Thrust Into His Arms

Drunken by the cheers, the giant came attempting to throw me over his shoulder and probably dislocate my shoulder or kill me. That move had been a mistake on his part as it gave me a very good opening.

And was also a cue for me to fight seriously now.

I quickly countered him by jabbing my elbow down twice in the middle of his head. The fact that he is bald makes it land better. He unconsciously lets go, staggering backwards and groaning in pain. I did not wait for him to recover before I went for his manhood with a strong blow that instantly brings him down to his knees. His hands moves to cradle his tool as he cries out. That was dirty, but there are no rules in the fight except the one that abhors the use of weapons in the ring. He falls face flat on the canvas after a few more hard blows and a clean uppercut. The fighting arena shaking under his ton weight.

The momentum of the cheers has shifted now. Those who had placed bets on the giant are now booing and crying out disappointedly.

He tries to get up and come at me but I kept him down. He is punch drunk now but still alive and conscious.

That would soon change as this is a fight to the death. It doesn’t end until one person is dead or knocked out and pushed almost to death’s door. I’m thinking of a way to end the fight without causing him too much fatality. The one from my first fight is stuck in a hospital with a broken spinal cord and a serious head injury. He was too much of an annoying and a tenacious bastard.

I couldn’t help but go so hard to that extent. My goal and benefit in this isn’t the win, but that does not mean I would blindly lose. I let them have their way at the very beginning and become full of themselves thinking that would win before I flip the coin and bring them down.

Which would be better between a broken leg and a down foot kick behind the neck? I’m thinking a broken leg, but that might turn against me since I’d have to be in extremely close contact with this giant. And if that does happen, it would end badly for me.

A kick behind the neck might affect his spinal cord and vertebrae discs and I’m trying to minimize fatality here. So that means I’d have to modify the other option. I bring my foot down heavily on the side of his face. Most especially at the temple area. I did it one more time until he was completely put. If he is unlucky, he would only end up with a few mental impediment. I climbed out of the cage without acknowledging the crowd like I always do.

I return to the dark hallway behind the arena and sat on the waiting bench. Tino soon rushed in with a med kit. "You okay? That one was pretty bad." He asked with a little concern. "I’m fine." I flatly respond. Taking a few cotton swabs soaked in antiseptics and used them to clean the blood from the bruises on my face and the lip split. "Why do you let yourself first get knocked down if you’re capable of winning the fight?" There he goes again. Can’t he just keep to himself and not ask questions? He should be very glad that he gets to keep my wins.

I know he is pocketing most of them rather than adding it to my opponent shares. I put on my shirt, preparing to leave when he comes to block my way. "Answer me Calix." He pushes. "Keep to your business and stay out of mine." I sidestepped him and grabbed my motorcycle helmet and left. I arrived at the apartment building where I now live alone several minutes later.

A quiet and almost desolate looking place that I consider lovely as it fits my current mood so well. It is situated in the town side far away from where I used to live with my friends. Rex left a few days after he was discharged from the hospital. I don’t know where he is as he is not speaking to me or any of the others and I haven’t been able to reach him.

Everything is such a mess. I opened the door to my place—apartment 2B. I was using my phone to keep myself busy as I am tired of Gweneth face haunting me in my sleep. I somehow find myself going through her Facebook account that is good as deactivated as she had deleted all the photos of her and Rex and her friends. I go check it from time to time to see the profile photo of her smiling. I jolt out of my lethargic state seeing a few new posts that she made. Three beach scenery photos. She is not in any of them. Two are daytime views while one is nighttime with a crescent moon in the sky, shimmering over a body of water. I spent the next half hour analyzing them before grabbing my motorcycle keys and helmet to go my former place to go see Curtis and Lucas and see if they can find out the place in the photos.

I notice the crescent moon as soon as I reach outside. I start to think if she is actually around here. The thoughts shift as I recall the sunny beach photo. No, it’s not around. I really am not sure. I won’t be until I can somehow track the IP location. I knocked hard on the door, then harder as no one came to open. I can hear Jazz music playing from inside.

Curtis did tell me about a party. I was about to knock again when the door open "Calix!" Lucas calls as he opens the door. "I thought you said you weren’t coming."

"There is something I need you to do." I say, sidestepping him and entering the house to see it occupied with about a dozen people. "Yo Calix! Is that you bro?" Curtis slurs out drunkenly.

"I knew you would change your mind." Lucas taps on my shoulder grinning like an idiot. He is drunk, I just hope he isn’t high as well. "It’s about time you stop the mopping. Come on, why are y’all slowing down? Let’s rock this party!"

"No, don’t. There is something I need you to do for me. Let’s go to your room." I said, drag him with me. "What’s going on?" I didn’t tell him until we reach his room and I close the door. I bring my phone out and show him the photo. "Tell me if you where this is."

"Where?" He asked, squinting his eyes and staring confused at the phone. "This place. Gweneth posted it on her Facebook account. I think that’s where she might be."

That seems to kick a little soberness into him. He closely observes it a little more with a knowing look before he gets on his computer. Curtis comes in just then. "What are the two of you doing here and leaving me out of?"

"He found a clue on Gweneth’s whereabouts and he wants me to check it." Lucas answers him. Curtis looks at me with a shocked expression. "Did you still go to pester her family into telling you?"

"No."

That brings to mind how I had gone to her house days after I was released from the police station even though I knew that it would not be great. But the desperation and guilt had been too much for me to handle. Turns out her father had been aware of me bullying her long before all this happened. I was taken back to the station on charges of trespassing, while her father was held for assault because he had lost his temper when he saw me.

Unleashing it when I had refused to leave until he told me where she was. I have no right to blame him for how he had acted. I’d kill and hack me into pieces if I were in his shoes.

"Did you say pestering her family?" Lucas’s attention is now on me instead of the computer and I told him to keep his eyes back there. "Didn’t I tell you?"

"I heard nothing about that."

"I’m sure I did." Curtis claims. "You must have gotten high and forgot because there is no way I would keep such information to myself. Why did you think he got arrested a second time?"

"Oh, so that was the reason?"

Curtis hums in response.

"That is quite ballsy. If it had been me, I would flee this state and avoid anyone with her name for the rest of my life. But you’re putting yourself right in front of them. Impressive."

"Tell me about it. One would almost think you got abandoned by your lover." Curtis chirps. "Tell us the truth now Cal, you were in love with her weren’t you?"

Lucas glances back just then. "Eyes on the computer." I tell him again but he doesn’t. He points his finger at me, "There. See that? He is so agitated. You don’t even need to tell us because it is pretty obvious. Did you realize your feelings after she left and that is the reason you’re loosing your mind to find her?"

"Quit saying nonsense. I’m just sorry that’s all."

"Maybe if you had said that to Rex he wouldn’t have left like that." Somber silence comes in as Curtis says that.

"Can you guys reach him?" I ask.

"No. He is angry at all of us." He sighs dejectedly. "You should have told us that you manipulated the bet at least and I wouldn’t be feeling sorry too for my part in it.

I shudder everytime I think about that day on the rooftop. Imagine the nightmares we would have been having if her attempt wasn’t foiled."