11 minute read
Blood in the Water: Short Story Excerpt
from WARTIME FALL 2020
I didn’t see it coming. I kept my left high, stayed on his outside, and threw roundhouses at his right arm to weaken his power. But, I still got caught by that fucking straight right…
My left arm gripped the bottom rope and my right hand pressed into the mat to keep me from falling over. I was on my knees and all I could see was the floor of the ring. It was white with speckles of red. The taste of iron filling my mouth brought me some focus. I can’t lose this fight...
I tried to focus my eyes but the image wouldn’t single out, there was triple of everything. My ears were also ringing. I could faintly hear the referee counting. It was more a vibration than a sound. The pitch of the last sound was low. So, I knew it wasn’t a six, a seven, or a ten. It was most likely a four, I had time...
I took a deep breath, then leaned hard on the bottom rope with my left hand and brung my right knee to my chest - Low pitch, a five - I looked like a runner who was settling into his blocks before a race. I pressed against the mat with my right glove and brought my hand to my knee in a kneeling position - high pitch, a six - I pushed against my right knee, stood up, and leaned over the ropes, my legs were rocking beneath me - high pitch, a seven - I lifted my head and took another deep breathe - medium pitch, an eight? - In one motion I bounced off the ropes and stood straight up - low pitch, a nine - I turned to the center of the ring, wobbled a bit, but regained my balance. The ref ran over to me as I attempted to stand straight up. He grabbed my gloves and tried to check my eyes. I turned from him to look in my corner. I could see the blurry silhouettes of Nine and Tre. Nine looked worried and Tre had his back turned pointing in someone’s face, then gesturing towards me. The ref pulled my head back towards him. His mouth was moving but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. The tone of these sounds were not as simple to make out as the numbers. He asked something again. I turned my ear to him. He repeated. Before I could respond he turned away from me and waved his hands above his head in an X motion. He was ending the match. I stepped forward in an attempt to protest but my knees buckled and I fell back to the canvass. My eyes started to go dark. Everything was slowing down. I could see Nine running over. I decided to let whatever was in the darkness take me. I dropped my head and my mind went blank.
SCENE 2
The headaches were getting less painful. It had been a week since the fight and I still couldn’t hear sufficiently out of my left ear. Bernice, our team doctor said I had a mild concussion and a busted ear drum. The treatment plan was simple enough. Lots of sleep and pain killers. She also suggested I go real light in my workouts until I get my equilibrium back. The biggest change was no sparring for a couple months, and even after that I would need to wear head gear until she cleared me.
Tre grabbed my shoulder and shook me, “knuckle up Tree! You been spacing out since the fight. You act like you ain’t never been knocked down before.” Tre smirked, as he grabbed the remote and sat down on the opposite coach.
BLACK MEN BUILD 2020
“When have I been knocked down before this?” I responded
Nine was behind us in the kitchen making his daily shake. I turned to face him.
“Can’t say I remember that good brotha.” said Nine
Tre sat straight up and placed his hands in his lap “And do you not recall the championship fight when I caught you with that straight right, Tree?” Tre relaxed back into the couch
Nine stopped making his shake and laughed “Yea, I remember now. I had to peel Tree off the mat. But to be fair, Tree was five years younger fighting in those tournaments, you knocked out a youngin bro.”
Tre shrugged his shoulders while looking at the t.v. “So nigga...a win is a win.”
I remembered our fights in the Nine Bars community gym. I was the youngest, but Baba Silas always made me fight the older kids because I was too big for my age bracket. I bit off more than I could chew fighting Tre that time though.
I sat up and reached for an apple from the coffee table. I bit into it. “Ok. I’ll give you that, but you know damn well that shit would never happen again,” I said chewing.
Tre let out a cackle. “This shit funny, you heard what Trump said Nine?,” asked Tre.
I turned to Nine “What! When you became a democrat”
Tre sneered
BLACK MEN BUILD 2020
“What would you propose we do about Trump’s rhetoric Tre?” said Nine.
“Yup”
“How bout you Tre? Who you voting for?”
Tre shook his head, then looked at Nine. “This man aint convinced either Nine, how you say you a revolutionary and can’t even convince your family to vote your position?”
“Because my position takes time to develop, Tre. I rather Tree vote for Biden because he thought critically about the conditions of our people and made a strategic choice.” Nine continued, “If you were a part of a flock of blind sheep and you became conscious of the treachery of the shepherd. Could you overthrow the shepherd with a flock of blind sheep?”
