In the Club

by Antonio Pagliarulo

  “The oath of transformation,” Concetta said quietly.

  Emmett’s candle shook slightly as he balanced the small camera against his left eye. “Do y’all promise to share with your brothers and sisters in the Black Cry Affair your deepest and most personal experiences of self-transformation and change? Self-transformation is inevitable, and your oath requires you to speak of it while in the Chamber. Under penalty of death.”

  Park nodded. “We do.”

  Concetta said, “The oath of inhibition.”

  Julian moved the sword back and forth, its pointed tip almost grazing Madison’s chin, Lex’s cheek, and Park’s nose. His eyes seemed to hold an almost predatory look. “Do you promise to let go of your fears and insecurities, your shame, your prejudices and judgments, while in the Chamber? Inhibition has no place in role-playing. Do you swear to this oath, under penalty of death?”

  Again, Park nodded. “We do.” This time, when she spoke the words, her voice held a confidence that hadn’t been there a moment or two ago.

  Concetta stopped walking.

  Emmett lowered the camera from his eye and clicked it off.

  And Julian finally dropped the sword.

  “Welcome,” Jessica whispered. She walked forward and pointed to their hands.

  Madison, Park, and Lex held out their palms.

  Using a small stamp, Jessica branded them with the Roman coin symbol. Then she stepped back and blew out her candle.

  Every candle was blown out after that.

  The room plunged into complete darkness.

  Park gave Madison’s hand a reassuring squeeze and nudged Lex’s shoulder with her own.

  Lex responded, nudging Park’s shoulder twice.

  Then an earsplitting scream tore through the air. Someone clapped twice and the Chamber was flooded with instant light.

  Madison was the first one to gasp. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  The Chamber was literally another world: colored crystals hung from the beamed ceiling, catching the light of the chandelier and creating a radiant prism that stretched across the floor. One of the walls had been painted to look like a medieval gauntlet. Another held several ancient weapons—swords, a crossbow, a Viking dagger, a spiked flail, and a Damascus blade. There was also an entire suit of armor along with a gleaming knight’s shield. Across the room, the scenery changed entirely; here, it was more modern, with a grand piano, a long marble table, and an artist’s easel. Farther back, almost out of sight, stood a plasma TV and a disco ball.

  “Concetta,” Madison said. “This is amazing! How did you do this?”

  Concetta’s face contorted. “I’m not Concetta!” she yelled sharply. “I am mistress of the court! And now the games shall begin!” She unzipped the long brown robe and dropped it to the floor, revealing a skin-tight red velvet gown that trailed over her feet; bright yellow feathers stuck out at the shoulders. Around her neck were several gold chains, denoting a woman of noble rank.

  Jessica let her robe drop as well. Her mane of long, flaming red hair tumbled down to the middle of her back. The sultry, determined expression on her face matched her costume: a black corset that hugged her waist and lifted her breasts, black fishnet stockings, and black heels. She struck a seductive pose. Closing her eyes, she slipped into character and sighed.

  Lex nodded to herself. The usually reserved and nerdy Jessica Paderman certainly didn’t have any inhibitions here in the Chamber. In fact, Jessica looked like a total tramp—a role Lex would never have imagined her playing.

  The shock intensified when Emmett dropped his robe. Gone were the accessories and accoutrements of a flamboyant, self-avowed social queen. His long, lean body was wrapped in the steel armor of a knight, a sword at his side and the trademark helmet cradled in the crook of his right arm. He exuded power and masculinity. There wasn’t a trace of the real Emmett anywhere in the room.

  “Wow,” Madison said under her breath. “Who knew there was a real guy attached to the man-purse?” Then she felt Park elbow her in the ribs and clamped her mouth shut.

  Julian let go of his robe. The droopy hood came off first, revealing a blond wig of curly hair. His face was painted exquisitely—bright strokes of blush across his cheeks, long fake eyelashes, red lipstick. The dress wrapping his body was a long and elegant pink-sequined frock. He looked totally female.

  Park had to stop herself from reacting. Never in a million years would she have imagined that the macho, lady-loving hip-hop star also moonlighted as a cross-dresser. She was struck by the irony of it and shocked by the reality of it. Julian made a beautiful woman. Once you looked past the thick muscles bulging out of the delicate fabric of the dress, of course.

