Freebie Mondays: The Most Valuable Reward (Twitch Chat’s Story Part Two) Freebie Mondays: The Most Valuable Reward (Twitch Chat’s Story Part Two) By Megan Cutler | August 25, 2025 | Comments 0 Comment Last year, after two sudden and unexpected hard drive deaths, my husband and I decided it was time to replace my computer even though it wasn’t that old. It was either that or continue to feed the beast, and I really didn’t want to risk having to re-create my production environment every 4 months. Luckily, we have a small fund set aside for emergency expenses, and this fit the description. BUT I wanted to try to make some of that money back to spare the bank account what felt like folly on my part. (In retrospect, there were a lot of signs at the start that I probably should have packed that computer back to the manufacturer, but the pandemic hit shortly after I bought it and the price of computer parts skyrocketed so… here we are.) One of the incentives for donating to the cause was that I would write a story with suggestions from my twitch chat. The suggestions were about as wild as I expected, but I didn’t shy away. Of course, almost the moment I started digging into the depths of my chat’s suggestions, I realized the story was going to be too long for one installment. Hence there are two. This is the second half of the story my Twitch Chat inspired. If you’d like to watch the entire insane process of this story coming together, there is a VoD on my Youtube channel. . . . Wind whipped through Arnaud’s hair causing the carefully manicured curls to bounce and shuffle. The first time he participated in one of these races, he worried the entire time his wig would tear free of his head and shoot off into the ether. But now he was experienced enough to know it would stay put, no matter how violently it wriggled. The desert spread out around him, the ash-grey of darkness blended with sand. At irregular intervals, massive stone formations jutted from the empty openness, clawing at the sky like dark hands or sitting like discarded objects along the base of the horizon. Most of them looked like weathered ridges and high cliffs worn dull and round by the steady, slow passage of time. But some must have been buildings at some point because they bore shapes Arnaud was certain he should have had names for though, try as he did to wrack his brain, he couldn’t think of them. Jerking hard on the wheel, he skidded around the side of one that reminded him of a boot just about to lift off the floor. His car sent a spray of sand into the distance behind him, and he scanned his immediate surrounds for signs of his competition. This race was designed to have three laps. It wove out around those massive stone markers, creating a ragged zigzagging circle that passed between the bleachers to mark the start and end of each new lap. Most of the course was unlighted, except the part immediately surrounding the bleachers – mostly to keep any of the cars from smacking into them – so the only sign of his fellow participants were the lights of their cars cutting through the dim blotting of the early morning. The race would end just before sunset, as the first bright rays of the sun splintered the sky and painted it blood red and bright orange, which should leave Arnaud just enough time to bask in the glory of his accomplishment before he had to skitter back to his tent to hide from the searing rays of the sun. Twice already he had zipped past the bleachers to the roaring adulation of the crowd, and already he could see the bright lights of the finish line approaching. Most of the queens were close – these races always were. Their cars were visible as bright spots of flashing color, as most had appended bright pastel flashing lights to various portions of their racers. It sacrificed a little of their speed by messing with their aerodynamics – but queens never did anything without looking fabulous. Two cars pressed close to his bumper and, while he was busy attempting to calculate the speed he’d need to increase in order to outpace them, one of them shot wide to skid through the sand at the edge of the hard-packed road. Fuck! Arnaud gritted his teeth and slammed hard against the gas. The surge of momentum caused his car to dance and slide along the shockingly slippery roadway, but he used minute adjustments of the steering wheel to keep it under control. When it came to racing, he was still something of a novice. The car was bought – not built from the ground up like some of the other queen’s racers – and he had people to maintain it for him if it should incur damage. But he prided himself on being the best at every endeavor he undertook, and he had spent countless hours practicing maneuvers just like this. His car shot toward the one trying to pass him. He wouldn’t go so far as to run it into the sand, but he did hope to scare the