The Fights

Flames. Everywhere I'm surrounded by flames. I cain't see them but I can hear them roarin right outside my door. It's dark but I can already start to see the smoke pourin into the room. Surroundin me, suffocatin me.

I bang my fists around the walls an scream an yell fer someone to let me out. It's no use. I'm locked in. Trapped an I cain't git away from the fire. No, no, no I cain't let the fire take me. Flynn...

I cough. I cough an cough until I cain't breathe. Gotta find a way out. Cain't let it git to me.

I hear somethin pop an hiss. I bang on the walls agin an they burn up my knuckles.

HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP!

It cain't be true. I hafta find a way out.

I git up an scream my throat raw. Finally the smoke winds its fingers around my throat an drags me to the floor. Pullin me unner. An I'm too weak to fight it. Part of me wants to give in. But...I...cain't...

An then...I hear somethin.

Where are you? it shouts. Where are you?

A voice from outside. It's gotta be. I wrestle myself free from the smoke's clutches an bang on the walls an scream, I'm here! but it comes out muffled like I got cotton stuffed down my throat.

Finally I hear bangin from the outside. They know I'm in here. I smash the walls with my bruised hands to let them know I'm here. I wait an wait an wait until finally...

...

At the crack of dawn the keepers storm in an start bangin on the cell bars fer us to git up. Don't need 'em to tell me. I bin up a long time after that dream tryin to find a way outta here. Ain't no way I'm gonna take a chance after what Flynn said an what I dreamed. Then grubby little boys an girls come in carryin buckets of water that they empty into our troughs.

One of the kids is emptyin water by my cell an before I can ask them fer any escape routes the guards pull 'em away agin. Then Mad Dog comes stumblin in cursin an yellin at anyone that gits in his way.

Scum must've taken more chaal than the usual.

Well my boys, he slurs lumberin here an there, it's early in the mornin an here I am stuck with you lot. An fer what? FER WHAT?

The whole cell's silent. No one says naught.

HUH?! he roars, smashin his club aginst the bars of the nearest cell. Speak a little louder sonnies cuz I cain't hear you!

He prowls up an down the cellblock knockin his club every now an then a cell. The rattle in the silence is loud enough to wake the dead.

He stops short of Rex's cell across from me an bangs his club like he's knockin on a door.

Yoo hoo? Anybody home? An then he lets out his ugly laugh like he's jest heard the funniest thing in the world.

Rex is in the shadows but when Mad Dog turns his back, he spits on the floor where his feet jest were.

You, he says, pointin a finger. It's shakin so much I almost cain't tell who he's pointin at, but I know he means me.

I slide into the light an raise my eyebrows at him.

Can I help you with somethin? I says tryin to keep my voice cool.

He stares at me fer a second like he's surprised. Then a second later he says, Well well if it ain't the newbie tryin to look tough. Gotta say you ain't doin bad.

Jest git to it. Yer only here when you want somethin, so what is it this time? I says tryin to act like I don't care eether way.

Ooowee somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed didn't he? Mad Dog says, an evil glint in his eye.

We ain't got no beds! Darius grunts from the corner.

Yer lucky I know yer all buff an no brains or else I woulda whipped you fer that, Mad Dog says without even turnin.

No, it's you, he says. Yer first up in the fights today but...He looks at me an shakes his head...that jest won't do.

Before I can even ask what he's talkin about, they yank me outta my cage an Mad Dog's got me pinned between his legs. He smells sour an disgustin an I'm tryin to wriggle outta his grasp. He backhands me in the face an presses a knife aginst my throat.

Listen to me, sonny, he snarls, foul breath in my face. I swallow hard an force myself to meet his gaze, I'm doin you a favor here so you might as well cooperate. Save it fer the fights.

