Secret by Carl Alves

This is a reprint of my story Secret, a story about an over the top, outrageous reality game show that was published nine years ago in the now defunct Scorched Wings magazine.

Secret
By Carl Alves


Brad Billington sat in the office of the vice-president of the television network.
Rudich shook his hand. “It’s good to see you again, Brad. I hope you’ve been well since we last spoke.”
Brad shrugged. “It’s been tough.”
“I heard you had been hitting the bottle hard,” Rudich said.
“I’ve got it under control,” Brad lied. Sober for the first time in a week, he found himself craving a drink.
“It’s been difficult for all of us after How Far Will You Go flamed out,” Rudich said. “But I think you handled the situation professionally. You’ve been a good soldier, taking responsibility for what went wrong. I just want to let you know that all of us here at the network appreciate your efforts. That’s what being a team player is all about. We haven’t forgotten you.”
Brad nodded. “Thank you.”
“Because of that I want to see you back on television again.”
Brad’s eyes lit up. It was as if he were lifted from a deep slumber. “We’re going to do another season of How Far Will You Go?”
Rudich shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
Less than a year ago, Brad had been the host of the most successful reality game show in the history of television. How Far Will You Go dazzled the network executives and its sponsors with eye-popping ratings. For a five week period it was the highest rated television program. Brad, a former quarterback at USC was tall, athletic, good looking, and a natural celebrity. His career burnt in flames when two contestants died in the last week of the show after undergoing two deranged challenges.
Brad’s shoulders slumped. “But the people couldn’t get enough…”
Rudich put up his hand. “We created television history with How Far Will You Go, but that chapter’s over. The liability and bad press are too prohibitive to run it again. I have something else in mind, and you’re the ideal host. It’s a new reality game show called Secret.”
Brad’s enthusiasm grew as Rudich made his pitch.


“Welcome America, this is your host Brad Billington, and tonight we begin a journey into the darkest reaches of a man’s soul as we reveal the most private moments of these seven individuals who will bare their lives for your viewing pleasure. Don’t worry, this bare exposure of their lives comes with a considerable reward. The final contestant standing at the end of this journey will win two million dollars and a role in the upcoming Mutant City III movie, coming to theaters next summer. For a prize that big, you better believe that they will be revealing secrets a little bigger than cheating on a high school test.”
Brad supressed a smile. He couldn’t believe they were actually making Mutant City III. The first two were the worst movies he had ever seen.
Nearly two years since the finale of How Far Will You Go, much of the country had forgotten about Brad’s troubles. Now that he was back on the air, he felt revitalized.
Brad introduced the contestants. Each one had done shady if not despicable things in the past. The rigorous screening process for the contestants took nine months. When they narrowed the field down to a reasonable number of applicants, the producers of the show hired private investigators to uncover unsavory information about their past. After reviewing the information, they selected seven contestants.
The television and studio audiences viewed a three minute bio on each contestant as Brad introduced them.
“So, Andy Wallace, you’re a prominent trial attorney back in the Philadelphia area, what would make you agree to be on this show?” Brad asked.
The attorney’s eyes narrowed. “One word: money.”
Next he spoke to Desiree Turnman, a dance instructor from Virginia. Desiree wanted to break into Broadway and thought that Secret would give her good exposure.
Brad had a wide smile as he approached Sal Morrello. “I have to say, Sal, you’re the most unsavory competitor on this show. You’re a pimp from Detroit. In your bio, you told America you were a lock to win because you don’t care what they reveal about you.”
“It’s all good, dog,” Sal said. “Just show me the dough.”
Halfway through the program, they were ready to start the first round of the competition. Brad took center stage. “The way this show will work is simple. Each contestant will have one secret revealed about them. We will give them a topic. They will then let us know if they want us to reveal their secret. If they do not want it revealed, then they are eliminated. They have a red button at the podium. At any time during the challenge, they can press it and we will stop revealing the secret. If they press the red button, they are eliminated. When the secret is revealed in its entirety, they will advance to the next round. Are there any questions?”
Andrea Bennett, the gym teacher from Indiana, raised her hand. “What if we did something, you know, kind of illegal?”
“Well, Andrea, you’re just going to have to determine whether or not it’s worth uncovering your illegal activity for the chance of winning the grand prize.” Brad could tell she was going to be fun to have on the show. Andrea was not very bright and they had uncovered countless scandals in her past.
The first round started with mild secrets, and every contestant survived.
After coming back from a commercial break, Brad Billington said, “As we begin the second round of the competition, I would like to inform everyone that as each round goes by, the severity and intrigue of the secrets will increase. So if you were fascinated by what has been revealed thus far, well ya ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
The third contestant in the second round was Sal Morrello. “Sal, we’ve learned a little about your life, but I’m curious, how did you get into pimping?” asked Brad.
“You call it pimping, but I’m a salesman. I provide a service that men require and are willin’ to pay a fair price for. I ain’t no different than a nine to five, shirt and tie guy. To answer your question, I took over my Uncle Leo’s business after he was incarcerated.”
“I’m sure you made him proud. Well Sal, your topic is ‘ways of making money’.”
“I’ve made cash in more ways than you can imagine. Go ahead.”
“In 1994, for a period of three months, you posed as a blind man and panhandled money at a street corner.”
The audience jeered.
“Hey what’s wrong with that?” Sal said.
“That’s repulsive,” said Jamie Duncan, a nurse from Florida and a contestant on the show.
“Hey, he who don’t have sin can cast the first stone. What’s the matter, honey, you ain’t never done nothin’ shady for money? You know, you gotta nice set of legs. I can fetch a nice price for you.”
“You’re so disgusting,” Jamie said.
The first episode of Secret ended at the conclusion of the second round.
“Don’t forget to tune in next Tuesday. We’re going to unveil secrets about prostitution, thievery and all sorts of fun stuff. Until then this is Brad Billington saying goodbye, and remember the terrible things you do may some day be revealed.”


