First Campaigner Challenge- 4th Platform Building Campaign

The time has come for my First Campaigner Challenge, woot!!! The Challenge is:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!

So, here's my entry...

Shadows crept across the wall of the bathhouse. Steam whispered stories of heroes past. Of sandals and swordfights. Of battles waged and lives lost. Doubt crept in. The warrior I was to face had ended the careers of gladiators far greater than me. His record was pristine. It had to be, for a single blemish meant death. No standing gladiator had any losses. Losers were escorted to Hades on a one-way chariot ride.

I leaned my head back against the marble cradle, allowing the steam to open my pores. But the shadows continued to creep. They slid up my sides, encircling my neck, strangling me. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I couldn’t breathe. Horrific images flashed into my mind. And then everything faded.