Indelible (EN)

Chapter 11

"There's no virtue in picking a fight. If you find yourself in a fight, your job is to win. But if you can't win, you have to look for a way out."

- Jake Welch

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The first guy to come at me is pretty thin, which makes my job easier. He reaches out and grabs me by the shoulders. Bad choice man, I place my hands on his wrists, lower my body forward and kick with my right leg, in order to hit the belly of the aggressor who roars in pain. I take a few steps back so that the minimum distance corresponds to the size of an extended arm. This gives me a little more time to react to the next blow. The greater the distance, the more vulnerable my opponent will be, since he'll have to be off-balance to reach me.

I can hear you from here. I gave the first blow, yes, but so what?

As I step back, I have time to identify the attack of the other, bigger and stronger man, who is coming at me, but it's too late, he's already very close. I take a defensive action, protecting my face by raising my arms in front of me and tucking my shoulders in. The blows come fast and are full of power.

Ah... It's been so long, I'm almost tempted to let him give me a real hit. He grabs my wrists and tries to spread my arms. I'm at a strength disadvantage, so I have to dodge quickly.

The spectators boo the man and encourage me to win the fight. I knee him in the cock and hear him whimper like a little girl. Then a sharp pain shoots through my abdomen. I look down, a beautiful gash visible in the little black top Cassie bought me today.

- Xiona! shouts Cassie, panicking at the sight of the blood that now marks my belly.

- It's nothing. I assure her.

I turn to the man with the knife.

- Is that what you're going to use to stop me? I sneer.

- Come here, bitch. He orders.

I lunge forward and give him a roundhouse kick. He collapses right away. This taekwondo technique, learned after my father's death, comes to me instinctively.

I feel the wound deepen and the blood flow. Normally, I would have gloated at the pain, but now it's my ego that takes a hit, for having let my guard down against this two-bit kingpin.

The other man tries to pick up his companion, but he's too stunned and falls back again. A girl hands me a bottle. I'm about to strike the final blow. The man plants his glassy eyes in mine, and I smile at him, excited at the prospect of crushing it against his skull. My arm advances towards him, dangerously, at breakneck speed, and he closes his eyelids, ready to take it.

But strangely enough, I don't hear the thud of the impact. I look around me, time hasn't stopped. Someone is holding my forearm with a lot of strength but effortlessly. Curious, I look towards the person who's preventing me from hitting the swelling.

- That's enough. Bellows a deep, husky voice that reaches my ears.

My eyes still riveted on the few of his face I can see, I realize a few seconds later that this person is none other than the mysterious man from the bar last time. His long, slightly wavy hair still falls in front of his eyes. A hood is once again placed over his hair, as if the black sweater he wore earlier had become his second skin.

I don't release my fingers from this bottle and try to undo his animal grip, but I don't move a millimeter.

- Let go of me! I recommend in his direction.

He takes my arms and positions them behind my back. I'm impressed by his speed. With his back to me, he murmurs:

- I said, that's enough. he demands, his tone calm but piercing.