Tina is crying softly as she looks at the newly created creature. "Give him fangs, so that people will know of his venomous nature."
To the Man, the Circus Master adds, "I give you the fangs of a viper hidden in your new flippers . . . with the poison of your greed. So, others will not think you to be a kind thing."
"What have you to say . . . Human?"
The man quickly turns toward Tina and says, "Ask me to kill the Circus Master so that I may take all his power."
"No more questions . . . your last chance to quit has ended," says the Circus Master. "You Lose!"
The Circus Master, with the slow sweep of his hand, says, "I present to you a new creature . . . self-created!"
The crowd roars with laughter and explodes with applause as the beaver-tailed rodent lays an egg in the spotlight.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!"
"Be Amazed at the easiest contest in the Known-Universe . . . . "
As the curtain falls, with the final gesture of his outstretched arms, the Circus Master takes a bow,
"The Game!"
Epilogue:
And this is the creation story of the Duck-billed Platypus. It's as good of an explanation as any.
Thank you for playing The Game.
This has been Henry Gant . . . Man About Town.