  Madison and Lex were staring at him, eyes wide and lips slightly parted in surprise. The looks on their faces said it all: Where have our classmates gone? Who the hell are these people?

  Concetta brought them back to the moment. She pointed at them and said, “Remove your robes and enter the game.”

  Madison was grateful for the order. She had begun to sweat beneath the heavy robe. She thrust it off her shoulders to reveal the costume Concetta had chosen for her, not caring about how ridiculous she looked in the trampy leather dress and garter belt and boots. Her right hand held a whip. She still couldn’t figure out if she was supposed to be a prostitute of the long-ago Roman era or a circus lion-tamer. And now, trying not to appear self-conscious, she wondered if she’d be able to role-play either one.

  With an irritated sigh, Lex let go of her robe. She rolled her eyes and kept them locked on the ceiling as her short, white, and very cheap-looking toga came into view. There was nothing to it—just an ugly and flimsy piece of fabric thrown over her head. No sash or belt. Not even a brooch. Even now, away from her magic purse, she fought the urge to accessorize. She looked like she was wearing bedding.

  Park was the last of the group to do away with the robe. And she did this slowly, dramatically, slipping out one shoulder at a time and keeping her head held high. She looked stoic as her gladiator costume was unveiled—the maroon tunic and pants, the body armor with its resin casting, the two fur armbands and shin guards. Like a soldier getting ready for battle, she took one step forward and planted her fists on her hips. She was clearly in character.

  Let the game begin.

  Concetta circled the court. Stepping around her fellow role-players, she focused her gaze on Emmett, pointing at him. “You, Knight of Enoch!” she shouted angrily. “You come here and demand that I release your slaves after I rescued them from your failed army? Is that what you wish?” She grabbed Madison and Lex by their arms and roughly shoved them to where Jessica was standing.

  Madison stumbled.

  Lex, nearly crashing face-first into the floor, turned around and shot Concetta a cold stare. “Watch it!” she snapped.

  Concetta’s mouth fell open. She slapped Lex with the drooping ends of her sleeves. “How dare you speak to your master that way? Don’t repeat the mistake!” She slapped her a second time with the big sleeves, clear across the face.

  Lex flinched at the whack. She looked at Madison, her eyes wide with shock. “That bitch is totally asking for it,” she muttered, gesturing her head at Concetta.

  “And, excuse me—she just called us slaves.” Madison shook her head.

  Emmett stepped forward, his body armor rustling. “I do demand that you return them!” he screamed. His voice was guttural and raw, all traces of the southern twang gone. “By the order of my king I come to collect them! They are my slaves. Not yours!”

  “Ha!” Concetta tossed her head back. “These slaves have found service in my court, and I shall keep them!”

  “And I shall fight to keep them!” Park’s voice boomed through the Chamber. She took a step toward Emmett and cast him a dirty look. “You swine! Coming into our court and making demands! Did you think you would do it without a battle?” She jerked her head at him.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lex whispered.


  Emmett smiled. “Well, well.” He lifted his sword with his right hand and let the blade rest in his left. “It looks as though I’ve met a fellow warrior.”

  “Indeed,” Park replied coldly. “You have.”

  Suddenly, Jessica ran to Park and fell to her knees. She yanked at the ends of Park’s tunic. “Please, don’t let the Knight of Enoch take us!” she cried. “He shall enslave us again in the worst way possible!”

  “Fear not, my child,” Park whispered, patting Jessica’s head. “I shall rescue you from the evil of Enoch’s kingdom.”

  Madison nudged Lex. “Where the hell is Park getting this stuff?”

  “I don’t know,” Lex whispered back. “But I don’t like it. If she doesn’t get out of character soon, I’m going to call the paramedics.”

  With a feminine flick of his hand, Julian pranced across the floor—a slow, measured sashay. He stood beside Emmett. “These little beggars think they can outrank us, do they?” He chuckled. “They don’t know the power we wield! As queen of my kingdom, I alone can squash you!”

  Concetta seemed to be weighing Queen Julian’s words. She nodded and began circling the court again. This time, she stopped beside Madison and Lex. “And what say the slaves?” she asked, flicking their shoulders.

