by Vera Hollins
“Good. Then let’s do this.”
I shivered when I got out and hugged my body to make myself warmer. It was too silent here, which set my senses on high alert. I clutched the pepper spray in the pocket of my jacket, ready to use it if anyone jumped at us. I fell in step with her.
“You said gender didn’t matter here,” I said, eager to break this eerie silence. “So there are women who fight, too?”
“That’s right. And they’re often paired against men.”
“Wow. They must be fearless.”
“And pretty strong, too. As I said, it doesn’t matter if they’re men or not, so there are no restrictions in their fights.”
Another shiver raced through me, but this time it had nothing to do with the low temperature. “Has someone... Has someone ever died here?”
Mel didn’t look at me, her vacant eyes fixed on the building we neared. “Yes. That’s why I’m fricking scared every time Steven fights. I never know if... If that’s going to be his last... You know.”
The pounding of my heart grew louder, faster. Hayden fought so much recently, risking his life every time. My stomach somersaulted.
“What do they do when... Somebody dies?”
“They don’t call the cops, that’s for sure.” Her tone was bitter. “It’s a huge illegal ring filled with sharks and criminals, and they have their ways of evading the law, even when it comes to destroying lives.”
What kind of world are you a part of, Hayden?
“It’s here,” she said, pointing at the metal door I could’ve easily missed. It was a dark shade of gray, just like the rest of the building, blending into the darkness. She opened it and stepped inside. “Come on.”
I followed her inside and closed the door after me. We were swallowed by more darkness that prevented me from seeing, and I stumbled, disoriented.
“Um, Mel?” My voice echoed in a narrow corridor. The muffled sounds of the crowd and noise in the distance didn’t promise anything good.
“Give me your hand,” she told me. I managed to find her hand in the dark, and she wrapped her fingers around mine, pulling me forward. “Keep walking.”
We turned into a hallway illuminated by neon lights, and I blinked against the sudden, bright light. We continued walking until we came to a door guarded by two guys in their twenties. They were both bald, muscular, and dressed in black. I could barely look them in the eyes, and my tongue was tied.
Luckily, Mel didn’t have this issue. “I’m Brooks’s sister. He’s fighting tonight.”
The guy on the left grinned, leering at her. “Right. I remember you. And who’s your friend?” He motioned his head at me, and redness spread all over my face.
“A friend,” she answered flatly, refusing to give him any more details.
“Right,” he repeated. He studied me for a second too long, before he smirked at her. “I’m afraid I can’t let you inside just like that.” Stone-faced, Mel took a few bills out of her pocket and handed them to him. His smirk turned into a grin. “Okay. You may come in.”
Really? She’d just bribed him?
“Try not to get lost, little girl,” the other guy told me when I passed him, and my stomach turned over.
I was relieved we could get away from them, but that relief was short-lived because we entered a large, dimly-lit room full of people who looked even scarier. All windows were covered with wooden panels, which explained why no lights were visible from the outside.
The cheering was too loud, so I had to speak loudly for Mel to hear me. “You bribed him!”
“It was necessary. That’s the only language those crocodiles speak.” She looked like she wasn’t afraid at all, and I admired her for being so composed.
“You’re amazing, Melissa. You aren’t scared at all. So brave.”
Her face twisted. “Are you kidding me? I’m shaking, and it feels like I’m going to puke any second, but my puke wouldn’t be a good addition to this place, so I have to hold it in.”
She raised herself to her toes, looking over the crowd, and I followed her gaze. Everywhere I looked, I saw unfriendly faces. Most people were dressed in black, looking tough and dangerous with bulky muscles, tattoos, and heavy boots. Some carried booze with them, and some smoked weed. Its acrid smell combined with the stench of blood, sweat, and cigarettes, and it was already unbearable. I wished we could get this over with quickly.
“I see him. He’s there.” She pointed, but then her expression turned sour, and she rolled her eyes. “Of course. He’s with those douchebags from your school.”