Brad Billington did not share his colleagues’ enthusiasm when he learned about Secret’s overnight ratings. It was the number one show on its time slot, but that was not good enough.
He called for a meeting with the producers of the show and yelled at them for a half hour. Secret was going to be the biggest show on television. It was just a matter of convincing the public. After three hours, they agreed to his suggestion of leaking scandalous information about the contestants through the Internet.


Brad’s idea worked to perfection. The second episode had tremendous buzz. Now, he had to deliver the kind of show that would keep the audience coming back for more.
The third round started off with Andrea Bennett.
“So, Andrea, what do your students think about your participation on the show?”
“Oh, they love it,” the gym teacher said. “The kids have been real supportive.”
“I doubt your school’s administration will share that opinion after tonight.”
“Uh-oh,” Andrea said. “Did I do something bad?”
“We’ll find out. Are you ready for your secret?”
Andrea nodded.
“The category is ‘real body parts’.”
“I’m going for it, Brad.”
“I’m sure you are. Over the last five years you have had breast enhancement surgery, liposuction, and collagen treatments for your lips.”
Andrea laughed. “There’s hardly anything real on me.”
After several others advanced to the next round, Chris Aiken, an accountant from Michagen stepped to the podium.
“The category is ‘things you keep at your desk’,” said Brad.
“Uh, man.” Chris paused a while before taking a deep breath and agreeing.
“We have a special guest that will reveal Chris’ next secret. Please welcome Rufus Norris, a janitor at your company.” A short, black balding man entered the stage. “It’s nice to have you here tonight, Rufus. So tell us what you know about our friend Chris.”
“That dude has the biggest stack of porno mags at his desk. Man, it ain’t like nothin’ I ever seen. You pull open his drawer and he got at least thirty of them. And I ain’t just talkin’ about Playboy and Penthouse. I’m talkin hardcore stuff. Man, this dude’s into some weird shit.”
Chris glared at the janitor. “You son of a bitch. I can get you fired.”
“I don’t know, Chris,” Brad said. “I would be worried about my own job if I were you.”
Chris stormed off the podium.
The audience was raucous as the next round started. Desiree Turnman was at the podium.
“Now, Desiree, I’m sure most people watching think you’re a normal person, but appearances can be deceiving.”
Desiree smiled at the camera.
“As we all know, you’re a dance instructor. In your bio, you told us that you aspire to be a Broadway dancer. The topic of your secret is ‘former occupations’.”
Desiree covered her eyes. When she removed her hand, she was near tears. “But my daughter’s watching.”
“You can buy your daughter a lot of nice things with two million dollars. And a role in Mutant City III could help your career.”
The audience cheered wildly when Desiree agreed to go for it.
“For your secret we have a former employer of yours. Please welcome Steve Mancuso.”
Mancuso was overweight and poorly dressed. He had a comb over and a week’s worth of stubble on his face.
“Mr. Mancuso, you’re the owner of Cleopatra’s, a gentleman’s club in New Jersey.”
“Yeah, and Des used to be one of my best dancers. She used to do private shows, one on ones, all kinds of stuff.”
“I think we have some footage,” Brad said.
The producers rolled an extremely edited tape of Desiree stripping at the club.
“Desiree, I would never have guessed.”
“Hey, you still do that kind of work?” Sal Morrello called out from the rear of the stage.
“Shut up, you filthy bastard!” Desiree started crying and walked off the stage.
When they returned from a commercial break, Brad addressed the audience. “It appears that Desiree Turnman has walked off of the set and has not returned. As a result, she has been disqualified from the competition. Apparently those skeletons in the closet were a little too much. So we are now down to six.”
“Too bad, that woman had nice juggs,” Sal Morrello said.
Doug Fraser started the next round. “The topic is ‘things you did for money’.”
Doug sighed. “This is tough. I don’t know, man. I don’t want to get arrested, you know.”
Brad shrugged. “That’s certainly understandable.”
“But if I win, I’d be friggin rich, you know. All right, go ahead. I’ll just cross my fingers.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll be arrested, but let me tell you, this is pretty rough. Last July you were paid three hundred dollars to sleep with a sixty-eight year old woman.”
“Shew. That ain’t so bad.”
The audience greeted Doug with a chorus of boos.
“Hey, you know, older women have needs too.”
The camera panned to Doug’s mother, who gasped in obvious horror.
Doug scanned the monitor. “Sorry, Ma.”
The final contestant was Chris Aiken. “This is the last secret of the evening,” Brad said. “And believe me, we saved a good one for last. The topic is ‘United Contractors’.”
Aiken’s face turned white. His eyes shifted nervously around the studio. The audience chanted for him to go for it.
“We have one minute left in tonight’s show. So we need to know your decision now.”
“I can’t do it,” said Chris.
“That’s too bad. I’m sure the audience would have loved to hear this one. Anyway, you are out of the competition and we have to go. See you next week.”
As the camera stopped rolling, Brad smirked, knowing Chris would have been arrested if he had revealed that Chris embezzled over one hundred thousand dollars from United Contractors Corp.


