Author's Note: MUST READ!

Derek Landy, the amazing Author of the Skulduggery Pleasant Series has posted a challenge on his website. He gave us a 50 word prompt to write a short story to submit. My dear friend told me about the contest so I just had to enter. The story below is the one I entered for this delightful contest! :D

Below is Derek's Original Story Prompt . . .

Valkyrie groaned, and sat up. "I told you it was a trap," she said.

"No, you said it looked like it was a trap," Skulduggery corrected. "That's completely different."
He helped her up as a door opened behind them and Sadistica Tortura walked through, an unsettling smile on her lips. . . .

Beware of Bad Karma

Valkyrie groaned and sat up. "I told you it was a trap," she said.
"No, you said it looked like it was a trap," Skulduggery corrected. "That's completely different."
He helped her up as a door opened behind them. Sadistica Tortura walked through, an unsettling smile on her lips.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie exchanged glances. "We're in trouble," Valkyrie said under her breath, her eyes never leaving the woman's face.

"What happened to the motto of I have confidence in me?" Skulduggery whispered back.

"It went out the window when you sprung that bloody trap!"

"You know I can hear every word you're saying," the female mage interrupted from her place in the doorway, making both prisoners fall silent.

After a moment of studying them, Sadistica entered the room and the door shut behind her with a flick of her wrist.

The woman looked like a nightmare come to life, scars crisscrossed her gaunt face in a vicious manner and greasy salt and pepper hair fell down her thick shoulders, making the horrific appearance complete. Valkyrie was about to make a snide comment on hygiene, but one look at her partner made her words catch in her throat. Skulduggery looked uneasy, as he addressed the woman that was currently standing several feet away.

"Hello Sadistica, it's been a while."

The woman smiled and Valkyrie noted that most of her teeth were missing and the ones she had left were rotten and looked like dog canines.

Sadistica bowed her head low as a way of greeting, "Skulduggery." The woman's voice sounded like honey covered gravel chunks.

The living skeleton tipped his hat to her politely and Valkyrie wondered why on earth Skulduggery was being so respectful.

"What do you want?" Valkyrie asked side stepping the niceties her partner had left hanging in the air.

Sadistica ignored her. "You broke your word, Mr. Pleasant."

Skulduggery looked mildly puzzled, "Pardon?"

The woman scowled. "You and I had a bet several years back and you lost. As such, you owe me."

Skulduggery was very still, his stance and skeletal face unreadable to his adversary as he contemplated the situation before him.

"You set up a trap for us, so that you could collect on a bet?" Skulduggery asked in confusion. "You could have called you know."

Valkyrie snickered but made no other noise. She would let Skulduggery take care of this one. After all it had been his bet.

"Yes, I could have called." Sadistica agreed. "But I thought this would be better."

Skulduggery looked very uncomfortable. "What were the stakes of our bet?"

Valkyrie smiled, "Don't tell me you wanted him to sing, because I think I'll die if I have to listen to him."

"My singing is fine," Skulduggery sniffed indignantly. "But that's off topic. What will I have to do to clear the slate, Sadistica?"

The woman's eyes sparkled mischievously as she flicked her wrist and the prison door flew open once more. "Follow me."

Valkyrie laughed harder than she had in her life, her sides aching from the strain.

"I. Will. Never. Let. You. Live. This. Down." She vowed, taking a breath between each word so that she could giggle.

Skulduggery glared at her and then looked back at Sadistica, "You've got to be joking."

The woman shook her head, "I am not."

Skulduggery looked down at the Dance, Dance Revolution pad once more, his manner one of dismay. After a couple of minutes Skulduggery made up his mind.

"Alright," he said finally with a large sigh. "Turn it on."

I might add on to this story in future, but for now it stands by itself. Please leave reviews and tell me what you think!

~Lyn Harkeran