Last Man Standing

Chapter 15: Running Interference

He wasn't moving.

I watched as Evander's opponent circled his lifeless body like a vulture, waiting to pluck out any sign of life. But there wasn't any; he was on his stomach completely unconscious.

Or possibly dead.

I couldn't see his back rising or falling with breath, but his baggy shirt masked most of his body from my inspection. If he was breathing, it could only be a shallow effort.

Blood began to gush out of the back of Evander's skull, turning his beautiful dirty blonde hair into a sticky copper mess.

I called his name vigorously, hoping he would wake up.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

I turned to see the scruffy man pushing his way through the crowd, stopping by my side. I ignored his question, turning back to Evander to continue my plea for revival.

"Get up and save yourself! Please! Please, wake up! You can't die like this!"

I looked to the arbiter for confirmation of his death and the end of the match, but he just stood to the side and waited for Evander to make a move.

I screamed at Evander again, but there was still no sign of life. My words were muffled by the excitement of the crowd, so I decided to step into the arena to check on him myself.

The scruffy man roughly grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back to his side.

"Let me go! I have to help him!"

"No, you don't."

"The arbiter isn't doing anything to-"

"You can't interfere."

"But he might already be dead!"

"What's he to you?"

He gave me a perplexed stare, waiting for my response. I looked back at Evander, confused by my own understanding of our relationship.

What was Evander to me? My neighbour? A friend? My fiancé?

No. Evander was nothing more than a stranger to me... but he didn't deserve to die.

The scruffy man brought me back to his attention by asking, "Is that your brother?"

"No!" I shot back a little too quickly.

"Then why do you care?"

I couldn't tell the scruffy man about my connection with Evander without revealing my feminine origins, so I lied.

"He went missing the same day my brother did, so he might know how to find him."

"Well, you'll need him alive to ask."

"Exactly! So let me go before that brute kills him!"

The crowd continued to holler with excitement, urging Evander's opponent to finish the job. The scruffy man surveyed the restless crowd before his eyes rested on the arbiter.

"You can't interfere during a fight. The arbiter will never allow it."

I was annoyed by his response. "What's he going to do? Punish me with a lashing!?" I asked bitterly.

"No, that's too messy for his liking." He paused before briskly adding, "He'll just stab you through the heart and be done with it."

I looked at the arbiter, "I don't care! Just let me save him!"

He sighed in frustration, "And how are you supposed to question this boy and later save your brother if you're dead!? Honestly, Marcus! Your rage might be useful in the arena, but the rest of the time I can't help but wonder if it's clouding your judgement. You would rather die in battle doing one good deed than survive so you can take care of the bigger picture."