driver off. Unfortunately, the second he opened a space, the other car darted forward underneath him, trying to scoot past on the inside before the next turn. The end of the straightaway was rapidly approaching. One more curve and the end of the race would be in sight. Clenching his jaw tighter than he thought possible, Arnaud used another set of tiny adjustments to straighten out. His foot was almost against the floor, but he pushed his car to its limit, squeezing every ounce of speed he could out of its frame. The engine purred, and his nose inched ahead of the competitor on the inside. The queen in the driver’s seat relented, and Arnaud regained his position, leaving only one competitor to deal with. But the last curve moved in the opposite direction as the first one. And as the pair slowed to make the final turn, Arnaud realized with sinking dread that he was on the outside of this turn and would thus have to travel a greater distance in order to outpace his foe. Never one to give up hope and resolving to fight until the last, Arnaud once again swerved toward his opponent, hoping to unnerve them. But the driver of the other car had nerves of steel. In fact, they nudged their nose just a little closer to Arnaud in the center of the turn, forcing him to let up off the gas and drift backward. They came into the straightaway with Arnaud’s nose even with the other car’s back. He had just a few seconds to regain his coveted first position, and he was going to take every risk required to get it. Once more, he slammed the gas. His wig vibrated atop his head but remained anchored in its proper place. He could feel his nails straining to remain attached to his fingertips and his heels threatening to snap away from his fancy boots. But he held strong, using every ounce of speed available to inch ever closer to the first position. The bright lights of the bleachers pierced the night, dazzling his sight, but he was more than capable of blocking out the distraction. The roar of the crowd struck his ears. Spectators leapt onto their feet to wave their arms or whatever flags they had with them. There was too much noise to hear what they might be saying, but the wild applause caught Arnaud’s heart and set it soaring. He was so caught by the adrenaline rush of the crowd that he didn’t notice until he passed the finish line that he hadn’t fully passed his opponent. It was going to be a photo-finish with the two of them neck and neck. But Arnaud knew even before Fresh Made Coffee’s voice came over the loudspeaker that he had come in second. It was a blow. Winning was ever on his mind. But as the cars of the other queens skittered out of the desert to claim the third, fourth and fifth places, he reminded himself that there was another element to these events. They would be scored on their overall performance. If a score was large enough, it could overcome the race win. It was a large portion of their final score, after all, but he only needed a few extra points to nose the winner out of their position. Arnaud pulled to a stop behind the leader and took a moment to compose himself before he pushed up and out of his drag racer. His first order of business was to wave to the crowd. He hoped that by showing some form of grace, however feigned, he could win enough appreciation to gather a few extra points. Then he turned to see which of the queens out-raced him. It was Bob. Out-driven by an octopus! The blow was severe, but Arnaud mastered his tattered ego and hurried to join the line of queens emerging from their cars. Their formation was perfectly aligned, and each of them placed a hand on their hip or struck some other pose while the master of ceremonies descended his high platform to announce the final rulings. Judging was over as soon as Fresh Made Coffee rose from their chair, so everything the queens did now was for the benefit of the crowd. And Arnaud liked to make sure the crowd knew he loved them as much as they loved him. He winked and blew kisses, he even waved anyone he thought was cheering specifically for him. But all of the queens came to attention when Fresh Made Coffee wheeled to a stop and cleared their throat. “I have here the winners,” the robot’s voice rang loud and clear through the large speakers. “And it’s a close one, friends. Our winner today takes the crown by only a single point.” Arnaud held his breath. The queens surrounding him did the same. In fact, several grasped hands in eager anticipation of the ruling. “Your winner,” Fresh Made Coffee declared, drawing out the suspense just a little longer, “is Auntie Depressant!” Arnaud’s heart skipped a beat. It didn’t beat very often to begin with, being that he was undead. Yet the thrill took hold immediately. He stepped forward from the line of queens and threw his arms wide to bask in the adoration of the crowd. The spectators went