Big Fight in FortReal

Showdown with Maximo

While Momento and Mark were sitting at the Bigtime table, Maximo approached them with an air of rage. He addressed Mark with a controlled but promising anger, 'what's up with the eye?' He, spoke with deliberateness that deemed Mark's answer, whatever it was, not important, and repeated, 'what's up with the eye?'

Mark stood up and produced few words, 'Nothing, just a clumsy fall on the stairs; something very minor.' Maximo ignored Mark's answer and tried again 'I said what's up with the eye?'

'Just a stupid fall; that's all.'

Maximo contracted his lips and maintained his eyes focused on Mark's eyes driving fear into them. 'Is that all you got to say,' Maximo said.

'Just a clumsy fall.'

Maximo drew air in and with a calmer tone said, 'one last time, what happened.' Maximo loved prolonging the torment he inflicted on people, and this was no exception. He was enjoying every moment of it as it quenched his sadistic inclinations.

Mark didn't respond. Maximo advanced his head, like a cobra on the verge of releasing venom, and screamed out, 'Maldeev told me that his boys jumped you yesterday. He was rubbing it in.' Momento, at that point, stood up and positioned himself between the two.

'It wasn't a big deal; nothing to get worried about,' Mark said in awe. Maximo maintained his focused stare directly at Mark pushing more terror. Momento tried to diffuse the situation by padding the shoulder of Maximo, but Maximo remained tense.

'Do you like getting beat up,' Maximo said, over pronouncing the B's and T's while irritatingly rubbing his palms against each other. Then, he reiterated at a louder tone, 'Do you like getting beat up. Do you enjoy getting beat up!'

Maximo mastered the art of building up to terror and awe, and this was no exception. 'Do you like getting beaten up? Are you a wimp?' Maximo continued to build the pressure on Mark. Mark was quite exhausted and didn't utter a word. 'Listen, I don't want a wimp sitting on this table,' he exclaimed while softly biting his lower lip. Mark still didn't speak at all, but Maximo's new escalation rendered him thinking about the Quarts. The situation had spiraled out of control, and the Quarts have become at stake.

'No. No. No. No. No wimp is going to be sitting here; no way,' Maximo roared. He then looked at Mark with bulging eyes and said, 'you go to the Rallviant table, and you beat one of them up like they did to you or I don't want to see your face on this table ever again.' Maximo's threats were merited. The Bigtime table was at stake: the tree, which supplied him with ripe Quarts all-year-long was up in flames. This was one of those moments in Mark's life where he didn't think or contemplate. The Quarts were in full control of him; they guided him and freed him from thinking. He stood up and launched himself towards the Rallviant's table. Maximo signaled to Drung to go and fetch him. Drung, with a quick pace, followed Mark and got hold of him in time and brought him back to the Gallviant table. Maximo did not think Mark had it in him. Even Mark didn't think he had it in him either, but the Quarts propelled what would have seemed impossible otherwise. The Bigtime table was Mark's only cash crop; it was his food basket. Without the table, he would have been stripped from his Quarts and left for the Knowledge High stray dogs to have a round or two at him.

'Mark, let's attend chemistry class today,' Momento said addressing Mark. He rarely attended chemistry class, but it was a pretext as to close the curtains on this piece of drama. Maximo looked at Mark quickly and said with vigor, 'I'm watching you, Mark. You better not slip again.' 'Let's get going; let's go,' Mark responded to Momento. Both of them stood up and escaped the thick air surrounding the Bigtime table. They walked without one of them uttering a word. A kid passed by them and yelled, 'Momento, the mac man. What is up.' 'It's happening,' Momento said while producing a joyful smile.

'Thank God, it's over with,' Mark said with relief.

Momento went on the attack. 'What's wrong with you - cousin. You knew this would piss Maximo off. Are you crazy?' Momento stopped as he noted someone he knew sitting with a group of people. 'Just a minute cousin.' Mark stopped and looked from a distance. The table that Momento approached went from quiet and dull to fully animated and bubbly. Momento's loud laughter orchestrated the others to do the same. Within few minutes, they seemed inseparable from him. He then waved bye to them and rejoined Mark.

'Where was I? Oh yeah. Bro, the other day, Drung heard from somebody that you're going around calling Maximo names. You called him an idiot. Man, that's suicidal. Why would you do that,' Momento addressed Mark. He then continued talking but at a lower tone, 'I hate Maximo too. But what can you do: It is what it is. Bro, you are the only one who argues back at Maximo. People would love to be in your position,' he then sighed. 'Maximo is not such a bad guy. He helps me out a lot and helps others.

'But you bring him so much connections,' Mark rebounded.

'Enough of this Mark. Please try to avoid these situations. You gain nothing from them,' he said now with a flushed face.

'Bro...'

'No buts. This is deadly. Maximo will crush you. You can't stay on this course. Coz, remember when we were kids.'

Mark nodded.

'We used to wrestle but you managed to beat me sometimes even though I'm stronger than you. You beat me because you are so stubborn - you never give up. Don't be that person with Maximo,' Momento said while shaking his fist.

Mark nodded his head in agreement; he sincerely did not ever want to be in a confrontation of this scale with Maximo.