What? A pang pierced my chest.
“Douchebags?” I asked, hoping to hear one particular name.
“Yeah. He’s with Masen, Blake, and Hayden.”
Chapter 14
HAYDEN IS HERE.
My heart rate soared as Mel led us through the crowd. I would get to see him.
He stood between Steven and Blake, and my stomach twisted in knots. His bloodshot eyes and uncoordinated moves told me he was three sheets to the wind, but that didn’t surprise me. No, what surprised me was his face, which was dark and sinister.
He was arguing with Blake, and when we got close enough to hear them, I heard Blake say, “You weren’t supposed to fight tonight, so you should forget about it. And you never fight when you’re so wasted you can barely stand—”
“Shut up already. Mind your fucking business,” Hayden said, his hands fisted.
Blake didn’t even flinch. “If that’s because of what she said today—”
“Sis? Why are you here?” Steven asked, interrupting Blake, and stepped toward us. My mind was reeling in the wake of Blake’s words. I was curious to hear more.
Hayden saw Mel first, but then his gaze caught mine, and it was like someone had muted all sounds and blurred everything in the room but him. His eyes widened, taking me in a moment before anger shadowed his face, and my breath faltered at the quick, brutal change.
No, not this Hayden again.
“What are you doing here?” he snapped, his animosity searing me in waves.
I couldn’t even speak. I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
“Steven, you need to come with me right now,” Melissa told him, to which he raised his eyebrows.
“Really? That’s too bad, sis, ‘cause I’m not going anywhere.”
“She’s bossy as always,” Masen said, looking at Melissa in amusement with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Zip it, Barbie. I’m not talking to you,” she barked at him.
“Ouch, Satan. And if I don’t? Are you going to do some satanic ritual to hurt me?” He rolled his eyes.
“We all know how I can hurt you, or did you already forget? If you want, I can punch you again to remind you. Either way, you need someone to knock some sense into you.”
He bared his teeth at her. “I don’t hit girls, but that doesn’t mean you can do shit.”
“Mel,” I said, hoping to stop them before this escalated. I was more than aware of Hayden’s ceaseless stare on me. “Don’t start this now, please.”
I chanced a glance at Hayden and flinched under the intensity of his glare, which sent prickling heat down my skin. No. This was wrong. I needed to explain everything to him.
“Sar, excuse me for a sec,” Melissa said. “Steven, come here.” She grabbed him by his hand and took him to the side so they could talk without us hearing them.
My cheeks burned stronger as I stared at my feet, avoiding Hayden’s gaze. I wanted to tell him so much, but I couldn’t. Not like this.
“The winner is Curtis!” someone announced, and claps and boos exploded in the center of the room.
“It’s my turn,” Hayden told Blake.
“Wait, man.” Blake placed his hand on his shoulder. “You’re in no condition to fight.”
Hayden smacked his hand away. “Fuck off.”
Masen jumped in. “Shit, bro. Snap out of it. It’s not worth it.”
Hayden glared at him with temp
estuous eyes. “Say another word, and I’ll break your face.” He took off his jacket, tossed it to Blake, and strode into the crowd.
“Shit, shit, shit,” Blake said, interlacing his fingers behind his head. His gaze was worried as he watched Hayden, which spread fear deep down to my bones. “He’ll get himself killed,” he said to Masen.
What? “What do you mean?” I asked, unable to contain the panic in my voice.
Their eyes zeroed in on me, and I squirmed. I didn’t like this toxic guilt that suffused me once again.
“You have no idea, do you?” Blake growled, his expression darkened with accusation. “You have no idea how much you affect him. He’s been a wreck ever since he heard you say you lied to him when you supposedly ‘cared’ for him.”
I shook my head. “That was a misunderstanding. I want to explain everything to him. I don’t want him hurt because of me—”
“It’s too late now,” Masen said, curling his lip at me. “He’s pretty fucked up and wants to fight to get it out of his system. The guy he’s fighting tonight is too strong for him, but he doesn’t care.”