At the production meeting, the champagne corks were popping. The ratings had skyrocketed, making it the third most watched program that week. Once again, Brad was on top.
At the beginning of the third episode, the competitors had become less friendly and talkative except for Sal Morrello. Much to Chris Aiken’s chagrin, an investigation had been launched by his firm regarding his handling of the United Contractors job.
Midway through the fifth round, Andrea Bennett stood on the podium.
“The administrators at your school aren’t too happy. They suspended you without pay.”
Andrea shrugged. “Yeah, they didn’t like hearing that I passed out at a rave party.”
“You’re a wild one.”
Andrea giggled. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Well Andrea, your next topic is ‘trading places’.”
Andrea’s brow furrowed. “I wonder what that could be. Well, let’s find out.”
“Four years ago, you and your sister Beth concocted a scheme to swap boyfriends.”
“Did she tell you that? I can’t believe her.”
“So how did it work out for you?”
“Pretty good. Steve and I wound up being engaged for a couple months.”
At the end of that round, Andy was on the hot seat. The raucous audience shouted derivisive chants at the lawyer.
“So, Andy, I understand that your wife isn’t too happy after we revealed that you slept with your best friend’s fiancee a week before their wedding.
The trial attorney snarled, but said nothing. “Well, it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better for you. Your topic is, ‘things you do at funerals’.”
The camera panned to his wife Sybil, whose face tightened.
“Hey, whatever happened was before I got married,” Andy said.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Will you allow us to reveal your secret so that you can advance to the next round?”
After thinking for a minute, Andy responded, “Sure, but I got my hand on this red button.”
Brad paused to create a dramatic effect. “In the past you have gone to funerals of people you didn’t know for the sole purpose of trying to hook up with the grieving widow.”
The audience booed wildly.
Brad put his hands up. “Hey, I don’t make this stuff up.”
Andy’s face was red. “You guys have crossed the line. You’ll be lucky if I don’t sue you.”
“We crossed the line? You’re the one who’s trying to hook up with recent widows.”
During the break, Andy Wallace got into a shouting match with a production assistant. The atmosphere inside of the studio was like a rock concert, and Brad encouraged them to get louder.
After the break the first contestant was Sal Morrello. “Compared to that lawyer, I don’t look so bad. What a creep.”
“So, Sal, how has your life changed in the past couple weeks?”
“All kinds of people who never wanted nothing to do with me all of a sudden want to talk to me. I’ve become respectable. Go figure.”
“I’m glad to see that you’re enjoying your new fame. You’re the perfect contestant for this show since your lifestyle presents so much good material. Your topic is ‘offspring’.”
“Shoo.” Sal said.
“Over the past seven years, you have fathered four children out of wedlock.”
Their was a murmer from the audience.
“Hey that ain’t nothing. Those basketball players have more illegitimate kids than I do and nobody makes a big fuss over them. I take care of them…when I have to.” Sal bickered with members of the audience as he left the podium.
The tension mounted as Brad revealed each secret. With ten minutes left in the show, Andrea Bennett was at the podium and her topic was ‘viruses.’ She cringed at the mention of this category, but agreed to have the secret revealed.
“As a sophomore in college you contracted…”
A loud buzz sounded throughout the studio as Andrea became the first competitor to use the red button, not allowing Brad to reveal that in college she had contracted HPV and herpes. Two years ago she had to have surgery to remove part of her cervix as a result of her HPV.
“Oh, sorry Andrea, but you know what that means. You are out of the competition.”
The gym teacher giggled. “That’s too bad. I just wanted to let everyone know that I had a lot of fun and I’ll miss you guys. Good luck.”
That ended the third episode of Secret.
On the following day, network executive Geoff Rudich called Brad Billington into his office. Brad was sure his boss would break out another bottle of Dom Perignon.
When he entered, Rudich frowned. “It seems that we may have a problem.”
Brad’s face tightened. “What could possibly be wrong?”
“The ratings are terrific, and I want to keep this thing going for as long as possible. Secret is a success, and you have the magic touch. But there might be a problem with the pimp.”
“Sal?”
“The Detroit Police Department is investigating him. They don’t like the fact that someone operating illegally in their city has become famous. They may indict him.”
“Shit!” Brad slammed his fist on Rudich’s desk. “That can’t happen yet. We have to hold them off, at least for a few weeks.”
“We’re doing our best. The network lawyers are talking to the DA in Detroit, and we’re seeing if we can delay them, but I’m not sure it’s going to happen.”
“We can’t let this happen. Not now.”
Brad left the meeting determined not to let anything impede the success of his show.


