Duck In The Battlefield

The Outcome

Chapter 23

Love of mine someday you will die but I'll be close behind.

My eyes fluttered and my nose twitched as I felt something soft caress my face.

I'll follow you into the dark.

"Mom? I mumble but her voice is already gone.

The feather like touch froze above me. My hands went to my face as I scratched more than rubbing. Suddenly I hear someone clear their throat. My eyes flew open and I realized I was in a dark brown room and there was a chunk of fluff in front of my face held up by an arm.

I follow the arm to Mike. He smiles a little off as he sees me and presses the fluff against my face again. I couldn't be fully mad. I looked around to see if the radio was on but it wasn't. I smiled as I relish in the thought of hearing my mother sing me that song again. The song she sang so many times after my father's death. It's been a long time since I last heard her voice.

"So I talked with Victor," Mike says softly.

"Really that's the first thing you say, not that you're glad I'm okay," I say playfully.

Mike rolls his eyes at me and lightly hits my forehead. "Originally I planned on hurting you much more when you woke up," Mike replied but he didn't smile his usual big smile.

I was starting to realize that he was being serious. As serious as Mike could be.

"And?"

"If anything happens to you..." Mike starts to say but he stops as he chokes up. He looks away for a few seconds his fingers tapping impatiently on the arm rest.

"I'm leaving you to Victor. If you're crazy enough to go through with what you did today then it's no use trying to make you normal," Mike says trying to be light. But his eyebrows are scrunched up too much in concentration and his eyes are too glossy.

"Mike," I say almost like a whisper as tears start falling. "I'll never be normal," I say trying to laugh but midway it turns into a sob.

Mike smiles at me as he bites his lip.

"You won't will you?" he says and then he laughs as I nod my head no, too afraid to speak.

"Even as a psycho you'll always be my baby girl," Mike says leaning forward to kiss my forehead.

The gesture makes me cry even more. This was a good bye. Not a definite one but I've never been apart from him.

"I called Nina while you were out and I'm moving in at the beginning of next month. I'm calling you every morning and night and if you don't answer I'm taking a bus straight over here and snatching you away," Mike says in that parental my words is law way.

I nod in agreement.

"School comes first so when summer is over you focus on your academics you hear me," Mike says and he continues with his rules until I pass out from exhaustion.

Until I pass out with a smile on my face because Mike was going to fulfill his dreams. Because Mike had a piece of spinach on his front teeth the entire time.

~~

"Aren't I so cool having a little sister like this!" Mike shouts from the living room.

I roll my eyes as I pour myself a bowl of macaroni. I hear Mike chanting Dancing Duck, Dancing Duck. This is the sixth time he's watched the disk of my fight on it.

I watched it two times after the fight and it wasn't until Mike started chanting it did I in fact realize they named me The Dancing Duck. Not very intimidating.

And by they I mean Drake. He's the whole reason why Junior thinks that's my name.Before him others only knew me as Chaya but no he had to be at an apartment complex when Mike was chasing me. What was he doing there anyways?

I sit down on the couch and change the tv channel so I could watch something other than my last second win.

"Are you going to the Firefly division today?" Mike asked sitting beside me and stealing some of my noodles.

I hit his hand away. I was at first confused when he said Firefly Division but I remember when I stayed with Junior he gave me a whole history lesson. Firefly is like the stage name Victor wanted. I doubt I'll stop saying Victor Division, it's just easier to remember.

The ranking is what I know I can remember. The Classes go from the lowest fighting cub which would be- for example- Class Firefly then Class D-A Firefly Division and when you win the championship you're ranked FireFly Division and get money.

There are eight of these fighting clubs in total in this city. There are divisions in every cardinal direction. Only three are Class A and one is a Division, they are the ones that go to championship while the rest wait to outrank or derank another club to go to championship. Junior tells me it's a yearly process.

Other than that the fighting club is pretty simple. Aparently Victor is the only person who recruits people who are in need, mainly homeless teens or teens who have troubles at home that can easily be escalated and someone dead.

Junior says it's because the age of adults who join has decreased and teens get a better life this way so for Victor it's a win win. They get a home and he gets fighters.

"You're neglecting me. I'm leaving and you're not even paying attention to me," Mike says.

I come out of my thoughts and realize that if I were paying attention Mike probably wouldn't have had my empty bowl of macaroni all over his face.

"Damn it Mike!" I shout angrily getting up to pour myself another bowl.

Mike laughs and follows me into the kitchen where he pours himself another.

"You never answered me," Mike says putting his bowl in the microwave with a pound of cheese on top.

I roll my eyes at his actions.

"No I want to stay home. I told Victor he said he understands."

Mike nodded and he looked a little far away.

"He's a good guy. That Victor," Mike says and I smile.

I am curious as to what Victor said that changed Mike's mind. To be honest leaving me here is crazy. It's like giving me a gun and telling me to fire away.

"So all loose ends are done with," I said sitting on the counter. "No more calls from Amy."

She had been leaving messages for a week straight. I listened to one and she was crying on and on about how she's sorry and want him back but I haven't seen Mike call back.

"I hope not. I kind of feel like giving the guy she cheated on a pat on the back for screwing her over. Better her being sad than happier than she was with me," he says and I couldn't help but agree.

"Who was the guy?"

Mike snorted and puffed out his chest. Something he does when he's about to brag.

"Blake. You know I punched him in the face," Mike said and I could just see his nose get bigger with pride.

But to be honest I was surprised. Mainly because I don't remember him limping to our room or bruised up. Can fighting be genetic?

"Really?What happened afterwards?" I said leaning forward anxious to hear the rest of the story.

Mike gave me an incredulous look. One that said what d'you think I did.

"I ran away of course I had a job interview coming up you think I'd risk damaging these goods," he says smiling his big tooth grin.

I couldn't help audibly oh wow him as we both cracked up. Without a doubt I was gonna miss my crazy brother.