“Let’s go,” Blake said, motioning for Masen to follow him to where Hayden’s fight was about to start.
My heart was racing too fast. I was restless, weighed down by fear because I was the catalyst. Hayden was being this way because of me.
Steven left Mel to join Blake and Masen, and she stomped back to my side. “I can’t believe him! He isn’t fighting tonight, but he bet on Hayden, so he doesn’t want to leave before the stupid fight is over. I couldn’t even explain to him how important this day is for our family. All he cares about is that goddamn money.”
She didn’t look like herself, her pale face and troubled eyes telling me stress already got to her, but I was distraught. My mind and heart were in another place.
“I’m sorry, Mel. Let’s go,” I said and headed after Steven.
I needed to see Hayden. Worry tore through me so deeply that the only thing that mattered now was to be there for him, even though I couldn’t do anything to help him.
“I hate this. I don’t even want to see it,” she grumbled. “Stupid Steven.”
Blake, Masen, and Steven came to the edge of a circle that was the patch of ground designated for fights, and I stopped next to Blake, unease unfurling in my stomach. The floor was smeared with blood stains.
I pressed my hand against my mouth as I looked over so many excited faces that stood on the sides, most of them stoned or hammered. They were all hungry for more blood and violence, chanting, cheering, booing, having a blast. I was sickened by it. How could they enjoy violence? How could they feed their minds with aggression and hate, when all I felt now was nausea and repulsion that urged me to get the hell out of here?
I didn’t want to watch, yet my eyes followed Hayden as he faced an Asian guy who was shorter than him but looking much more menacing.
“Everyone, we have Black vs. Flash,” a blond guy in his twenties standing between them announced, and the crowd went bonkers.
“Flash?” Mel asked Steven.
“His movements are so quick you don’t even see them coming. He’s nasty,” he replied.
“Fight!” the blond said and stepped away.
Hayden and Flash pounced on each other, swinging their fists as the crowd cheered. Hayden’s movements were slower and awkward, allowing Flash to hit him a few times before Hayden even had a chance to land the first blow.
“Come on, Black! We’re not dancing here. We’re fighting,” Flash taunted him and hurled his fist at his face, striking it. Hayden crashed down, and blood spurted out of his nose.
I yelped, pressing my hand against my raging heart. No. I took a step forward before I was even aware of it, and Blake snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me back.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“He’s going to get terribly hurt.”
He glared at me. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“We can stop the match!”
Blake looked at me like I was crazy, releasing me. “Are you stupid? Do you know how many people made bets on this match? There’s a lot of money in the game, and if you even try to interrupt it, the whole room will turn against you. So shut the fuck up and don’t move.”
I dug my fingers into my hands, wishing I could do something, anything. The crowd chanted, all frenzied and unhinged, and with each hit Hayden suffered, my fear reached new heights. Flash moved around Hayden fast and caught his stomach, chest, and face, staying true to his name, and Hayden couldn’t even deflect his blows. He struck Flash’s cheek once, but it didn’t give him any advantage, and after Flash landed a series of quick punches on Hayden’s abdomen, it was clear it was just a matter of time until Hayden collapsed.
Their aggression turned my stomach, pulling me deeper into my despair. The smell of blood dominated the air, and I had to take deep breaths so I wouldn’t puke on the spot.
Flash was almost completely uninjured, unlike Hayden, who bled profusely as he swayed on his feet, with wounds marring his whole face. I didn’t know how he was still able to stand considering how many times he’d been hit. Flash circled him like a shark circling its prey, and Hayden followed him with his eyes, but they were vacant. It was like he wasn’t even here.
He received another punch, and then another, getting hurt over and over again, but he didn’t care about it. He was lost in his own world and pain, and when Flash knocked him down, he stayed down, not even moving as Flash rained punches on his stomach and waist.
Stop.
Stop.