wild, bouncing in front of their seats as they cheered. Fresh Made Coffee announced the scores, letting the other queens know how close they came to beating him, but Arnaud didn’t pay any attention. He had only a few minutes left before the sun on the horizon grew too bright for him to endure and, already, he could feel the heat sizzling along the surface of his skin. “What?” a rich, dark voice rose above the crowd as the cheering began to wind down. “This is bullshit! What about Bob?” Several other voices offered responses and, as Arnaud turned, he realized the queens were arguing amongst themselves. The first speaker appeared to be Thursday – though how a creepy child had so deep a voice, Arnaud couldn’t say. He was just about to skitter back to his tent and let the dissatisfied contestants speak among themsevles when the bone golem stomped forward. Their wide hoop skirt that concealed their lower horse half shimmied with each step. When they came to a stop, they towered over Arnaud. They murmured something in that odd hissing, screeching language Arnaud couldn’t understand – but he was fairly sure it amounted to screw Bob, what about me? The bone golem lifted one if their massive arms and sent it flying straight for Arnaud’s face. He had the good sense to duck. But he didn’t move quite fast enough. The bony fist tangled in his hair and jerked his head up and back, making him regret suddenly that he affixed it so firmly to his head. Bob, the octopus, was evidently as outraged about this breach of protocol as Arnaud. With a gurgling hiss of their own, the kelp-bedecked queen glided forward and sent one of the wicked claws attached to their tentacles into the face of the bone golem. The assault would have cut deep into flesh and drawn a fair amount of blood – if the bone golem had either. Though as it was, the blow left a deep scratch along one of the skulls arrayed near the base of the bone golem’s wig. Outraged, the bone golem hissed again in their dark tongue and yanked Arnaud’s wig free of their bony wrist so they could send their fist flying at the octopus instead. Bob had a shocking amount of agility for a creature without a spine – though perhaps their ability to stretch and flatten their form assisted their dexterous dodge. Within moments, all of the queens had joined the fray. The weasel, Arnaud noted, was no longer a singular weasel but a group of three. Having separated, they darted up the bone golem’s spine and onto each of its shoulders to deploy their claws. One time more, Arnaud attempted to skitter away. The bright line of sunlight along the horizon had become a series of stinging needles along his skin, and he had no desire to linger long enough for them to turn deadly. But he only made it three hurried steps before a smaller figure appeared in front of him. Thursday planted both her hands on her hips and glared up at Arnaud. “Where do you think you’re going?” she demanded in her too-deep voice. “You’re part of the problem here. You should at least stick around to help set things right.” Arnaud groped for the words to explain that he was going to be a pile of ash and dust in a minute, but his thin words were drowned by the voice of Fresh Made Coffee speaking into the microphone. “Please, ladies!” the robot pleaded. “Calm down! Give us a moment to make the judgments clear.” The words fell on deaf ears, however, as the other queens attempted to drag the bone golem to the ground and Thursday swept forward to deliver a sharp backward push to Arnaud’s abdomen. Anger surged through the vampiric queen. He wasn’t about to stand here and die over some young upstart’s biases. He was ready to punch a child if it meant a clean escape. But even as he cocked his fist backward, a bullhorn sounded. It was followed by a series of loud, piercing sirens, and blue and red lights suddenly dominated the small strip of arena. From the center of the din appeared a massive, towering figure. It was roughly flesh-colored – or so it appeared in the odd wash of early dawn light – but it was hard to tell what species its owner might belong to. Arnaud guessed this massive, muscular countenance belonged to some form of golem, activated only at times of need. Its reddish-shaped skin was adorned by a series of bun-colored armor and a rich blue police uniform. As it lumbered closer, Arnaud realized it was roughly hotdog shaped. Its main body resembled a thick tube from which sprouted two muscular arms and two muscular legs. The biceps and thighs rippled with muscular mass, though the ankles and wrists were bizarrely thin. The armor the figure wore wasn’t just bun-colored, Arnaud realized with a jolt of shock – it seemed to be made from a series of hotdog buns cobbled together. But was he looking at a hotdog golem? Or was this some kind of suit designed to intimidate visitors? It didn’t matter. Nor did it matter that most