Part 50
Ripples
The New Year’s duel between Emma and Celeste had not only captivated the attendees of the event but quickly spread far beyond the confines of Abyss. The club’s social media team wasted no time, uploading a carefully curated series of photos and videos. This time, however, only Celeste’s face was blurred in the posts. Emma’s identity was unmistakably clear in Abyss’ social feed, her coworkers having witnessed her performance firsthand. They had been there, cheering her on and marveling at her determination, even as the stakes became devastatingly clear.
The posts included dramatic stills of the duel: Emma and Celeste locked in their painful dance atop the needle heels, their faces etched with determination, and, finally, Celeste’s triumphant final steps. The most controversial image was a short clip of Emma being led toward the Rubber Coffin, her posture slumped in defeat. Though Celeste’s blurred face concealed her identity, the symbolic weight of the punishment was unmistakable. The caption read: "Every duel has its price. Strength, endurance, and resolve tested on the grand stage of Abyss. Will you dare to play?"
The reaction online was immediate. Among the comments, several employees from both Emma’s and Celeste’s companies joined in, tagging their coworkers and speculating openly about their experiences.
- "Emma, you’re insane, but we’re proud of you," one colleague wrote.
- "She may have lost the duel, but that’s guts. Nobody else would’ve even stepped up."
- "The coffin though… that’s brutal. Emma’s tougher than anyone I know."
At Celeste’s workplace, the reactions were similar. Although her face had been blurred in the posts, in her office she became her own celebrity. The office buzzed with gossip, equal parts teasing and admiration. Her manager, eager to capitalize on the notoriety, praised her resilience during a team meeting.
"Celeste," she said with a grin, "you’ve shown remarkable resolve and adaptability under pressure. These are exactly the traits we value in leadership. I’m happy to say we’ll be promoting you to senior coordinator." The room erupted in applause, and though Celeste’s smile was genuine, her thoughts drifted to Emma. "She’s still in there," she thought. The memory of her own time in the Rubber Coffin sent a chill down her spine. Despite their earlier feud, her empathy went out to her former friend. Maybe they could reconcile after she served her time in rubber. Abyss did indeed built careers.
Back at Emma’s workplace, the atmosphere was more subdued. While her coworkers had celebrated her bravery at the party, the reality of her punishment quickly tempered their excitement. Seeing the photos and videos of Emma being led to the coffin brought a sobering weight to the situation.
Rachel, who had been one of the loudest voices cheering Emma on, now felt a pang of guilt. "I didn’t think it would be this harsh," she admitted to Brian during a coffee break. "I mean, she’s in there for a whole month, unable to move, and in all that sweaty rubber. That’s… unimaginable."
Brian nodded, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "She’s tough, but this is next level. I just hope she knows we’re rooting for her."
Rachel, Emma’s manager, maintained her outward confidence in promoting boldness and resilience but couldn’t hide her unease. She had championed the duel as an opportunity for Emma to showcase her strength, but now she found herself questioning the cost. The reality of knowing her colleague entombed for a month was much different from the teasing, the fantasy. This felt… heavy.
"She’ll make it," Rachel told the team during a meeting. Rachel gave them a weighted look and continued. "And when she does, we’ll be here to support her. And that promotion I promised her is not off the table. This is so much more intense than I first anticipated. It’s the least we can do."