Here we go. Here we go. HERE WE GO.

“Coming into ring at 6’0, the icon, the legend himself.  No introduction needed! All the way from Los Angeles, put your hands together for six-time heavyweight champion, Tony “The Reaper” Alvarez!!!”

Music booms, the crowd is roaring, chanting my name. 

Reaper, Reaper, Reaper.

I pull my hood over my head, adrenaline pumping through my veins, preparation for what’s coming.  Jumping into the ring, I get a good look at my opponent.  Easy.  This amateur should be shaking in his shoes.  He’s got no clue what’s about to hit him.  Making our way to the center of the ring I reach out my gloves to him.  

“Let’s get ready to RUMBLEEE!!!”

He slams his fists down on mine with a smirk plastered on his face.  Shoot. Guess I’m not the only one fueled by adrenaline tonight.

Ding ding ding.

And the match is off! One, two, three, ten rounds go by.  He’s putting up a good fight, but I’m landing more hits, powerful ones at that.  I’ve got him in the corner, he’s hunched over doing all he can to defend himself from my deadly blows.  Then suddenly, he drives his fist right through my gut.  Blow by blow, I’m getting pummeled left and right and then–I’m out.  He lands a sucker punch right to my eye.  I stumble back into the darkness and hit the ground.

One, two

Get up!

Three!

Get up! For goodness sake, get up!

Four, Five

Light starts coming back into view.

Six!

I can just make out her face, so worried, so much pain.  I don’t think Carrie’s ever missed a match.  She’s praying, praying for me to get back up.

Seven,

Then she blows me a little kiss, tears rolling down her eyes.  Though she’s always here, she can never get used to me getting hit.

Eight

I find the strength to stand up.

“I’m good, I’m good,” I tell the referee.

“He’s good!” he yells, and the match is back on.

A few more blows and then—Ding ding ding. Round ten is over, he won that one. I make my way back to my corner and my team rushes in to help me. My left eye is swollen shut, warm blood trickling down the side of my face.  My coach is throwing a whole bunch of words at me, but I can’t focus on that.  I can only focus on my anger.  I can’t let him win this match.

Ding, ding, ding. Round 11. I’m ready. I need to win this.  I look back to my wife, another kiss.  I have to do this.  I have to win.

 The bell rings and I get back to it. Rage comes out of my fists, and I get him back in the corner.  Jab—his head bounces back.  Pow-I get his jaw.  Thud—I landed a punch right to his temple and he’s on the ground.

One, two, three, four

Relieved, I step back huffing and puffing.

Five, six, seven, eight

He’s not getting back up, I can feel it.

Nine

I look back to my wife.  Relief has filled her face.  I can see her and my team getting up to celebrate.

Ten

I did it!  I won!  I slip back to my corner, my team rushes to congratulate me, Carrie slips through the ropes and into the ring.  She rushes in to hug me, so tight.  Her warmth calms me down and brings me back to my senses.

“Give it up for our seven time heavyweight champion!”

It’s time to go home.

…….

The icy wind slaps my wounds, stinging like a knife cutting through my skin. I grit my teeth until I reach the front door of our classy home.  As soon as I open the door, my little Rina comes running down the stairs.

“Daddy!!” she screams as she runs into my arms.

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” I laugh.

“I know, but I wanted to watch the fight! And it’s a good thing you won, otherwise I would’ve stayed up for nothing.”

“You know you’re not supposed to watch the fights,” Carrie chimes in, giving me a disappointed look.  “Go to bed, I’ll come tuck you in later.”

“Let’s get you in bed, Rina,” I say as I walk her up to her room. “I’m glad you watched the fight,” I whisper.

She climbs into her bed, too tired to put up a fight.  I tuck her into her warm bed, glad that she’s far from any harm.

“Can you sing me a song?” she asks in the most quiet voice.

“Of course,” I say, and as I start singing, I drift off, too.

……  

POW—gunshots go off.  Where are they?

“Carrie! Rina!” I yell.

More gunshots are being fired, I can’t make out the shooter.  I have to find my family.

“Tony!!” I hear Carrie yell.  I rush over to the room the scream came from when—-POW.  I run in, to see a slumped figure in the corner.  I’m screaming—running towards her, towards both of them—tears rolling down my face. 

“Tony,” a man grumbles.  He’s standing in the middle of the room, illuminated by a dim light.  No.  Not this again.  I can’t go back to before.

“Where is it?” he asks.  I’m not giving it to him, I won’t get sucked back into that hell.

“Give me the money!” he exclaims.  I can’t.  I just can’t.

“Fine,” he says, raising his gun.  This is it.  He puts his finger on the trigger, about to pull it—

……

It was my sophomore year of high school, my whole family was part of the notorious “Caballeros,” the Knights. It was in my blood.  Those 13 seconds of pain, and then my life changed forever.  I now, son of the deceased leader of this merciless gang, was expected to live up to his name.  Dealing drugs, beating up those who would get in our way, running from the cops, anything and everything.  Until, one day, during a deal, my boss, Salvatore, gave me a gun.  I had never shot one before, and I never intended to.  Salvatore and his men tied up our customer, beat and tortured him, and after all that, Salvatore turned to me and told me to fire the gun.  I had the gun up to his head, trembling with fright.  I couldn’t do it, even through everything I had done before, this was a line I wasn’t willing to cross.  Shouts coming from all the men, yelling at me to shoot.  I couldn’t, and I as I was about to withdraw my gun, we all heard sirens.  We were busted.  I couldn’t risk getting caught, I had heard the stories about the dingy jails of our city, where all us Caballeros ended up.  No, I wasn’t going to let that happen.  I took the money and ran, lost all connections with my family and the gang, and met Carrie.  She helped me get back on track with my life.  She took a chance on a low-life and made me into the person I am now.  Last I heard, the Caballeros had been locked up and dwindled in population, but I always live with the fear that Salvatore is hunting me down.

……

I wake up with a start.  I look to my side, Rina is still fast asleep, safe and sound.  I run to my bedroom.  Please, please, please.  I turn on the light and see Carrie, her head buried deep into her pillow.  Oh, thank God.  I climb into bed next to her, giving her a light kiss on the cheek, so thankful that I still can.  He’s not here.  He’s not coming, he won’t find me.  They’re safe.  It was just a dream, I tell myself.  Just a dream.