Just another idea that popped into my head.
The Secret
"I think I could beat that guy in armwrestling." Layla said to her sister Allie.
They were watching an armwrestling tournament on tv. A guy named Jackson had just won his fourth match in a row, and was now setting up for the championship match.
"Are you kidding? That guy is huge. He'd break your arm with his pinkie." Allie said, watching as Jackson let out a roar, and slammed his opponent's arm down onto the table.
"Armwrestling is about more than brute strength. You have to have good technique." Layla said, as she changed the channel.
"Well, sis, good technique isn't going to work very well when a guy outweighs you by 200 pounds. His forearm is like three times the size of your bicep."
"Please. Look at these guns. Harder than steel." She flexed her arm and kissed the nonexistent bicep. They both started laughing.
"Let's armwrestle. If I win, you have to clean the cat for the next week." Layla said, kneeling down by the coffee table.
"Fine. But if I win, you have to wash the dishes. That water is terrible for my nails." Allie said as she knelt down across from her sister, locking hands. "Remember, no cheating."
"Just start the countdown." Layla said, staring at her sister's green eyes.
"3, 2, 1..."
Layla started fast, pushing Allie's arm, much to Layla's surprise, halfway down before Allie was able to slow the descent.
"Hey, now. I said no cheating." Allie said, smiling.
Layla was pushing as hard as she could, trembling as she tried her darndest to get Allie's hand to go farther down. But it was no use, Allie was just too big and strong. She slowly brought Layla's arm back to vertical, and even as Layla turned red in the face, she continued the assault. Layla watched with a defeated look as her hand slowly went down and eventually touched the table top.
"Damn it!" Layla said, looking dejected.
"Oh come on sis! Perk up! It's okay to lose. You just do better next time." Allie ruffled her little sister's hair.
"But I almost had you!" Layla said, frustrated.
"You did surprise me there, but remember I am bigger and just a little stronger."
"From playing soccer? I thought you just used your legs for that."
"You have to be in tip top shape all over your body to be good at it. Look at this. See?"
Allie pulled her sleeve back and flexed her arm, a bicep the size of a lemon popping up.
"Wow! You got that from playing soccer? It's so hard!" Layla said, grabbing her sister's arm.
"I got that from lifting weights. I have to be at my best if I want to keep playing in college."
"Lifting weights? Ugghh. Couldn't I just armwrestle people until I'm stronger than them?"
"Probably not, but then again who knows? I've never tried. Only one way to find out, I suppose."
"Well then, I'm going to become the best armwrestler the world has ever seen."
"You do that, sis. Now I'll help you with the dishes."
Allie pulled her sister to her feet. That red hair was as fiery as her personality. She sure came up with some wild ideas. And there was more determination in that four foot body, than two or three people combined. She couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of her sister being a professional arm wrestler, but she didn't have the heart to tell her that it was probably pretty close to an impossibility with her unwillingness to workout. Let her go for it if she really wants to.
They started the dishes, chatting about random things, including how their mom was enjoying her vacation. She had left about two days ago with their grandma to go on a cruise, and wouldn't be back for a week. Allie had been left in charge, being a week a way from graduating High School.
"Who else can I arm wrestle? I want to do it again." Layla asked, as she dried a glass.
"I don't know. I don't think the cat would appreciate it, so why don't you ask one of your friends?"
"Hey! That's a great idea. We'll have a tournament." Layla got a huge smile on her face. Allie laughed.
"Just don't get too carried away now. I don't want to get a call about you breaking some kids arm." Allie said, grinning.
"I won't. I promise. But I'm gonna win."
The next day at school Layla challenged a boy at lunchtime. The boy beat her easily. So she asked him to do it again. This time she nearly passed out from exertion, but was able to slow his arm down just a little. This gave her some confidence, so she asked to do it one last time. He rolled his eyes, but agreed. Layla got ready and pushed hard on the start, and she actually moved his hand back! This rattled the boy, but he was quickly able to regain his composure and begin to push her hand down once again. But she was able to slow his hand to a stop just before hers hit the table! She held it there for at least ten seconds before having to give in. The boy high-fived his friends and left, but Layla could clearly see the redness fading in his face. She had made him work for it! She looked down at her arm, flexing it as hard as she could. It still looked as flat and skinny as ever, but was that a little vein showing? Her smile grew wide. As soon as she got home after school, she showed her sister.
"Look, I've got a bicep vein, now!" she said, excitedly as Allie inspected it.
"Wouldja look at that. Your first one. Keep this up and you'll have me beat."
Allie ruffled Layla's hair, and walked off to get something to drink from the kitchen. Layla was proud, and even more determined now. She was going to be the strongest fourth grader ever.
Fast forward till the start of 12th grade, and Layla looked almost exactly the same. She was a little taller, but still a total beanpole with really no muscle whatsoever. At least that's what she wanted people to think. She had a secret, a wonderfully awesome secret. You see, Layla had continued arm wrestling. And after a while she actually started winning. Not just winning, but destroying her opponents. So she kept looking for stronger and stronger people to arm wrestle. They often got arrogant when seeing her, brushing her off as a waste of time, even laughing when she walked up to the table. But that quickly turned to panic as soon as the match started. How could this skinny little nobody beat them? She was obviously cheating. After each match was over, Layla would flex her flat little bicep, kissing her one lonely vein. She was officially the youngest professional arm wrestler ever. And the youngest champion for that matter. But she needed more. She wanted the best. So she started challenging guys competing in the World's Strongest Man competition, on the side. And started beating them.
