The Hart Game

Chapter Twenty-Seven

LUKE

2 years ago...

    Luke - 15

    Kyle - 18

    The guy throws a punch and I lift my arms to block. I can hear all the cheers around the ring. Another punch. Protect the face. I can't afford getting caught with a black eye by my parents so I taught myself to block punches away from my face.

    The Dungeon was having a tournament, and I was the youngest ever to make it to the end. This was the last fight of the season and I was up against the meanest and biggest guy on the planet and he was out for blood. My blood. Curtis "the Beast" Rockwell, I've been taunting him for months since I started this out and now tonight was his chance. Not like he ever had one.

    He goes for my side and I lean into it, letting him believe that it's free rein on my abdomen. I let him get in a few more punches before I quickly began to dodge his hits. A big guy like him is bound to get a bit tired after throwing all the punches. He swings his left hand and I duck and quickly punch his side and quickly move to the other side.

    The cheers become louder when they see the Beast falter in his stance. Some happy just because they had bet on me, the underdog of this whole tournament. When I first started this off last year, everyone said that I was too young, but when I gave them a giant wad of cash and entered the ring, my opponent only lasting about 15 seconds before he fell to the ground unconscious, they started to let me do more fights.

    "You little shit!" The Beast spits out as he tries to maneuver his giant form around to face me again. This guy has been unbeatable probably since before I was even born. Well, he's not going to be unbeatable anymore.

    One swing, then another, and another. I'm dodging all of them. Soon his breathing comes in pants, which tells me he's getting tired. I bet he's never been in a fight this long. During my time scoping out the fighters I saw that his only lasting as long as mine did. Less than 30 seconds.

    I guess we both have met our match. Yet he's ten times larger than I am and I lack the show of muscles. But one thing is for sure. He looks like he's about to pass out.

    This is it. Now is the time to act. Analyze then Act. You got this, Creepy. I keep repeating in my head. Distance yourself from the crowd around you. Soon enough the screams and cheers became faint. Soon the thing I was hearing was my own heartbeat, slow and steady.

    Calm.

    I began to analyze the Beast. Every time he would move, his step would falter a bit, giving him a moment of hesitation and that was my window to finish this fight.

    Analyze then act.

    He stepped forward, and I steadied my stance. Making me become a building on solid foundation. He takes a step back bring his arm up, watching his foot I saw a slight slip, and that was my chance. I pressed forward, put all my power in my legs, and using my hips to throw the best punch I had ever thrown in my fifteen years of existence.

    Then I heard the wonderful sound of a punch. And then, silence.

    Coming back down from the high I always get during these fights, I put down my defensive act to look around. Stunned faces. All around the ring. Than I looked down and saw why everyone was so stunned. The Beast was laying down on the ground, not moving.