  Lex glanced nervously at Madison, then Park. But Park, falling deeper into the role of a warrior, kept her expression stony. Lex licked her lips and said, “I…I say no fighting! It’s…it’s totally violent!”

  “Agreed.” Madison waved her hand in a poor display of acting. “Let’s all play nice.”

  “Nice?” Concetta shook her head at them. “Perhaps the two of you aren’t even worthy of my warrior’s courage!”

  Madison and Lex winced at the severity of her voice.

  “No, wait.” With long, even strides, Park walked over to them. She stared at Concetta. “May I speak to the slaves, master?”

  Concetta frowned. “I suppose you may.”

  “Thank you.” Focusing her gaze on Lex, Park said, “If you go back to the kingdom of Enoch, you shall be denied everything. No more shelter or food. No more protection. And no more shopping excursions in the town square.”

  The last comment struck Lex like a bolt of lightning. Those horrendous words made her forget the game altogether. Denying anyone the freedom to shop was by far the cruelest punishment in any kingdom. “What!” she shrieked. “Don’t you dare!” She fell into an instant panic, running her hands through her hair and fidgeting with the ends of the toga. “Okay! Please, please rescue us from that awful place! Don’t make us go back!” She tugged at Park’s arm.

  “It’s only a game, you idiot,” Madison whispered, slapping Lex in the back of the head.

  Lex stared at her, whimpering. “No more shopping,” she cried. “I can’t deal with that—not even in a game.”

  Park set her gaze on Madison. “And you,” she said. “If you return to the kingdom of Enoch, you shall be denied everything too! No more makeup for your little excursions. No more perfumed pillows and bed sheets. And no more champagne.”

  Madison gritted her teeth. “You really are good at this,” she muttered, casting Park a cold glance. “No one denies me champagne.” She took several deep breaths, as if battling with reality and the fantasy. Finally, the threat of not guzzling Dom Perignon on Friday nights or having any to mix with a tall glass of milk won out. She bowed her head and touched the armor shielding Park’s chest. “I implore you to fight for us,” she said.

  Park smiled. She turned around and walked back to her place in the center of the court.

  Julian stared her down. “Come!” he screamed in a high-pitched voice. He pointed at the floor. “Kneel before me, as I am queen!”

  “I shall not kneel before a bogus queen!” Park shot back.

  Julian gasped.

  Concetta laughed out loud.

  And Emmett raised his sword. “The battle commences!” he bellowed in the thunderous, manly voice. “No one speaks to my queen that way!”

  Park looked at Jessica and motioned at the wall that held the weapons.

  Jessica ran to it and lifted a heavy, bejeweled sword from its holder.

  Extending both her arms, Park accepted the sword, circling her fingers around the thick cold handle. She drove the point of it against the ground and traced a straight line to Concetta. “My master,” Park whispered, her tone grave, “I shall go into battle for you now.”

  Concetta sniffled, feigning tears. She pulled a white handkerchief out from between her boobs and blew her nose. “Oh, my dear warrior princess,” she replied quietly. “I thank you for fighting in my name and honor.”

  Park bowed her head. Then she turned and faced Emmett. She lifted the sword with one arm and held up her shield with the other.

  Emmett assumed the position of battle. With a roar, he charged forward and swung the sword at Park.

  Park ducked to avoid the blow and instantly brought her own sword up in defense.

  “Oh my God!” Madison said. “Those are, like, real swords. I think he just tried to kill her!”

  “I know.” Lex nodded, growing pale. “But do you see how heavy they look? I just hope Park doesn’t break a nail.”

  As the battle ensued, the rest of the players began circling Park and Emmett.

  Park lifted her sword. She lowered it and swung it and turned it sideways, fighting off Emmett’s attempts to win the battle. When his weapon came charging at her from an unexpected angle, she thrust her shield forward, nearly toppling over from the force of his blow.

  “Fight, my princess!” Concetta screamed again.

  Madison shook her head. Watching the battle unfold, she couldn’t help feeling as though she were trapped in a time warp. Park and Emmett really looked like medieval warriors. Concetta looked like a baroque noblewoman. Jessica looked like a turn-of-the-century New Orleans tramp. Lex looked like a typical Roman slave and Julian looked like a high-society socialite with an odd penchant for weight lifting. And she looked like a dominatrix from one of those icky adult movie channels. Her mind was being pulled back and forth through the centuries. She didn’t like it.

