Run, Fight, Repeat

32 | Astrid

Astrid

- 9:43 pm -

I played with Charles until my parents got home and I ducked out as soon as I could. I texted them telling them I was going to see an old friend so they won't put out a search party for me. I went back to the trailer for a shower and a meal. Now I'm pulling into the back of the warehouse and walking inside.

Coen is watching another fight with everyone else. I walk over next to him. "Hey." I say to him.

"Hey." He replies.

"Why are there so many people here?" I ask looking around.

"For your fight tonight at eleven." He answers. "It's a four person cage fight."

"Great." I watched Dominic do a cage fight once. He lost badly. "Am I in anything before then?" I ask him.

"Nope. Just the cage." Coen answers.

- 10:54 pm -

I stand in the ring with three other men. Two of them are huge. But there is one that looks very nervous. He won't even hold eye contact with me. He'll be easy to take down.

Then the cage goes down and the door is locked shut. After a few minutes, the bell rings. The two large men go at each other and I lunge at the other guy. He tries to duck away but I get him and throw him onto the ground. I put his next in the crook of my elbow and squeeze until he passes out. Then I just wait until one of the larger men is out so I can go at the other one.

I am in the corner with my hands on the ropes watching everyone in the ring. Just as the other big guy goes down the tiny guy wakes up. His eyes are wide and scared. As the big guy catches his breath I go to the small guy and kick him right in the face he goes down.

Then the big guy comes at me. He is so large and scary. At first I back up, but then I accept my fate and fight back. We go at each other and we are both bringing it fully. He and I are both very strong, and very experienced. As we fight I can see some weaknesses in him: He always gets squeamish when I go anywhere near his fingers. Taking that into consideration, every chance I geet I take them in my hands and crush them.

He cries out in pain, but continues to fight. He gets behind me and holds me in a strong bear hug. It crushes my elbow into my sore ribs. I try my best not to cry out. But then three gun shots sound and he releases me. Both my opentent and I turn to the noise. It came from a gun that Damon fired.

"Rowan, Rowan, Rowan." He mocks.

"You just had to come now?" He whines. "It was getting to a good part." Rowan motions to the ring.

Damon turns to us and sees me. His eyes get angry. "It's going to have to wait." He says coldly. Then I notice all men I've never seen here before surrounding the perimeter of the building. This isn't going to end well.

Rowan sighs. "Fine. But you guys keep going. I still need a winner." He says to me and the large man. "The rest of ya, get them."

Violence breaks out between everyone. My opponent comes at me and we continue to fight. Rowan is just a bit over his head. No one survives the Crip. We may all die. But what's for sure is that the Crip will be the only ones standing at the end.

Me and the big guy continue to fight. He is starting to get repetitive, I can tell he is distracted, and tired. But then I see something out of the corner of my eye. Damon and Coen are going at it. It angers me. Coen is like my brother, I need to help, and protect him, that's all he has ever done for me.

I grip the man's neck and in one quick move, it snaps. He isn't dead, just napping. Now I have to get out of the cage. I need to find something to break the lock. So I go under the ring. It's dark, and I can't see anything. I'm losing time! I try to feel around and thankfully I find a pair of clippers. I quickly drag them out from under the ring and shove then through the holes in the cage and cut the lock. I burst through the door and search for Coen.

I spot him on the floor at the end of Damon's glock. Without hesitation I step in front of the gun and twist it out of Damon's grip. His face is full of shock. "Astrid-" Coen speaks.

"Go home, Coen." I order. "While you still can." Eventually with a huff I hear him run away.

"I thought you were done." Damon states, putting his hands up.

"Far from." I answer. I'm so exhausted my eyes begin to tear.

"Rowan said-"

"Rowan is a cheater, and a lair. He makes too much money to stop now." I explain.

"But-"

Suddenly a hand grips my neck and pulls me onto the ground. "There has to be a winner." It's the man from the ring. I try to fight him off but he caught me off guard. But then, everything goes black.

- 2:47 am -

My eyes open. I look around to see I'm in a bedroom. I wish I was in a hospital bed. But instead I am in someone's bedroom. I slowly and quietly sit up and look around. The room is clean. So I'm not in the warehouse. Then, all air leaves my lungs when I see Damon sleeping in a chair.

I hate to admit it, but he looks adorable. He is wearing a t-shirt and grey sweatpants. There is a bruise on his temple. Knowing I put that there makes me smile, but then makes me angry that I hurt him so bad, and put up such a fight yet, still lost. Before he wakes up, I get up and walk toward the door. I pass a mirror and get a look at myself. I'm changed into a large t-shirt. I look under it to see I still have everything I had on, on.

I reach for the door handle and slowly turn the nob. But before I can turn it, hand grips my shoulder and spins me around. Damon's large honey eyes filled with concern stare down at me.

"Are you alright?" He asks. "Do you feel okay?" He sounds genuinely concerned. I don't answer. For some reason, his eyes, and his grip on my arm brings my guard down, slightly. "Do you need anything?" He asks me.

"N-no." I mumble.

"Do you need to take a seat?" He offers. Before I can answer he places his large hands on the small of my back and leads me to the bed. I take a seat, and he kneels in front of me. "Astrid. Are you okay?" He asks again.

No. I'm not. My head, back, and ribs hurt. Damon puts a hand on my cheek and gently pushes my face to face him. And once again our eyes are locked. "You're safe. No more fighting. No more Hustlers." He states.

"What? Wait- What?" I say getting my hopes up.

"Yea. It's over." He says. It feels like a thousand pound weight was just lifted from my chest. I'm done. I'm done! "Oh, and that night. Where we had a match. I'm-"

I silence him by putting my hand over his mouth. "Don't be. Plus, it's all over now." I say. Saying that is over tastes like suger rolling off my tounge. 

"But still-"

"I said: don't be." I repeat.

"Fine." He sighs in his defeat. I laugh a little. "What's so funny?" He asks looking up to me with a smile.

"You're such a pushover." I state with a chuckle.

"Whatever." He laughs. We sit in a comfortable silence. But I break it with a yawn. "Why don't you go back to sleep?" Damon offers.

I don't argue. All I do I lay on the left side of the bed and get under the blankets. Damon lays back on the chair. A few minutes go by and Damon is struggling to get comfortable.

"Just come over here and stay on the right side of the bed." I mutter.

"No, I can't-"

"Your shuffling is annoying." I mumble.

"Okay." He whispers. Slowly he gets up and I feel the bed shift under his weight and he lays down with his head at my feet. I throw a pillow at him and he thanks me. Then for the first time in forever, my body relaxes.