of the queens had paused their assault to press their palms to their ears in order to halt the squeal of the high-pitched sirens that announced the hotdog-cop’s arrival. The golem waded into the center of the fray and started bodily pushing people aside. Chaos ensued. It was hard to tell who was trying to run away from the hotdog enforcer and who was trying to cut into its fleshy mass. Amidst it all, Arnaud caught sight of a fur-covered figure rising from the bleachers. Their paws moved rapidly back and forth and they muttered, “Nope. Nuh uh. Not here for this,” as they darted quickly through the crowd. Closer to his position, several queens were lifted and set elsewhere on their feet. Arnaud made one last attempt to elbow everyone aside and scurry away, but a massive, meaty arm wrapped around his midsection and placed him firmly to one side of the newly-forming line. “Everyone calm down,” a deep, ringing voice issued from the depths of the hotdog officer’s chest. “Stop fighting. Calm down. This is highly irregular. The rules strictly prohibit physical contact between participants.” The generic dressing down lasted for several moments until each of the queens stood in a line with their heads bowed. “If you are all quite finished?” Hotdog cop demanded while placing their hands on their hips and scanning each of the contrite queens with their oddly piercing gaze. “We are,” Arnaud reassured, hoping the golem’s presence would ensure the end of the squabble. “But if we could move this under an awning?” he added and extended an arm to show the bright red breaking out along his pale skin as the first hint of the sun’s curve appeared above the horizon. “There’s no need for that,” Fresh Made Coffee interjected. “The judgment has been made and announced. You are the winner, Auntie. You will receive instructions for the claiming of your prize at sundown tonight. Let this serve as the official end of our ceremony.” The robot wheeled forward, unhinged its metal jaw and released a long, sinuous, fleshy tongue. The slimy appendage slid the length of Arnaud’s cheek, evidently marking him as the winner. When the robot had retracted its tongue and spun on its wheel, Arnaud didn’t stick around to ask about the hotdog man or the fact that a totally artificial construct had a fleshy appendage – he fled to the cool darkness of his tent even as the massive police officer planted their hands on their hips and said, “Now all the rest of you better start kissing to prove you’ve made up.” * * * They arrived under cover of darkness, skittering through an ink-black sky on a vessel silent as the falling of a leaf. Their descent was artful, though untraced. The tiny spinning lights that marked their passage would no doubt be mistaken as the twinkle of starlight – and they preferred it that way. Gently, carefully and with excruciating care, they made their way through the darkness onto the designated window sill. It might have seemed like the thickness of the glass in their path would prove an obstacle but, with the single press of a button, the outline of their vessel grew dim and indistinct. Once on the other side of the barrier, it was a simple matter to slide over the bed and under the blankets where a warm nest of flesh waited beyond to receive them. * * * Tall emerald stalks swayed on the breeze. Even beneath full darkness their color and configuration was distinct, like long, long fingers marked by occasional rings like bony knuckles protruding from rough flesh. Sound was slightly muted as Arnaud navigated the strange forest. For him, bamboo had always been little white rectangles that occasionally adorned his noodle dishes. To walk among them growing wild was a new experience – and one he wouldn’t soon forget. He wondered briefly if this was the prize, and he was willing to accept it though he did feel as though he could have discovered this new experience on his own without all the effort put into winning the map. He paused and glanced again at the carefully drawn figures that indicated the path he should take. The lines seemed messy at first but were actually shockingly nuanced, even going so far as to indicate specific bamboo stalk formations he should pass. Arnaud’s eyes penetrated even the blackest gloom with perfect accuracy. And after several seconds of contemplation he stepped around one last formation of looming stalks and entered a clearing. When he lowered the map and tilted his head straight back, Arnaud could see both the moon and the glimmering stars through the small gap in the canopy above. For a moment, he simply basked in the quiet stillness. Even in a world much changed from the former bustle of modern society, it was hard to find a place where one could be alone with their thoughts for any length of time among such beauty as this. His contemplation went on for some time before he felt a slight tingle