Muse Wars 2011 - Challenge 1

What seems like many moons ago Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You started Muse Wars. Lissa was feeling 'blog' block, she had lost her mojo and used the Muse Wars as a means to kick start herself and others. I loved it but after 8 challenges it died a natural death, as many things do.

Now the infamous MadMother is starting it up again, and I for one need something to kick start my mind. As you may have noticed, my blogging of late has been not much more than the occasional Sunday Session (hosted by the Thea @ Do I Really Want To Blog).

So the 2011 rules are

• Open to all and sundry, you need to go back to MadMother and link in the comments. First to link sets the next challenge. Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in 500-1000 words. Can be any genre - let your mind fly free.
• First to links sets new photo for the next challenge. Or can pass it on to the next on the list but MUST be passed within 24 hours of previous challenge closing.
• Next challenge must be set within seven days of completion of previous challenge.
• Will allow 5 days to complete - so starts Sunday evening, ends Friday night.

So here goes ...

Here she was, the faded starlet, taken over by so many other younger, prettier girls. Beating her to the good parts, and her pride would not let her take on any supporting roles, after all, she was A STAR.

Once she attended all the IT parties, hobnobbing with the producers and actors who once were only too happy to be seen with her, have their photos taken with her. Now they ignored her, turned their backs when she approached, pretending they didn't see her coming.

She was at rock bottom, struggling to stay off the drugs that had ruined her career. Trying not to turn to drink to block out the days, to take her memory away. She was so close to not caring anymore, she could hear them calling out to her ... 'come back we will take it all away'.

Then the phone rang, it was her agent, she hadn't heard from him in months. He had an offer, Dancing With The Stars, they wanted her to be on the show. It was a great chance to get her name back in the headlines, or she thought - fail again very, very publicly.

But she needed it, her blood was racing in her veins again, a chance - to be seen, to hear the applause, to show what she had left and so she said yes.

Her first 3 shows were awful, she got shocking reviews, each night she thought would be her last and then she drew the rumba, and her partner had a great idea. They would base it on her being a belly dancer, dancing for her life in front of an angry king. She would be the centrepiece of the dance. Rhythmic, sensual, sleek, swaying before her king, they trained and trained and trained, hours and hours a day - she kept messing it up, missing steps, getting dizzy and then before she knew it, it was performance night.

She tried to remain calm, she knew it was her last chance, the nerves threatened to send her running for the bottle, for the drugs - anything to calm her soul. And then she looked into the eyes of her partner, she saw his belief in her - there were no words, just his eyes staring into hers, deep into her soul and then the music started. Her hips started to sway, her feet started to move, she was lost in the trance of the music and the dance and in his eyes, the eyes that believed ... and suddenly her magic was back. The audience rose to their feet, applauding wildly as she struck the final pose.

She was back and all because one person believed. That was all it took.