Marcellus takes this in stride as he takes long loping steps towards me. His hands are up and he bobs slightly as he slowly circles around the cage.
The crowd around us must be confused at first because this isn’t how either of our fights normally go.
We work our way closer together to the middle of the ring.
He flashes out a foot toward my leg. I bring my leg up to block with a calf. I succeed in that but eat a punch to the chin.
Just like that my head is cloudy.
He wraps up with me for a second, trying to hold onto me to throw punches as my head.
Throwing up my hands, I block two blows before I bring a knee up to his leg. I must have got a good hit because he pulls back.
Shaking my head, I take a couple steps back.
He pursues after me but I kick out when he comes close. He skips back but starts the circle with me.
That fucking shot to my chin rung my bell. He could have got me if he had been smarter. Thank fuck he wasn’t.
I circle around the ring a couple of more times with him.
I can hear the crowd booing us.
This isn’t the normal fight for either of us and they are right. This isn’t me. This isn’t how I fight.
I switch it up and walk straight for him.
This time I come in first for a feint punch to his left then swing out a kick to his thigh.
Leaning forward, I swing again and connect with the side of his head. Not much damage but he shakes his head like I did.
There, now we are both sure it’s going to hurt.
We go back to circling and I can’t seem to find the right rhythm for the fight. This isn’t my game plan; this isn’t fucking me!
But it’s fucking Carson I keep thinking about. Carson hurting my loves. I can’t keep my head in the game and it’s a fucking miracle Marcellus isn’t able to take advantage of it.
The bell sounds ending the round and I walk back to my side.
“What the fuck was that, you fucking jackass?” Dale asks me as I sit down.
He is kneeling in front of me with a wide-eyed look of disgust.
Shaking my head, I don’t say anything. I have no clue what the fuck to say.
“What? You want to go over there and hold holds with him? You suddenly turn into a peace loving hippy? Violence never solves anything, right?”
He’s trying to rile me up but it isn’t working.
He stands up from me, and as he is walking away he growls, “You go tell that to the little girl with skinned knees who thinks you are some kind of fighter. Ya fucking pussy.”
I am off my stool in a heartbeat. He is grinning at me and I am about ready to murder him.
Pointing out to the man across from me, he says, “Soon as you get through him we get to go hunting again.”
I look at him for a long time. He’s right.
I stare at Marcellus and grin.