Brad opened up the next episode by saying, “We are down to crunch time, folks. We have Doug Fraser, the taxi driver; Jamie Duncan, the nurse; Andy Wallace, the lawyer; and Sal Morrello from Detroit. All of them are gunning for the grand prize.”
After interviewing each of the four, Andy Wallace was the first up. His wife Sybil was notably absent. His topic was ‘child support.’
“Five years ago you paid your mistress, Dina Pilson, one hundred fifty thousand dollars to move to another state. Ms. Pilson was pregnant at the time. Since then, you have made annual under the table payments of fifty thousand dollars to Ms. Pilson. And before you try to deny it, we have copies of the funds transfers.”
Andy glared at Brad.
“Say hello to Ms. Pilson and your daughter Gina.”
On a live satellite feed, his mistress and four-year-old daughter were in their living room.
Andy charged at Brad and had to be restrained by several security guards.
Next, Jamie Duncan was on the hot seat. “Jamie, your secrets have been tame thus far. And that has made you the favorite to win this competition with the betting public. But this is crunch time and we’re going to turn up the heat.”
“Oh God,” muttered Jamie.
“Your topic is ‘children’.” The camera panned to her eight year old daughter sitting in the stands with her husband.
Jamie sighed, her face pale. She rested her head on her right hand, and looked at her smiling husband. Her hand hovered over the red button.
“Between the years 1988 and 1990, you had two abortions,” Brad said.
Tears formed in Jamie’s eyes as she left the podium. The camera showed a stunned look on her husband’s face.
The contestants were visibly on edge with the exception of Sal Morrello, who seemed to be having the time of his life.
Andy Wallace’s next topic was college applications.
“You guys better be careful here,” the lawyer warned.
“I’m sure we will,” said Brad. “On your application to law school, you claimed that you were an African-American. When the admissions board questioned it, you said that your Great-great-great-great grandmother was a slave and that if they did not allow this to stand, you would sue the university. As a result, you were admitted to law school. For the record, that last statement is speculatory. However, our research revealed that you have no such ancestor.”
“It’s true and I can prove it,” Andy said.
“You’re more than welcome to. If you survive to next week, you can prove us wrong.”
Andy glared at him. Brad almost expected the lawyer to charge at him again.
Doug Fraser followed him. His topic was ‘things you do at church.’
“On several occasions you had entered an open confessional booth…” Brad stopped when a loud buzz indicated that Doug Fraser had hit the red button to end his secret.
“I don’t think Ma’s heart could take that one,” said Doug.
“Probably not.”
Doug’s mother would not want to know that her son entered the confessional booth in a Catholic Church on several occasions and pretended to be a priest while listening to the confessions of parishioners.
“We’re down to three. Join us after the break to find out who will survive and be the ultimate winner.”
Brad hoped that none of the other contestants would be eliminated on this episode so the season could be prolonged.
With ten minutes left, Sal Morrello was on the hot seat. The topic was “pets.”
“Ooh.” Brad pursed his lips. “This is going to upset some people. Last year you poisoned your girlfriend’s French Poodle.”
The audience booed lustfully.
“How could you?”
Sal shook his head. “The little bastard would never stop barking. Night and day, it kept barking. Hey, any of you’s would’ve done the same thing if you were in my shoes.”
Andy had a devious grin when he stepped to the podium. His topic was “ex-girlfriends”.
“I’m going to turn the tables on you, Brad. I found out that while you were at USC, you were being investigated for aledgedly raping a co-ed during the week leading up to the Rose Bowl. The athletic director hushed the girl by offering her a scholarship, so they never brought charges against you, and you were able to play in the Rose Bowl.”
Brad Billington was stunned speechless. A producer screamed in his earpiece.
Brad gritted his teeth. “You had dated a fourteen year old girl and got her pregnant. Upon finding out about her pregnancy, you threatened to kill her if she did not get an abortion.”
Andy jumped from the podium. A security guard restrained him before he could reach Brad. “You son of a bitch! You can’t prove any of that.”
“You’re right,” Brad said. “We can’t prove it because she killed herself six months ago. Her sister and best friend gave us a testimonial, and we found a suicide note sent to her rabbi.”
Security carried an irate Andy Wallace off the stage. As a result of this outburst, they only had enough time for one last secret.
Jamie Duncan stood at the podium visibly shaken. Her topic was ‘hospital mishaps.’
“Four years ago, you failed to give Robert Price his heart medication, and he died. Later, you falsified his records by writing on his chart that you gave him his heart medication.”
Jamie sobbed as the show ended.