Allie knew about Layla's secret, though she wasn't sure she could fully believe it. Even when Layla showed her. Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. But she told Layla it would be best that they keep it to themselves and not show it off unless absolutely necessary. It would keep a lot of unwanted attention off of her, and as her near perfect arm wrestling record would prove, she was doing just fine without revealing herself. This all lasted until the World Championships of Arm Wrestling where Layla would be taking on literally the strongest man in the world. He was a monster of a man, standing nearly seven feet tall, and over 400 pounds of mostly muscle. He took pleasure in destroying opponents, taunting and belittling them until a few even cried. He often tried and succeeded in injuring his competition, breaking several arms, laughing as the other man screamed in pain. It was unbelievable that he hadn't been banned from the league, but there were many rumors that he had serious dirt on many of the officials, and threatened blackmail if he wasn't allowed to compete. Now Layla was about to face him. Layla's mom often went to her matches, but had a previous engagement, so Allie flew home to take her.
The match was being held in an arena where thousands could attend to watch. And it was even on some tv stations. The table for the match was in the center of a raised platform in the middle of the arena. The place was very loud, and Layla was clearly nervous. Allie rubbed her shoulders and continued to do what she could to pep her up. Her name was announced with her entrance music, "Another One Bites the Dust", by Queen. It was quite the feeling walking out in front of a raucous crowd, with flashbulbs going off all over the place. Allie was allowed in her corner, and Layla doubted she could have done it without her there. Darringer the Destroyer or whatever the hell he called himself, came out flexing and showing off to the crowd many who seemed to enjoy his despicable antics. Layla had received a good amount of cheers as well, but this was basically his home turf. The Philadelphia area wasn't known to be kind to the opposing team.
"You can take this guy. I bet you're ten times stronger than him by now. Just remember, keep your composure, and don't let him get in your head." Allie said, looking her in the eye.
Layla nodded, always trusting her sister's advice, and stepped up to the table.
"So chopstick, maybe I can use you as a toothpick later. I think I've got some of the last guy I ate alive, still stuck in my teeth. Girls shouldn't even be allowed in the arena, unless they're getting in line to get a piece of his majesty." he said, disgustingly waving his hand over his crotch.
Layla wanted to strangle the guy, but she kept her face even keel, trying not to show any emotion.
"Maybe I should just use my pinky. What do you think? It's probably stronger than your entire body." He waved his pinky finger at her.
Layla was still stone faced.
The referee stepped up and had them lock their hands together. Before the ref even removed his hand, Darringer slammed Layla's arm down, smashing it against the table. Layla cried out, grabbing her wrist. Darringer backed away, hands in the air, grinning. The ref warned him, giving him one strike.
"That bastard. Are you okay?" Allie asked, worriedly. She looked over Layla's wrist and hand, having her flex it back and forth.
"I'm alright." Layla was anxious to get back to the table.
They eventually locked hands again, and this time before the ref even had time to reset them, Darringer twisted her wrist roughly at a strange angle, causing her to cry out again.
"Oh come on, little shrimp! Can't handle the big boys? Maybe you should run home to Mommy and Daddy! Going to cry? Make sure the cameras get a shot of those little tears."
Darringer was warned a second time, a third strike would result in forfeit. The ref came to check on Layla to make sure she was able to continue. She wasn't backing out now.
"Ok Layla. Remember how I said you should avoid revealing your secret to anybody?"
Allie asked, a serious look on her face.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Do it. You need to humiliate this guy beyond reason. He needs to learn a serious lesson. Unleash the beast, and don't hold back one ounce. Alright?"
Layla got a huge grin on her face, and nodded. She stepped up to the table, an overwhelming feeling of confidence filling her. She held the grin as she put her arm back on the table.
"What are you smiling at shrimp?"
Darringer looked slightly confused, but grasped her tiny hand, engulfing it with his bear paw. The ref kept a wary eye on Darringer, but got them set and started the countdown.
"3, 2, 1..."
Darringer tried to go for the quick slam, but Layla's arm didn't budge an inch. Her grin got even wider. He got an angry look in his eye and started to really push. But still her arm didn't move.
"There's no way your stick arm is doing this. This has to be some kind of trick. But no matter. I'll smash that grin right off your face, you little worm."
His face went bright red and sweat started to pour off of him. He began to pull down with all his weight, yet Layla was unaffected. She even stifled a yawn. This made him even angrier. He bounced his hand against hers, tried crushing her fingers, and even pulled so much his feet left the floor, but got nothing for his effort. Her grin just kept getting wider.
"You little cheating bitch. I'll teach you to grin at me." He continued to struggle mightily, roaring in frustration.
Layla finally spoke, very calmly.
"Hey, do you want to know my secret?"
"What are you talking about? What secret?"
"I'm really strong."
Layla's arm started to inflate like it had been attached to an air compressor. Her forearm quickly surpassed Darringer's huge hams by inches until it looked like it was at least five times as wide. It had so much muscle, it actually looked like her forearm had a bicep of its own, a precursor to the already bowling ball sized mound in the middle of her arm. The bicep inched higher and wider with every passing second. Every eye in the arena followed its ascent as it grew as high as her fist, pushing her fist forward to make room for it's still expanding mass. Darringer's mouth had fallen open. The mountain of muscle was actually creating a shadow that was slowly engulfing him. He now had to look up to see the peak, every muscle fiber seeming to pulse as it slowly expanded. Veins throbbed bigger than his fingers, pouring more and more blood into the bicep zeppelin. It didn't stop until it looked to be roughly six feet tall from the shredded tricep, which had deformed the table beyond recognition, to the ridiculously ripped split peak. A massive pumpkin shaped shoulder fully hid her head from sight for half of the arena.
"So what do you think? Should I flex now?"
