Eli sat in silence waiting for his name to be called. Today was the day he was going to break the deadlifting world record and defeat his rival David once and for all. Suddenly Eli heard the announcer call his name. It was time for him to go. As he walked out on the stage he thought back three years to when David had broken his deadlifting record and shortly after, David retired. Eli also thought about the last three brutal years of training. Doing two-a-days six days a week, eating healthy, cardio, and no alcohol. Eli also thought about how he was at the end of his prime and how he did not have much more time if he wanted to retake his record. This was likely his one last shot.
Eli arrived on the well lit stage, and despite all of the pressure, he felt confident. He knew he had done the right things, and he knew he could do it. He then put on his belt, lifting straps, and chalk. Eli stood in front of all 1,105 pounds of weight, he took a whiff of a smelling salt, he grabbed the bar, and he lifted. The next 15 seconds were a blur, but at the end of it Eli knew he had done it when he heard the loud clang of him dropping the weight. The crowd erupted in a cheer and everyone was chanting his name. "Eli. Eli Eli." With tears streaming down his face Eli could not do anything but smile.
But suddenly David wearing jeans walked on the stage. "Put on five more pounds," he told the weightlifting official. "I'm about to beat this man's record." Everyone was shocked. Despite being retired for three years David looked bigger than ever. The weightlifting official obliged, and without hesitation David did not one but two reps of 1,110. Without a belt too. Unbelievable! The crowd was in silence. Not only had David broken Eli's record, but he had crushed it. And it was in this moment Eli realized that David had been toying with him all this time, and that even if he did reclaim the deadlifting world record, David would quickly shatter it.
Nine years later George, a relatively young weightlifter, sought to break the deadlifting world record – a record David still held at 1,110 pounds. And. similarly to Eli, he too thought back on the past as he readied himself to break the deadlifting world record. He thought back to the legendary duel he witnessed nine years ago between two weightlifting masters and how that was his inspiration to become a professional bodybuilder. How shortly after failing to keep the deadlifting world record Eli disappeared. And the speculation as to what happened to him. Maybe he had gone crazy. Maybe he just did not want to lift anymore. Or maybe he was training in secret. Waiting until the perfect time to retake the elusive record.
David, on the other hand, had actually retired from the competitive weightlifting scene shortly after Eli’s disappearance. Not much was known about what he was doing in his retirement. All that was known was he had opened up a gym and he spent his free time lifting and with his family. However, rumors persisted that he was still training in secret in case Eli decided to reclaim his record.
George then walked out on the bright stage and broke David's record easily, setting the new record at 1,120 pounds. Suddenly a hooded figure with a scraggly beard walked out onto the stage. The announcer not recognizing him asked him who he was. “I am Eli,” was all the hooded figure said. The hooded figure then put 15 more pounds onto the bar, for good measure. “There’s no way David would be able to beat this," he thought. Then he lifted and reclaimed his record.
Somewhere in a dimly lit personal gym alone, David watched Eli take the deadlifting world record after years of struggle. And as he watched he casually deadlifted 1,150. And he thought to himself, “You’re pretty good.”
Author's notes: This story is strongly based on various stories of the Ramayana. The first part I was inspired by was the story of Rama having to break the bow in order to get Sita. In the original story Rama is able to easily break the bow and win Sita. However, in this story I had the main character initially fail at achieving his goal, but at the end of the story I had him achieve his goal. The reason I made the revision is because I liked how Rama showed that he was worthy of Sita, but I did not like how he did not really struggle to achieve his goal.
Additionally, I was inspired by Rama going into exile. After Eli failed to break the deadlifting world record I had him disappear similarly to how Rama went into exile. And while in exile Rama became stronger just like how Eli became stronger when he disappeared.
Finally, I was inspired from the story between Vali and Sugriva. In that story two monkey brothers struggled to be king. In this story I had two rivals who were struggling for the deadlifting world record. And although they were not brothers I still felt like the fact they were fierce rivals was still a good storytelling idea.
Bibliography: "Rama Wins Sita" from The Public Domain Edition of The Ramayan by Donald A. Mackenzie source and "Sugriva's Story" by Geraldine Hodgson source
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