With that someone dumps a bucket of water on my head an Mad Dog grabs handfuls of my hair an starts choppin with his blade. He pulls too hard an I grit my teeth from cryin out. I dunno how long this lasts, but finally I'm bald as an egg an he pushes me to my feet agin. I'm shiverin from the cold draft that blows aginst my wet skin. They push me out the door an lead me up some stairs an into the light. The roar of the crowd is unmistakable an the sunlight pierces my eyes after so long in the dark.

I turn to Mad Dog an say, Ain't it a little too early fer a fight?

Afeared are you sonny? Mad Dog says. Consider yerself lucky. This is yer first fight so you ain't gonna run the gauntlet jest yet. Chase's first time too. Customary fer newbies to be the openin act fer the Angel. That way we can have git the audience hooked an excited jest before the Angel, but not too crazy eether.

The fact that everythin seems to revolve around the Angel here at Hopetown is slightly less disturbin than what I felt when I first met her. When I looked into her eyes, it was like I was bound in place. An I couldn't move until she released me from her spell. That kinda power is too much fer one person to have over another. An I've already had my share of bad experiences with confinement.

Cage Master's on his balcony but this time he don't have no red hankercheef. Don't need it since no one is goin to the gauntlet...yet. The guards push me into the cage, an my first fight begins.

...

Chase reminds me of a fox. Big fat freckles coverin his face an even though his head's shaved like me, I can tell his hair woulda been red. Sneaky. Suspicious. He ain't no hunk like Darius but he sure ain't gonna be easy pickin eether.

The guards lead him out into the light an push him into the cage. The keeper sounds the gong an I don't wait fer an invitation. Too long an he'll probly find some way to sneak up on me.

I ram into him shoulders first an knock him to the ground. The crowd cheers me on. Before I can even think, he's back on his feet agin an smashes his fist into the side of my face. Gawdam he's fast.

We circle each other in the cage. He looks me up an down like he's sizin me up an I spit blood outta my mouth. He twitches like he's gonna go fer my right but instead goes fer my feet. I jump outta the way but he grabs one of my legs an pulls me down so's I land on my stummick.

Don't let him pin you, don't let him pin you!

He's tryin to git my legs in a twist, but I lash out an kick him in the face. He lets go an I dive fer him but he gits outta the way jest in time.

Circle agin. His nose is bleedin an the side of my face hurts like nobody's business. I give him a jimswaggerin grin an his blank face turns into a snarl as he launches himself at me agin.

The crowd's goin crazy. They smell the first drops of blood an they want more.

We git each other by he shoulders an start wrestlin. He ain't as strong as Ike but he ain't weak. Sweat starts drippin down the side of my face. Suddenly he sweeps his leg unner mine an I go crashin to the ground. I grab his tunic an hurl him as far away from me as possible an twist myself so's I don't land flat on my back.

I git to my feet quickly an I see he's done the same. The blood's gushin now an the cage floor is filthy with it. We're both heavin an I know we're both tired.

We run at each other agin but this time his foot slips an he brings me down with him. I'm on top of him punchin every inch of him that I can, but then he flips us over an starts doin the same to me. We roll around on the cage floor, no one gittin the advantage fer more'n a second.

Then he gits me in a stranglehold on the ground. I'm strugglin to git free but he's cuttin off my air fast. Black spots start appearin in my vision.

Think, Jack. Think!

His fingers. I grab onto his pinkies an twist as hard as I can. He howls an loosens his grip jest enough fer me to slip out an slam my fist unner his chin. He slithers to the ground, unconscious.

The crowd's screamin an screamin an the keeper raises my arms an announces me as the winner. Two more keepers drag Chase outta the cage. I should feel somethin. Relief, pride, or even guilt. But I don't feel nothin. Cuz all I care about is gittin outta here as fast as I can.

...

They let me clean up a bit before throwin me back into the cellblock. My cheek is hurtin somewhat fierce but other than some bruises an a bit tongue I seem to be fine. As I make my way down Ace whistles.

That's a nice lookin thing you got on yer face Jack, he says.

You mean a nice lookin face I got, I says back.

He coughs an pretends to gag at that.

