1
Roy advances through the dark hangar. In the shadow of the sets, amidst cables and cameramen, he can’t seem to find his bearings. Sharp beams of light creep through the corridors. Moans and simulated orgasms reach his ears, stimulating erections, and making him sweat.
The screenwriter adjusts the tie, clears his throat. He checks his tablet. FILM SET 8, 9:00 AM.
It’s 8:48 AM, and he breathes a sigh of relief. There’s time to get his bearings; there’s no need to rush.
The clanging and screeching of metal distresses him, but the naked figures he glimpses, at most covered in bathrobes, towels, and tight-fitting swimsuits…
Roy thinks back to how he ended up in that situation, selected as a ‘Meteor’ in the Charnal 5 contest, the country’s leading adult website.
He picks up his tablet and checks the script file. The title stands out on the blank page: ‘Breakfast of the Goddess, by Roy Diorama’.
He shakes his head, lowers the tablet.
I’ve certainly fallen low.
A sigh, a bitter laugh.
Making my debut in porn, letting everyone know I’m hard for this stuff…
Of course, normally one could have disguised oneself behind a pseudonym, but not for this contest. A ‘Meteor’ always uses their original identity and, if successful, obtains the golden keys to Charnal 5. All the stars, actresses, actors, directors, screenwriters, and so on, go through the selection process as a ‘Meteor’.
The problem will be making porn for life…
No, the problem is the fear of failure. If the first live broadcast goes badly, the ‘Meteor’ will disappear, devoured by the competition.
Yeah, you only know successful former meteors. Those who fail are as if they disappear forever…
Promising himself not to be negative, not to worry too much before it’s necessary, is a mantra Roy constantly repeats, but fails to put it into practice.
The arrival of a girl in a short skirt, with olive skin and delicate features, prompts Roy to erect himself. The young woman nods, swaying her bare breasts.
Roy rubs his eyes and points at himself, red with embarrassment.
The smiling girl, adorned with gold jewelry on her belly and chest, nods again. She reaches out and shakes the screenwriter’s sweaty hand.
She laughs.
Roy is catatonic, unable to sustain contact with those seductive eyes, adorned with the beaded tiara cascading down her forehead. That’s enough to make the girl a manifestation of divine desire.
The inexperienced screenwriter is astonished; no one is watching. And that worries him.
I may be naive, but she’s exactly how I imagined she! I’m holding her hand; how can they not notice? Has habit ruined the hearts of everyone present?
“You’re Roy, aren’t you? Excited? Hope, nice to meet you.”
They already know who I am…she must really be the actress. Damn, Hope is the Rising Star of Charnal 5. Success is practically guaranteed!
Calm down, calm down, breathe.
Breathe. Remember that you’re not like that, you’re not that kind of person, and Hope is a professional.
“N-nice to meet you! I-I know you! Roy…here…”
“Follow me, I’ll take you to the set. You practically came in the other way, I was right to look for you.”
“Did you look for me?”
“The Lord doesn’t like to wait, especially for newcomers. I’ve seen so many end badly before they even begin.”
Hope smiles affably, but the nervous tension is evident.
Roy ponders how to respond, but after all, there are only a few minutes left. The girl’s courtesy is appreciated. Disappearing from the scene before even trying would be a shame.
Pulling Roy hand in hand, Hope takes a path between two closed sets. The place is a maze, and agonized screams are lost amid the chatter of technicians, the creaking of machinery, and the sounds of pleasure.
What?
“Hope, did you hear that?”
Hope continues forward, turning left and then right again.
“Sorry, maybe I’m a little out of line…but did you hear those screams?”
“Oh, they must be filming some BDSM stuff, don’t pay any attention to that. Above all, don’t ask questions. You know how it works here?”
“Do you mean for the Meteors?”
“I mean for you. We’ve read the script. But there’s no rehearsal; it’s a live-streamed-one-shot. Your job now will be to interact with the viewers, mind you. Engagement is key. And then…”
And then?
Anyway, I know, you need to get at least one hundred approvals and no more than three percent disapprovals.
It may not seem like much for live streams that get thousands of views, but performance anxiety makes everything seemingly insurmountable.
Immersed in thoughts of performance anxiety, Roy lets the actress lead him into a closed room. SET 08 is written in blocky, sans-serif font next to the door.
Roy lets go of Hope’s hand. She reaches for the door.
“Hmm, aren’t you coming?”
“Sure, sorry. So we’re not on set.”
Roy points to the wooden scaffolding filling the hangar he’s passed through. Hope shakes her head.
“Nope, I told you you came in the wrong way. Come on.”
