Dark Sky

35 - Showdown pt2

Chapter Thirty Five

A fist landed hard against Joe's cheek knocking him off balance and into the dusty wall behind.

He cursed himself for not moving quick enough having seen Travis lunge in plenty of time. He needed to be more alert if he was to beat this man at his own game, or this fight would be over quickly and not in his favour.

A second punch came towards him but luckily this time he was able to duck and Travis's fist connected with the hard wall instead. Joe took the opportunity to dive at Travis and both men crashed to the floor in a desperate scuffle. Joe laid on top of Travis in a bear hug, desperately trying to trap his arms so that he couldn't throw anymore punches, but Travis managed to roll them both over and reverse the situation.

Joe still had Travis's arms locked and incapacitated. But this was soon to change as Travis landed a head butt hard into Joe's forehead sending the room instantly spinning. Travis freed his arms instantly and began to rain punches down onto his stunned victim.

"You should have taken the bullet." Travis grunted hitting Joe again. "Would have been quicker for you."

Joe managed to focus after a series of mind shattering blows to his head and was able to bring a knee up with enough force to wind Travis sending him falling, gasping for air.

"You should have stayed at home," Joe spat pulling him self to his feet, "you might have lived longer."

Joe planted his right foot hard into Travis's stomach, making the man gasp even deeper as he struggled to breathe and Joe felt for a moment that he might actually win this battle. He staggered slowly back against the wall watching Travis closely, he needed a moment to regain his balance his chest pounding from his recent wound.

Without warning Travis flung dirt from the floor up towards Joe and the grit instantly stung his eyes, blinding him momentarily.

"Think you can hurt me!" Travis screamed planting a fist at full force into Joe's stomach. "When I'm done with you, you'll be begging for mercy!"

A second punch landed upon Joe and his legs buckled underneath him bringing him to his knees coughing as the air in his lungs was unnaturally expelled. He thought for a moment that his insides had actually exploded, but then breath managed to find him again as a fist connected with his left eye socket. Falling to his hands he spat the metallic substance that was now forming in his mouth, spraying the floor with a mixture of saliva and thick red blood.

There seemed to be a pause in the attack as Joe stared confused at the dusty floor. The hard blow to his head had left him disorientated and instead of concentrating on not getting killed, images of Leila flashed into his head.

The moment they had met back in another destroyed supermarket, the first night in the farm house they had found and now laying inside the broken camper outside. He imagined her lifeless body peacefully sleeping inside the wreckage and he was instantly jolted back, the rage clearing his head and the darkened office came back into focus.

Travis landed another punch square in the middle of his back, but now Joe's anger masked any pain he would have normally felt and he swung his leg around swiftly. Connecting perfectly with the back of Travis's knee, the tyrant came crashing to the floor next to him.

Joe acted immediately rolling back on top of his opponent, taking hold of his neck with both hands and squeezing as hard as he could. Pure hatred overcame him and as Travis's eyes began to bulge, he felt a strange feeling of satisfaction. He wanted to watch the life drain from this man, wanted to hear his last gasp for air that wouldn't come and he wanted the last thing Travis would see to be the smile on his face.