  And neither, apparently, did Lex: she kept bouncing up and down, rolling and unrolling the ends of her toga nervously. “Oh!” she screamed as Emmett’s sword narrowly missed Park’s left shoulder.

  The battle raged on for several more minutes. Park was drenched in sweat and Emmett was breathing heavily. They never took their eyes off each other, circling the floor like wolves from rival packs, grunting and sighing.

  Then Emmett made a cruel move. Dashing quickly to one side of the room, he grabbed Madison and pulled her to him.

  “Here!” Emmett cried. He held the sword up to Madison’s throat. “Do you still wish to fight, O warrior princess?”

  Park lowered her sword. Her chest rose and fell. Her face registered hatred and shock and a smidgen of fear. “You play by cowardly rules,” she said. “Let the slave go.”

  Emmett inched the sword closer to Madison’s neck.

  “Hey!” Madison screamed. “Go easy! If you scar my neck I’ll have to wear chokers for the rest of my life!”

  “Oh!” Concetta sighed, cupping a hand to her mouth. “Don’t spill the child’s blood!”

  “I will,” Emmett whispered. “And then my queen and I shall overtake your entire court.”

  “I don’t think so.” As the words left Park’s lips, she made a lighting-quick move and grabbed Julian by the arm. She yanked him forward with all her might, tripping him with the edge of her boot.

  He stumbled to his knees. The wig slipped off his bald head and onto his face. He righted it, then stared up at Park.

  Suddenly, Jessica ran across the room and grabbed Lex from behind, holding her in a bear hug. Jessica pulled a dagger from the middle of her corset and pressed it to Lex’s neck.

  “Ow!” Lex said.

  “Let the queen go!” Jessica screamed. “Or I swear I’ll rip her throat open!”

  Conc
etta gasped. “A betrayal!” she screeched. She took two steps toward Jessica and cast her a scornful look. “How dare a slave betray her master!”

  “Hey there!” Lex waved her arms out. “You’re really hurting me. Can you please let go?”

  “Let us both go!” Madison yelled, squirming against Emmett.

  Julian, trying to shake the wig into place on his head, said, “Kill the warrior princess! She has no right!”

  “Let the queen go!” Jessica shouted again. She tightened her hold around Lex’s neck and shoulders.

  “Bitch, you are so going to pay for this,” Lex said.

  It all came down to Park. Still breathing heavily, she glanced around the court, at Concetta’s wide eyes and Madison’s pleading face. Her sword was in perfect position against Julian’s neck. She could have ended the game by pretending to kill the queen right then and there, but her instincts steered her away from instant bloodshed. She thrust Julian forward, toward Emmett, and then went down on her knees.

  “Ha!” Emmett cried triumphantly. “The warrior princess loses!” He let go of Madison, paying her no mind as she flogged him with her whip and scurried away. He lowered his sword to his side and smiled.

  Julian pranced around him, pulling rose petals out of a pocket of the dress and sprinkling them into the air.

  With a cry of victory, Jessica let go of Lex, spinning her around and shoving her as she did so.

  Lex, off balance, twirled and slammed into Concetta.

  “I do surrender,” Park said solemnly. “My life is now in your hands, O great Knight of Enoch. I pray you spare me more humiliation.”

  Emmett stood up a little straighter as he stared down at Park. When he opened his mouth to speak, a floating rose petal landed on his tongue and he gagged, trying to spit it out.

  “Oh, my great Knight,” Jessica cooed, wrapping her arms around Emmett. She rubbed up against him, playing her trampy role for all it was worth.

  Emmett kissed her passionately, his lips moving from her mouth to her neck. “I’ve been waiting to do that for a long time,” he said.

  Park lifted her sword, letting it rest flat in both her palms. In her mind’s eye she pictured a camera rolling, a director watching her from his chair, and her own face on a big screen. She liked the image a lot. She liked it so much, in fact, that she didn’t want the game to end. But she knew it had to. And so in final tribute to her first official role, she let out a warrior’s cry and knocked Emmett off his feet. She wasn’t about to accept defeat so easily. She sprang up as a chorus of startled cries rocked the Chamber.