Stop!
I opened my mouth to scream, already stepping forward. “St—”
Blake clamped his hand over my mouth and pressed me against his rock-hard body, winding his arm around me. He held me too tightly, and I couldn’t move at all. He was too close!
“Don’t be crazy,” he barked.
“Let her go,” Mel shouted at him, but he took no notice of her.
“You don’t want to make this even worse. The fight will be over soon anyway,” he let out through his teeth.
I couldn’t do anything as I watched Hayden getting the beating that would probably leave him with broken ribs or worse. I felt so useless, Blake’s body against mine making me uneasy.
When will it end?
Stop already.
Leave him alone.
Flash finally pulled away from Hayden on the ground, and the blond guy stepped in. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Flash!”
The majority of the crowd booed as Flash swaggered around with his arms high in the air, wearing a smug expression.
“The next time, give me a real fighter and not some pussy. He wasn’t even a challenge,” he said and gave Hayden a look of disgust. “Pathetic.”
Hayden’s glassy eyes stared into nowhere as he lay curled on the ground, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. Blake finally let go of me and rushed with Masen to help him get up.
I was torn, battling myself. I wanted to go and help him too, but as I watched them lift him to his feet and support his weight, I felt out of their world. I felt I had no right to do anything, and that hurt. Hayden coughed, spurting out some of the blood, and my chest ached for him.
“Hey, bro! I lost my money!” Steven complained to him when they reached us, and I gaped at him. He wasn’t even remotely worried about Hayden and his terrible injuries. “He didn’t even have to break a sweat!”
Hayden didn’t look at me at all, which made me feel small and insignificant, like he didn’t need me. I was just an extra who bothered him. “Like I care,” Hayden growled and took his jacket from Blake. He winced and muttered a curse as he put it on, leaving it open.
“Let’s go, Hayds,” Masen said and reached for his arm. “There’s no point in staying here.”
“I can walk by myself.” He shoved his hand away. He staggered when he moved, but he didn’t let him or Blake help him.
“Can we go now?” Melissa asked S
teven. “The stupid fight is over.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever. Let’s go.”
I was glad we could finally get out of here. My body was on alert mode as we followed Hayden, Blake, and Masen, twitching every few seconds as I waited for someone to attack me from any direction. I never wanted to come back to this place again. Hayden could barely walk, dragging his feet, and it was awful just watching him torment himself like this. I thought about a way to do something for him.
A guy to my side almost elbowed me when he moved, and as I stepped aside to avoid him, an idea occurred to me. “Blake,” I called him, half-expecting him to ignore me.
He looked at me over his shoulder and raised his eyebrow. “What?” he asked, clearly annoyed that I was addressing him directly.
“Did you drive Hayden here?”
“No.”
“He drove by himself?”
“Yes. Why do you even ask?”
Hayden couldn’t drive in this state. Something deep inside tugged me to rush forward to him, helping me push aside all inhibitions that had dragged me down so far. I moved around Blake and the drunk guys blocking my path in front of me, getting in stride with Hayden.
“Hayden.”
He stumbled when he saw me. Tingles rushed down my body at his nearness, my pulse thrumming in my ears as the fierce emotions consumed all of me. It felt even worse to see him bleed up close.
He didn’t stop, his eyes filling with venom. “What the fuck do you want? Get away from me.”
I winced. My insecurity told me this was the stupidest idea ever, but something stronger in me, something that didn’t allow me to back down, told me he would never show me he needed me or my help. He was there for me when I needed help with Josh, my mother, and my panic attack, bringing me more comfort than he would ever know, and it meant everything to me. I had to do this.
“No. You can’t drive like this. I’ll drive your car and take you home.”
He halted and faced me. I took in his wounds and blood, and something similar to a real pain spread through me. “Are you fucking serious?”
“I wonder the same thing,” Mel said. She stared daggers at me, making me feel even more uncomfortable. “Did you just offer to drive this asshole?”