THE CONTEST CONTRIVE

Harry met up with Sindra and Orcus at the spot where they bought their first Acrylic paint. Harry was on a customized T-shirt that had the write up 'I Sleep At 01'. That should probably be the reason why his eyes looked dull when he met with Nathan. 

The three set of to the little cottage where 19years old Nathan Hendrix lived alone with Popsicle, his fluffy Chihuahua that Uncle Ford passed on to him on his graduation. 

Nathan rushed to his door as he heard the bell rang. His friends could tell, he had been sketching ideas that they would use for the upcoming competition. 

"Come in" Nathan welcomed the three, as they took their places and bumped into their favorite part of the house - the bed where Popsicle was lying soundly. Nathan's bed was so soft that one could literally swim in it. 

"Coffee?" Nathan rhetorically asked as he brought 3 teacups and presented it to his friends to sip so they won't fall asleep as they always do while having a conversation. Especially Harry. The young man barely sleeps. 

"So, guys this is going to be the biggest blow in this journey for us." Nathan said in a leading tone. He has always been a good leader. "I've been planning for this for months now and I was able to come up with an idea that we can use" Nathan gestured and then brought out  a very large sheet of paper with sketches and stories none of the three startled artists sitting comfortably could apprehend. 

"When did you do all this?" asked Orcus surprisingly as he stretched his hands pointing to the large sheet of paper facing him directly. 

"I told you guys, I've been planning for this for months, I knew we would be singed in". Nathan confidently replied. 

"Okay, here it is...." he continued, but this time putting the sheet on the bare floor and in enthusiasm explained all they planned to do to make the competition a success. "There will be 5 groups of pro artist on stage that night, and we will be the third to present." 

Harry who kept staring at Nathan said "so, what's the plan? Dad got a new job and he will be given his first payment soon. I have already budgeted the amount of acrylics I'll buy" he said. 

"That's great. Sindra...." Nathan called out.. "we have limited canvasses. This project will be the biggest we've ever made. Do us a favour and ask Uncle Ford for the biggest he can give us in his gallery. ."

"Ay ay captain..." Sindra jokingly replied, placing his right hand on his forehead in attempt to salute. 

"We've never done this before, so I was able to come up with an idea." Nathan continued facing his four friends and slightingly ignoring Popsicle who was massaging his tender legs amidst his fur. 

"Now, we are talking about a very large piece of canvas, and this time, unlike other times, we will not be using our hands to paint" Nathan said with a little sense of comicality that was expressed in his elan smile. 

"I know, you're confused..." he said reacting to the flustered look on the three's face. 

"Okay, here's what I mean" he proceeded "all these times, we have been creating pieces from what we see or what we are contracted to do, but this time, we will be painting from the core within us. We will make this massive piece with our eyes blindfolded." Nathan ended timidly awaiting his friends' recoil to his seemingly brilliant idea. 

The four remained muffled as a dead cold breeze set in. "Come on guys, say something" Nathan said expressing his solicitousness. 

Harry broke the dead silence first by paving way for his voice box to get to work and then sipping the already cold coffee and said "gotta say this dude, you don't belong on Earth" he finally said making all four formfeed  into a spring of laughter mixed with amusement. 

"Crazy right?" Nathan said to make the environment a little airy. "I know it sounds funny, you know, painting with our eyes shut, but guys trust me, it's going to be the best we've ever made." 

"You sound very much like my dad" Orcus cried out facing directly towards the big sheet that still lay quietly on the floor like a non living thing which it indeed is. 

"I'm so into this, but what if I fall into a trans and begin painting Jane?" Sindra said, causing the whole house split out of laughter. 

"You're still into that blonde?" replied Orcus in a mocking tone. 

"She's not a blonde," Sindra defended "she's a sweet...."  

"Potato.." Harry cut in in a mirth.

    "Sindra's got a point though" Nathan entered still contending with the smile on his cheeks that already tuned red. "I planned for that loverboys" Nathan continued facetiously, facing Sindra and then Harry. "Now, since we won't know what each person will be applying, we will split the canvas in four and we all paint on one topic. That way, if we magically fall into some sort of trans, we are directed to painting one story" Nathan said as he waited to hear their response. 

"I'm not very sure about this man, this is a big competition and there will be just one group of winners decisively, how sure are you that this will work? Dude, I'm entertaining fear" Sindra moaned. 

"Whew.... Look Sindra I totally understand, it's not trivial doing something new that seems challenging...." Nathan not looking like someone who is ready to be dismayed carefully replied. "I've been working on this for months, since when we heard of the competition, and it's finally just a few weeks away." Nathan now sat up in attempt to motivate the three fellas, "We can do this guys, doing regular things will only make us the same as the others. This is an Out Of The Box idea, trust me on this guys.." Nathan softly ended at once!

********************************************