Week 3 Story: The Venus Games

(The Alnwick Garden : Sunshine and Roses In The Walled Garden by Richard West)

The shot opens on a beautiful archway covered in foliage and pink roses before panning up to view a large grassy courtyard. The camera moves slowly over the field where there are eleven people standing in a group, all waving to the camera. The scene cuts and instead we see a gorgeous woman with blonde hair, wearing a flowing white dress with the palest pink tint to it. Next to her sits a young man with strikingly similar facial features and the same golden blonde hair, except his is shorter and in disheveled mop of curls. He wears a similar flowing fabric, tied over one shoulder and secured with a belt at the waist. He has wings on his back, pure white and looking soft as clouds. As the music in the background fades, a band on trumpets picks up. The woman opens her mouth to speak:

“Listen to those beautiful trumpets swell! I love a good lead in, you know. And with that, we are glad to welcome you to the third annual Venus Games! I’m your host, Venus herself an-“

“And I’m your co-host, Cupid!”

“Yes, dear…Anyway! Back to this season’s contestants, my they are a lively bunch. Psyche, can you tell us a little about who we will be watching today?”

The camera switches to a front shot of eleven people down on the grass, and now their faces can be seen. Ten of them stand paired off in five sets, and one woman stands to the side. She, like our hosts, is incredibly beautiful. Her blonde hair is tied up in an intricate knot and her light blue dress seems to float on its own. She smiles at the camera and begins speaking: 

“Thank you, Venus! We have some wonderful contenders here today! We have Viola and Dante, Oscar and Sebastian, Alfie and Alice, Owen and Vanessa, and finally Eve and Illiana!” 

As Psyche recites the names of the couples, the camera moves by them and they all wave enthusiastically. 

The camera cuts back to Venus and Cupid in their booth. Cupid speaks: 

“So let’s talk a little bit about what today will look like. Here on Venus Games, each season we will have five couples compete in our games to challenge the strength of their love and see which couple can stand the tests of time, or the tests of Venus, I should say. Each day, we focus on just one challenge where each couple takes turns completing, or attempting to complete, it. However, at the end of the day, one couple is eliminated. The couple with the lowest score, either from not completing the task, or having the slowest time, will go home. Our last two couples take on the final challenge and one emerges victorious!” 

“A lovely explanation, my dear. You may recall our past winners, Pygmalion and Galatea from season two and our very own Cupid and Psyche from season one! Today we will be focusing on the sorting challenge. Psyche?” 

The camera is back with Psyche and the five couples. Psyche smiles warmly as she explains. 

“For their first task, our couples must sort a mountain of mixed beans, peas, and other similar items into different piles based on what they are. A pile for green peas, a pile for red beans, and so on! Let’s see that mountain!” 

The camera pans back and then past the group to show a pile as tall as one of them in the center of a large blue mat. After a few seconds, it cuts back to Psyche who is standing next to one of the couples. The woman has dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, sharp cheekbones, and a mid-thigh length toga. The man has curly black hair, a jaw line that could rival Cupid’s, and a similar toga. 

“Our contestants will have fifteen minutes to sort the whole pile! First up are Viola and Dante. They have been married for only three months now, and they are confident they have this challenge in the bag. Let’s see if they’re right. On your marks, get set, go!” 

With that, Viola and Dante sprint to the mat and begin sorting. 

Only ten minutes later, Dante drops the final bean into its pile and a buzzer sounds. Psyche walks over and joins them on the mat and addresses the camera. 

“Well wasn’t that amazing! Viola and Dante have done it! Can I just say, I am truly impressed? This is the first task but it is not meant to be simple! Our other competitors have a lot to live up to after that!” 

The camera follows Viola and Dante as they leave the mat hand in hand, beaming. Then it cuts to Venus and Cupid. Cupid has his hands on his head in surprise. 

“That was incredible! Only ten minutes to sort the whole pile. That is going to be hard to beat!” 

“Yes, it will be. After a commercial break, we will see who gets to try next!” 

The camera fades to black.

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Picking back up after the other four couples have competed: The camera opens to Psyche and Cupid, standing with all five couples. In Cupid’s hand, a golden envelope with a kiss mark from Venus.

“Well after an intense day of competing, it is unfortunately time for one of our couples to go home. In my hands, I have the names of those two people.”

He faces the line of couples and slowly opens the envelope. While waiting, the camera shows different shots of worried expressions.

“Today’s couple that is going home is…Owen and Vanessa, so sorry loves.”

One of the couples hugs each other and cries. The other couples console them and hug them goodbye as they walk off. The camera then switches back to a shot of Venus.

“That’s all for day one, and we hope you join us for day two to watch our sheep shearing challenge! Until then, goodnight from us here at the Venus Games!”

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Author's Note: In the story of Cupid and Psyche, the couple must overcome things like Psyche's jealous sister's, mistrust, and Venus' wrath. In the original, after Psyche finds out she is married to Cupid, she is brought before Venus and Venus makes her perform tasks thought to be impossible. However, with the help of different creatures, Psyche completes all of her tasks and she and Cupid are finally together at the end. 

For this week, I did a retelling of Cupid and Psyche, but I wanted it to be really different. The setting is now a couple's game show hosted by Cupid and Venus where couples compete (performing the same tasks Psyche had to do) for the chance to win the grand prize of...ultimate love? I wanted it to be about Venus testing love because that is why I believe she made Psyche complete the tasks in the first place. I know this was long, so thank you if you stuck it out!! 

Bibliography: "Cupid and Psyche" from within The Golden Ass written by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline