Survival of the Fittest

The Fight Club

I wasn't always like this. I wasn't always hiding from the law. I wasn't always a fighter, and an underground one at that.  I used to have an actual job and an apartment. Instead now I live in an abandoned subway car in an abandoned subway station. Instead now I'm the best underground fighter for miles. I'm constantly on the run from the law whenever they bust the clubs I fight in. I used to have a life. 

"Hey Asshat. Get up! We have to go down to the fight club." Cass said dragging me off my cot. "Wha-" I started to ask startled, but I got cut off by him hitting me with my jacket. "Go get ready, I have the first fight scheduled and I can't be late again. I lost a hundred dollars in five minutes. FIVE MINUTES!" He continued ranting about how unfair that was. He had still made over five hundred dollars that night. Of course half has to go to Ms. Thalia. She 'owns' the fighters. She doesn't 'own' us, she owns our money and weather we live or die. She likes me and Cass. If it wasn't for that she would have killed us off her psycho game show. Cass whacked me in the head with a shoe. "Pick up the pace, ass hat." I threw on my shirt and jacket. I shoved on my combat boots as we left. "Hey Cass, maybe an earthquake won't happen during your fight this time." I joked as I caught up to him. "Yeah, that was the worst thing ever. Everyone left before i could get my money and I owed Ms. Thalia my whole winnings next fight."  

   Cass was first up. No one knew his opponent except Ms. Thalia herself. Everyone was waiting. Watching to see who showed up. Who the Cass' challenge was.  Ms. Thalia walked to the center of the pit. Her tall thin stature looked wrong in the pits. The bottom of her dress was filthy with the dirt laid out in the pits. Everything about her looked wrong here, except the evil in her smile and the daggers from her eyes. "I'm sure you're all wondering who Cass is fighting, yes?" Her voice was like poison. Her question caused an eruption of angry and excited voices. "Quiet! Quiet!" Her voice silencing the room. "Cass, step forward please." Cass did as he was told. Ms. Thalia only did things like this when she had something evil planned. "Cass you've been disappointing me recently. But, love you can make it up to me. And if you win this fight you can keep all the money you earn." She said with a sickly sweet smile. Promising lies. "Asher would you step forward please." She said turning to me. 

A collective gasp came fro the crowd. I had never fought Cass before. We were both her top fighters. Whispering was everywhere. I reluctantly stepped forward. "Asher you on the other hand have been proving more and more just why you're the best fighter. I wanted to add a little drama to the pit too. Two best friends, a battle for, what was the amount again? Oh, over two thousand dollars in winnings." She said turning to Cass. She knew he needed this money. His mother had a surgery coming up and couldn't quite pay for all of it. She knew I wouldn't want to fight him.  But she also knew I wouldn't lose. She planned this all out. "As you know the rules are simple," She continued, " No weapons. No leaving. Winner takes all. Loser leaves forever." She backed out of the ring and a bell was rung. Signaling us to start. 

Cass started circling first. Cass advanced first. Cass hit first. I wasn't going to hit until he started pissing me off. Then what really did it was him confessing something I should have know. "Fight me! God dammit fight me! I was who Janie cheated on you with! I was the other guy!" He screamed. And I lost it. 

We got tangled in a full out brawl. He tried to claw me off. Eventually he did and he started circling me again. He eventually broke the circle and started running towards me. I sidestepped and grabbed him, throwing him away from me. He slammed into the side of the pit. He got back up dazed but still aware of his surroundings. But, he was slow I slammed my fist into his face and wouldn't stop. I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. 

The crowd started screeching with delight. It was just the right amount of blood for their approval. Faintly I heard a small voice screaming over the crowd. "Stop! Stop! Please god stop!" And I listened.