A short story

this is a short story i wrote off an idea ive had for a few years. written in early 2010, its one of my only short stories to date.


I’m taking the long walk where every step feels like a mile, where the only one who walks beside me is my shadow. I’m about to step into the fire not knowing if I’ll leave the same man. The cage door slams behind me as I enter my steel prison. The doubt, the nerves run through my mind but not once do my eyes leave my opponents gaze. I can smell his fear and he smells mine. Or faces show no emotion for once that bell rings, all that was human about us would have vanished. The bell sounds and the desire to win now drives my every move. We exchange punches. With each blow we land, our fire burns brighter. My hunger for victory heightens. I land a punch that sent my opponent crashing to the floor. My chance is now. I throw punches like bombs with each one hitting the mark. For that moment time stopped. The crowd was in black and white. I turn my head and gaze apon a little girl. Sadness marked on her face and tears in her eyes. I try to stop my onslaught but it’s too late. “Daddy!!” The little girl screamed. I won the fight but at what cost? Did my thirst for victory consume me? After all what good is a win when you lose your humanity in the process. I sat in the locker room looking at my swollen scraped knuckles. All I could see was that little girls face. I didn’t just hurt her father, i hurt her even more.