in his rear. It startled him enough that he abandoned his relax stance and began searching the surrounding shadows for signs of trouble. If this was some kind of trap… But no. The sensation was most definitely internal. There it was again, a slight shifting, tingling sensation in a place that should be extremely private. Arnaud had the oddest sense that something moved within him, like nucleus sliding open or a door moving out of the way. He wasn’t sure how he knew to describe it that way, but no other description fit the sensation. He was still mulling over the oddness of it when a sparkle appeared in the clearing surrounding him. What started as drifting particles of seeming dust soon became bright, twinkling lights. Those lights in turn took on form and substance until they became a series of small figures. They only came up to Arnaud’s thighs. But each one as it took solid form was unmistakably bear-shaped – even at only a fourth of the expected size. The vampire tilted his head as he contemplated the new arrivals. They didn’t appear in any way hostile, but he couldn’t say they made much sense. Was this what he had been sent to see? But where did they come from? He turned in a full circle, beholding the figures and making eye contact with each as the sparkling lights began to subside. Each bear was dressed in a fabulous outfit, most of them bedazzled in the same manner as his wardrobe. Most wore wigs with perfectly formed curls or gathered into intricate formations of braids. All their faces were covered in makeup and many sported spectacularly decorated claws. Queens? Certainly they were the oddest queens he had ever beheld – but he wasn’t going to judge. The most shocking thing of all, however, was that the source of the bright light that brought them to Arnaud’s vicinity seemed to issue from his own back side. From his butt hole, specifically. With growing shock, Arnaud whipped around to behold the bear he believed to be the leader of this ragtag pack. She was ever so slightly taller than the rest of the bears – due to the size of her heels – and her wig was of luscious dark locks that remained unbound to tumble almost to the ground. She met his gaze and shuffled forward, a serene smile on her furry face. “Fear not,” she said softly in a sonorous voice, “our sojourns are always short but also very difficult to forget. We recognized upon you the mark of one who guides us, and we hope you will enjoy the time we spend together.” It was overwhelming. But as the bear set her fantastically decorated claws against his cheek, he knew the mark was the lick of the strange tongue Fresh Made Coffee set against his flesh at the end of the race. So this was his prize. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “Be at peace,” the head queen murmured gently. “Relax,” she added as she lightly caressed Arnaud’s cheek. At a snap of the lead bear’s fingers, two of the other figures stepped forward. They bent and lifted the lead bear upward so that her face was on level with Arnaud’s. “Let the bestowing of your prize commence,” she breathed as she leaned forward. Arnaud was too stunned to resist. Fresh Made Coffee promised a highly valued reward for the winner of the tournament – but this was far beyond Arnaud’s expectations! All thought as to whether or not he would enjoy this reward vanished, however, when the alien bear queen pressed her lips against his. Instantly, he was taken by her and parted his lips to allow the kiss to continue. Her tongue slid into his mouth, followed by another and, a moment later, a third. A fourth tongue followed and then… a fifth? Arnaud’s eyes flew open, but the bear queen was perfectly relaxed. And he had to admit the kiss was most pleasant. He did as instructed and relaxed – and he didn’t regret it. The kiss was like no other. And even should he kiss this queen again, he doubted it would be exactly the same as discovering her for the first time. Other kisses followed. And after some time, the queen motioned the other bears to step back and return her to the ground. “You begin to understand why we have come,” she said pleasantly. Then, more sheepishly, she added, “Can we offer you some breakfast? We have learned that meals are appreciated by those who serve as our hosts.” Arnaud glanced over his shoulder then arched an eyebrow in confusion at the strange bear. “Breakfast sounds marvelous but, if you’ve come where I think you’ve come from, how could I occupy a place that’s inside me?” “It’s best if you don’t think too hard about it,” the queen replied with a smile. Arnaud shrugged. The breakfast consisted of pancakes – the most wonderful Arnaud had ever tasted. He would reflect on that in the months and years to come. Though after the departure of his odd alien guests, he doubted he would ever taste them again. Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email