I take it that the fight went yer way? Rex says. Eether that or you is the most stuck up, cocky pig that ever walked the earth.

Both, I says as the keepers slam an lock the doors to my cell shut.

So you won? Levi says.

Yeah, I won, I says. An look what I found. I pull out a rusty nail I found on the side of the Colosseum on my way down here.

So? Levi says. That ain't nothin special.

I'm gonna use it to pick the locks, I says quietly to him.

He shakes his head at that.

I already told you it ain't no use, he says. They'll catch you an throw you in the Cooler. It an unnerground box that is dark as night. Cain't see nothin an it almost drives you crazy. I would know cuz I've bin in there twice.

You tried to escape? I says.

The first time was fer punchin one of the guards in the face. The second time was fer tryin to escape, he says.

An you ain't tried ever since? I says.

Not since Nike got sent to the gauntlet, he says quietly.

We're innerrupted by the uproar outside. I don't think much of it. Probly jest the Angel beatin another poor girl's ass.

But as the minutes go by, I can hear that they ain't cheerin anymore. It sounds more like boos an jeers now.

Strange, Levi says, They's always actin happy an bloodthirsty when the Angel fights. Now they seem angry.

Mad Dog bursts through the door in a fit of rage, that's fer sure. He snappin at the keepers to git their asses out into the Colosseum NOW! They scurry away with their heads cowered an soon it's jest us an Mad Dog.

Hey, what the hell is goin on? someone asks.

What's goin on? What's goin on! I'll tell you what's goin on! Mad Dog yells slammin his club aginst the wall an breakin it in half. Mad Dog's been plenty mad before but this time it's different. An it ain't becuz of the chaal. Somethin's really irked him.

He stalks around like a snake ready to strike.

The...Angel...jest...lost...her...fight, he spits, venom in each word.

There is a collective gasp from everyone in the cell. Even I'm surprised. She ain't no ordinary warrior an I don't believe it fer a second.

Somebody must've taken a little too much chaal, I say shakin my head.

Boy are you deaf?! D'you hear those people out there? They're roarin mad that they jest got cheated outta their fight. The Angel never loses, period! He's pullin at his hair mutterin an cursin.

So whaddaya want us to do? Rex asks nonchalantly.

Mad Dog spins around an grabs Rex by the collar of his tunic through the bars.

Oh I ain't in the mood fer any games, you little twit, he growls. I ain't in the mood fer none of yer games. If you think yer gonna try somethin smart, you'll answer to me an me only. No more of this baby stuff with the keepers playin mommy. Daddy's gonna be around full time now.

With that he stalks out an slams the door.

Well, hell.


I see her in the female exercise yards. Doin her regular stretches an tryin not to look like she's up to somethin, but I know better. She seems mighty bothered, twitchin this way an that, eyes dartin here an there. Finally she sees me lookin at her. I straighten myself up from the wall I've bin leanin on an make my way toward the chainlink fence. A few seconds later she's standin in fronta me.

Angel, angel, I says. I smile an shake my head. What're you up to?

I dunno what yer talkin about, she says.

You don't lose fights, I says. Not unless you want to that is. I flick my eyes over to where some of the other girls are standin. One of 'em bein the one she was talkin to the other day.

I saw you two talkin, I says. Looked like a mighty innerestin conversation.

I dunno what you mean, she says. She seems uncomfortable at us bein so close to each other.

I shrug. All right, I says. Don't tell me. I'll find out eventually.

You won't find out nothin, she says. Cuz there ain't nothin to find out.

I grab a hold of her wrist in one swift motion. I can tell she warn't espectin it cuz she looks at me wide eyed. But it's gone almost as fast as it came an I become dead serious.

Look to me like yer playin a dangerous game, I says.

Why should you care what I do? she says.

We stare at each other fer a long moment. Then I says, No reason. Jest...be careful Angel. That's all.

I release her wrist slowly lettin her touch linger on my skin fer a little while longer.

As she moves away the thumpin of my heart finally begins to return to normal.