The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 20 - Combats finissant les choses et art véridique

Clifton's hand flew to his jaw that he thought had been knocked out of place. His eye were wide and he looked up to see Ross standing at his feet. Heavy breathing and eyes cold as stone. Clifton hauled himself to his feet, moving his jaw in a circular motion.

"You didn't 'almost make it'. So shut your fucking mouth!" Ross seethed, his body leaning forward so his face was nearer to Clifton's. His eyes burned and his lips were pulled back into a snarl.

"Ross..." A voice whispered from beside him, a hand slithered round his shaking wrist. It was Courtney, someone had to pull him back. "Come on.." She mumbled, tugging at his arm lightly.

He sent one last glare to Clifton who rubbed his pounding jaw and let Courtney take him away. She walked him into the dingy room down the dark hall. She pushed him down on the couch and went back to the others who's stood in silence.

They had left all of their bags in the car, the only one they had was Jeanette's. Courtney beckoned for Nate to hand it over, he slid it off his back, dragging his eyes from Clifton and handed a strap to Courtney. Just as she placed it at her shoes, Clifton's feet thumped off the flooring. His eyes enraged and his knuckles white as his hands were clenched tightly into fists.

He was going after Ross.

"Clifton," Jeanette called out after him, her voice ricocheting off the narrowed walls of the hall but none of her calls reached his ears.

Ross's head raised from his hands and he stood to his feet, stepping forward curiously at the commotion. Like a bullet, Clifton came barreling through the slim doorway. Before Ross could move out of the way, Clifton's fist swung out and struck him across the face causing his head to snap to the side and his brain to jolt, hitting off his skull.

Ross shook his head, the light buzz in his head faded and he looked up just in time to see Clifton's arm raised again, ready to deliver another blow. Clifton's left foot stepped forward and his right arm swung down. Ross stepped to the side quickly, Clifton's arm going past his head and straight over Ross's shoulder. Ross yanked the inside of Clifton's right arm and pulled him closer.

This was one of the first moves his father ever taught him. He remembered how he constantly missed and failed.

Ross held Clifton's arm over his right shoulder with his left hand and pulled his right arm across his face shoving his elbow into Clifton's nose. The crack rang through the vacant room. The others stood in the doorway watching with open mouths and wide eyes.

Ross had fought before but they's never seem him fight tactically like this. Courtney stood inside the room, her back pushed against the wall, watching as Clifton's body tumbled to the ground.

Clifton's body crashed to the carpeted floor, his hand cupped around his nose. Blood gushed down his face pouring into his mouth, staining his pearly white teeth a vibrant red. He shook his head and dragged himself up, crashing down on the couch. His eyes watered with the pain and he tilted his head back to stop the bleeding.

Tears started rolling down his face, mixing with the blood. A choked sob broke his throat. "I'm sorry." He cried out. "God. I'm so sorry." He fell to the side, his head dropped into his hands and drops of blood fell to the stained carpet below.

"Jeanette." Courtney said over his constant apologies. "Get him cleaned up." Her voice tired and bored as she nodded to the hunched body of a broken Clifton. Her eyes travelled to Ross who stood wiping the blood off his elbow onto his black t-shirt with a bored expression. His knuckles were scuffed but no cuts or blood. It was because they had gotten used to hitting and being hit, they had become tough.