Brad could not believe it. The conclusion of Secret was mired in tragedy.
Two days after the most recent episode, the Detroit Police Department indicted Sal Morrello on drug possession charges. He had five pounds of cocaine and was arrested for intent to distribute. Sal claimed he was holding the drugs for a friend. Brad cursed himself. He should have insisted that the pimp stay in Los Angeles until the show ended.
Three days later, Brad received a phone call early in the morning. Jamie Duncan had committed suicide that night. The authorities lauched a criminal investigation into her involvement in the accidental death of Robert Price, and it was more than she could handle.
That meant there was only one contestant left, that loathsome slug Andy Wallace. Regardless, the show had to continue. But now there would be no buildup for the final episode. Unless—unless Jamie’s death and Sal’s arrest could generate enough intrigue to attract additional viewers. Brad got right to work on exploiting those angles.


“This is Brad Billington. Tonight we were supposed to have three contestants, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we are down to one. This past week, Sal was unjustly incarcerated. We did our best to get him out of jail, but the man has conspired against him.
“Another finalist, Jamie Duncan, took her life two days ago. We are all saddened by this loss. If only she could have hung in there, I am sure the two million dollars could have been a consolation as she faced criminal charges. That brings us to Andy Wallace.”
Andy stood at the podium with a winnng smile.
“Andy you will become the first winner of Secret, but just to make things interesting, you will have one last secret revealed.”
Andy scowled. “What? That’s a bunch of crap. I’m the only one left, so I win. Now give me my damn money. I’ll sue you.”
“Relax there, Andy. Being a prominent attorney, you should have read the clause in your contract stipulating that we can do this. So what will it be, Andy?”
“Reveal the God damn secret.”
“Don’t you want to know the topic?”
Andy shook his head.
“Very well. Five years ago, you bribed Judge Craig Berman to rule in your favor in an insurance fraud case.”
“Ha, I don’t even care. I won. You can kiss my ass. All of you.”
Streamers and confetti came down from the ceiling as Andy raised his hands triumphantly. The first four contestants eliminated walked onto the stage to congratulate him on his victory.
During this celebratory confusion, a figure wearing a bonnet and sunglasses emerged from an entrance to the studio. The woman walked up the aisle leading to the stage. It was too late before anybody noticed that Sybil Wallace, Andy’s wife, drew a .22 caliber pistol from her coat. She shot Andy three times in the chest before a guard tackled her to the floor.

A week later, Brad Billington presented the check for two million dollars and the contract for a role in Mutant City III to Doug Fraser. Despite all the turmoil, Brad Billington was content as he handed over the check. This was the future of television. After the camera’s went off a sick grin entered his face as he thought of a new idea, something that had never been done before on television and would send the ratings through the roof.

The End