Nine nodded his head, “Even if the other sheep listened to your every command, would you prevail?”
Tre interrupted, “Cause all the shepherd would need to do is single me out, butcher me, and he could regain control of the flock.”
I looked down. He had been texting me for the last month, but I had been too busy training for my fight to go. “You’re right, I’ll make it to the next one Nine.”
BLACK MEN BUILD 2020
“But why are you specifically voting for Biden, Nine?” I asked.
Tre threw up his hands, “Thank you Tree! This nigga keep avoiding the question.”
“You nigga. I’ll beat yo ass.” I laughed.
Nine raised an eyebrow, “Ok, why me?”
“Cause I know I’d beat yo ass!”
Nine laughed, “Yea, but what variables did you use to make that choice?”
Tre looked at me, “well first Tree is a Muay Thai champion who just lost his first fight last week. The nigga is also like 6 inches taller than me and 40 pounds heavier.” Tre looked at Nine, “And you BJJ niggas are hoes, yall only useful on your back.”
I struggled not to laugh.
“If I can keep you on your feet, I’ll wear your ass out.” Tre finished.
Tre was drastically misrepresenting Nine’s skills. He’s a master at BJJ and has been doing striking all his life. We all have. Since we were kids. Nine leaned more into BJJ, but he isn’t a chump while on his feet. Tre would have a hard time with either of us. Tre is the oldest of us three and the strongest. But definitely not the most skilled. He has heart though, and usually in a dog fight, the more tenacious the pit the better its chances.
Nine looked Tre up and down a couple times then shook his head “so if you understand the importance in choosing an opponent that you think you can win against, then you should understand why I’m choosing to vote for Biden.”
“No bro, I don’t understand.” said tre, “Black people ain’t been able to shift the dynamics of the democratic party since we switched to it. That’s why this voting shit is a joke. It’s like a trick coin, every time you flip that bitch it lands on heads. We gotta introduce a new coin into the mix, a third party or something that got black people true interest at heart. Until then, this is one nigga you aint going to see in nobody voting booth.”
BLACK MEN BUILD 2020
“What’s your reason for not voting this year?” I said.
“Same as every year. I don’t think it’s going to change anything. I rather focus on community programs that I have seen help our neighborhoods. like community protection teams, mentorship programs, helping brothers to start businesses, teaching money management and financial coaching. That shit goes farther than any election.”
Tre waved his hand, “them niggas good for nothing too.”
Nine paused, then said, “If some pig shot and killed me tomorrow, where would you go for justice?” The room went silent.
Tre’s face turned cold. He dropped his head and responded slowly. “We grew up warriors, bro. You know what’s gon happen.”
I nodded my head in agreement, “Its blood in the water”
Me, Tre and Nine aren’t related. But we grew up like brothers. The saying goes, blood is thicker than water. We say there is blood in the water because we found family through friendship. The wrath of god would be released if any of us were killed by the police. A bittersweet truth.
I smiled “The butcher. Niggas need ham for they greens”
Nine and Tre laughed, then he turned to me again waiting for an answer.
BLACK MEN BUILD 2020
“Ok, and who does the police chief answer to?”
“The police chief answers to the city government. Tree your ass got hit too many times last weekend,” said Tre.
I picked up the heaviest pillow off the couch and heaved it at Tre.
Tre through the pillow back at me, “Duh, I aint dumb, Nine. But, elections and voting just aint my thing. Too many liars, and whenever we get somebody in there we like, they dont do shit. When I voted for Obama, I didnt vote for this nigga to bomb the Middle East to hell. I don’t want that blood on my hands, bro. Im just gon make this money, Im gon drink this 1942, and Im gon fuck wit these bitches. Politics is your lane.”
Nine furrowed his brow, “says the man who watches CNN every morning, and why they gotta be bitches, bro!”
Tre looked annoyed, “Your right. I am going to fuck with these young ladies, happy?”
“Yes,” said Nine
Tre turned off the T.V., grabbed his water bottle from the coffee table and walked to the kitchen to start filling it with water. Nine was behind Tre loading the last of his ingredients into the blender.
“Speaking of bitches, yall heard Lorraine pregnant?” said Tre.
Nine raised and eyebrow.
“Word? You think it’s yours?” I said.
Nine chuckled, shook his head and turned on the blender...
