I'm running. I don't know why but I keep running. I'm not just running either, I'm climbing, jumping, hiding, and fighting. It feels familiar and yet... I know I've never done this before. And then there's that phrase I keep hearing, over and over like a broken record.
"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."
Louder and louder resonating in my head to the point that its almost painful.
"Everything is permitted."
Then suddenly I'm falling, the ground is rushing towards me at an insane speed and at the same time it feels like an eternity. I hear what sounds like a crow screeching and wake up just before my body took on the shape of a pancake. It takes me a minute to realize it was just a dream. I've been having this same dream since my 18th birthday last month and it still fucks with my head. Its just a dream I tell myself and shake it off. I start to go downstairs, I can already smell the bacon. I take a deep smell and smile. My mom is already setting up breakfast. I sit down and tear into the food like I've been starved for days.
"What's the occasion?" I ask my mom with a mouth full.
"Don't play dumb, your gonna need all the energy you can get. Its already 2:00 your lucky I let you sleep in. He looks pretty tough Will." She says, looking worried as usual.
"Come on mom, you know I won't lose. I haven't yet and I don't plan to." A cocky smile escaping my lips as I speak.
"Yeah yeah, pride is one thing, arrogance is another. Just don't go getting yourself hurt." My mother says as she puts the plates in the sink. We hear the car horn signaling that my ride is here.
" Alright mom, thanks for the food. I'll see you at the match." I yell over my shoulder as I head out the door.
"OK, be safe William." She says as she watches me run out the door. Shaking her head as all mothers do. "That boy is something else."
I couldn't stop thinking about the match on my way to the gym. This would be my second professional boxing match since I got my boxing license and I plan to win just like I won the first one. I'm not arrogant just confident, and there's nothing wrong with that. My opponent is one of the star rookies this year so I don't expect it to be easy, but if your not going into a fight with the intent to win you shouldnt go at all. I was always active as a kid, and I got in a lot of fights. I'm no stranger to defeat but I've won my fair share too, but every time I intended to be victorious. I got into boxing because my mom decided to put all that aggression to good use. She signed me up for karate in 5th grade and a couple other things over the years. But the only thing I ever stuck to was boxing. I started when I was 15 and haven't stopped since.
When I got to the gym I immediately got ready and asked the coach to let me spar.
"I like you enthusiasm boy," The coach says while wiping his face, "But warm up on the bag first. The match starts at 7:00 so we've got a couple hours for some last minute practice, no need to rush it."
"Alright coach." Turning to the bags as I spoke.
My best friend and rival Lloyd was already there raining well hardened fists onto the bags with precise and lethal strikes that resembles a blade to the well trained eye. That was his specialty of course, attacking swiftly and accurately like his fists were a katana in the hands of a samarai. I on the other hand specialize in attacking with explosive punches that don't stop coming. Relentless and forceful, giving my opponent no room to retaliate. I demonstrate this on the bag next to Lloyd and look confidently his way, challenging him.
"Is there something on my face, or did you fall in love with my devilish charms like everyone else," Lloyd asks smirking as he does so, the sarcasm in his voice much too obvious.
"In your dreams lover boy, I was just seeing how your face looked now so I could compare it to after you get your ass handed to you on a silver platter tonight." I respond as a smirk to match his slides onto my face.
"Just because he's big doesn't mean he's good, and as they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall." Lloyd says with his usual astuteness.
"Confident as always I see," turning back to the bags as I say so, "with a 5-0 record its not gonna be easy. I'd hate to see you lose those so called devilish charms of yours."
"Oh that'll never happen, trust me. I could be 80 and in diapers and I'd still have more game then you." Delivering a heavy blow to the bag as the sentence finishes.
"Who needs game when you've got these puppies," Lamar over by the double end bag says as he flexes and points to his muscle's, "I call my sweethearts yin and yang, like an equilibrium of muscle, or some shit like that."
"Woah Lamar that was a pretty big word, you sure you used it right. Maybe you should go and ask your grandma, you seem to need her help with everything." I say smirking yet again.
"Hey fuck you, that shit only happened once man!" Lamar shouts my way.
"Haha you gotta admit it was funny as hell though wasn't it Lloyd." I say looking over at him.
Lloyd laughs and says" Yeah it was. You ain't never gonna redeem yourse-"
"Alright quit goofing off and get ready to spar. We don't got all day kids." The coach shouts cutting him off.
"Finally!" I yell throwing my hands in the air. "Who wants to be my opening act. I'm all fired up so let's do this."
"Your sparring me today, it'll be good practice before your match." Coach says as he climbs into the ring.
"Well let's do it then." I say as I get in the ring as well.
"Alright boy let's go. We're only going one round so be ready " coach says tightening the strings on his gloves.
The joking tone I carried before is gone. Determined and battle ready I put up my guard and give the coach a death stare as is my usual routine. The gong sounds and like clockwork the coach dashes forward one foot in front of the other clearing the distance between us in less then a second. With no hesitation he hails me with punches. He quickly jabs a few times in perfect form with strength you wouldn't think such an old body could have. I loosen my guard to let him think he's set the pace. He throws a right cross but I duck and dash to the side coming in with a right hook to the body. The coach easily blocks it and jabs again this time breaking my guard for real. I know what's coming next, the left hook the coach is known for. It was perfect form and I was defenseless, so I'd resigned myself to taking the hit when suddenly everything slowed. My vision turned to a strange assortment of colors and everything was quiet. I could see all the weak spots in the coaches guard and knew exactly where to hit.
His punch was still coming, still just as slow. I didn't hesitate and took the chance. I ducked and just like I was taught I hit the coach in the body. A three hook combo to the body to get him to drop his jaw. Left right left. Then straight up with a right uppercut that connected perfectly. And finished with an explosive left hook and right cross that floored the coach. I was more surprised then anyone else in the room after I realized what just happened. Everyone was silent for what seemed like hours.
"Oh shit are you alright coach." I said as I hold out my hand.
He takes it and gets up, wiping his mouth before saying "Damn son that was unexpected. It seems I've gotten rusty in my old age. You'll be fine tonight boy. Well, scratch that, your a man now ain't ya. Might as well treat ya as such."
"Damn Will where the hell did that come from. It was like you knew exactly where to punch or something." Lamar asks with genuine surprise on his face as we climb out of the ring.
"It was probably just a fluke, Will isn't that good." Lloyd says looking Lamar's way.
"Well I guess you both underestimated me then. I don't know what that was either but I guarantee it wasn't a fluke. I could see his weak spots so clearly it was scary." I said to both of them.
"Bullshit. You couldn't do that again if you wanted to." Lloyd retaliated.
"OK, we'll see tonight then won't we." I said raising an eyebrow.
"Not if the spotlights on me we won't. And I assure you it will be." He said as cocky as ever.
"Alright ladies, calm the fuck down. My turn next." Putting his gloves on as he says it.