MOMENT OF TRUTH¹ eli moskowitz

molting

Amara got up the next morning and was on her way to the junkyard. Johnny had called his students in for a morning session.

Amara got dressed and began to leave the apartment. "You're not going." Jeremy told her.

"But Dad-"

"But nothing." Jeremy yelled, "I told you, I don't want you anywhere near him. And I sure as hell don't want you training at his dojo."

"Why?" Amara asked. "Because I'll find out the truth?" She scoffed. "What even is the truth, huh?"

Jeremy looked over at the wall and back at Amara. "I don't want you at that dojo, and that's final."

"Maybe final for you." Amara shot back with. "Karate has made me stronger and faster. Sensei Lawrence has helped me so much. I'm no longer a nerd!" Amara yelled at her dad.

"Whatever." Jeremy sighed, "I'm done arguing with you. It's your choice. You do what you want and see where you end up."

Amara looked at her dad with pure anger and stormed out of the apartment.

•♪~†~♪•

Everyone was at the junkyard except for Amara. Johnny had begun to worry. Amara had got there and parked her car and walked in.

"I thought your Dad made you quit karate?" Johnny asked, walking up to Amara.

"Yeah, but Cobras aren't quitters." Amara told Johnny. "We're fighters. Besides, you're gonna need me if you wanna win the All Valley."

Johnny smirked as he pushed her over to the other students and climbed onto the top of the roof of a kids academy van. "You've trained hard. You've gotten stronger, tougher, faster." Johnny said as he began his speech. "You've done your best. You're ready for this tournament, am I right?"

"Yes, Sensei!" The students exclaimed.

"Wrong!" Johnny yelled, throwing his beer in front of his students into the ground. Beer splattered up and got all over their feet.

"Your best ain't shit!" Johnny continued. "If you wanna win the All Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament, you gotta give me better than your best. Which is why from now on, you're gonna get my worst. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei!"

"Are you losers?" Johnny yelled.

"No, Sensei!"

"Are you nerds?"

"No, Sensei!"

"Are you sure?"

"No, Sensei!" All the students exclaimed. Johnny groaned, palming his face with his hands.

•♪~†~♪•

Johnny placed tires in a little obstacle course for his students. He had his students with every other one. Miguel led, then Amara, then Eli behind her.

"Move those feet." Johnny yelled. "Go, go, go!" He had the students going back and forth. "Let's go, squirt. Good job, buddy. Go!" He yelled

Finally the group was on their tenth rotation.

"Whoa!" Aisha said, falling on top of the tires. Miguel had tripped and fell on top of Aisha, then Amara fell on Miguel, and then Eli fell on Amara, it then turned into a 12 car pile up.

"Oh my goodness!" Johnny said.

He then moved them over and gave them all pieces of broken stuff. Amara had a wooden baseball bat. "Your enemies are all around you. Destroy them!"