Chance Meetings?

Chapter 38-Chance Meetings

Chapter 38

Sam’s Pov

The room is dim, cold and smells like old socks. It was home, as weird as that sounded.

‘All right it’s time. You ready for this? It’s a big crowd….’ George smacks my upper arms and squeezes my shoulders, just like old times.

I nod. As soon as I step into that cage I would have to concentrate because I haven’t seen Sanchez fight before, only heard stories so I’d have to be on my game.

Adam steps into the changing room looking grim. ‘You ready? Sanchez is in there and he looks beastly.’

‘I’m ready,’ I assure him. I could easily reassure Adam he’s seen it all before but Emily was a different story. She took a lot of gentle convincing that I was ready to step back into the cage.

Just before my name is called to the audience I turn back and ask, ‘Is Emily out there?’

Adam smiles. ‘What do you think? Couldn’t keep her away from you even if I tried. Good luck man.’ He slaps me once more on the back and then it’s time.

The headlights in the rafters are bright and as soon as I step out the crowd screams. They hold their beer bottles in the air as a kind of salute as I walk down to the cage. Glancing to my left I make quick eye contact with George to confirm all was well before opening the latch and stepping in.  

I stand on my side of the cage bouncing on my toes to keep my muscles warm and loose, my gaze never wavering from Sanchez.

Sanchez has several impressive street titles under his belt; he is a close 6ft, tan and heavily muscled. I hadn’t fought him before, but I heard he fights like he knows each opponent like the back of his hand. I guess I was about to find out how well he thought he knew me.

‘The rules of cage fighting,’ the announcer begins. I’ve heard these sets of rules only a billion other times before but I don’t zone out. I have to be focused.

‘Anything goes, except eye-gouging, biting, hair-pulling, fight-hooking, groin attacks, putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration or joint manipulation. For your safety, no striking to the spine or the back of the head, no throat strikes. When you are on the ground, no clawing, pinching or twisting of the flesh, no grabbing the clavicle. No kicking, kneeing or stomping the head of a grounded opponent, and no kicking the kidney with a heel. Throwing is permitted, except spiking an opponent to the ground on his head or neck. No spitting, no holding the fence, no attacking during the break, after the bell has sounded or while the opponent is under the care of the referee. The referee has final and all say throughout the duration of this fight. Good luck gentlemen and fair fighting. Bump fists.’

We step forward and bump fists. A strange feeling comes over me and I want to search the crowd for Em, just to make sure she was alright, but I don’t break eye contact with Sanchez as we step back. I have to trust Adam will keep her safe while I’m up here in the cage.

Something is off in the way Sanchez stares at me a couple of feet away, taking me up for size and his mouth tipped like he’s already won.

 ‘Begin!’

I clench my hands into fists and we circle each other slowly, both waiting for the other to take first bait. Sanchez edges closer and I know I’m going to need to throw the first punch before he could get too close and get an advantage on me early.

I rush him and swing my arm. One, two, three strikes to his jaw before he ducks and throws one of his own. His uppercut to the chin knocks my head back, the room tips before I regain my bearings a second later.