3.02.2016

Page 8

Taking off her socks and stuffing them in a pocket, she glances from crowd to stage.  Two men are punching at one another.  A third man stands slightly apart, observing.  A referee.  A fight.  Many of the people in the crowd clutch small scraps of paper as they cheer.  Betting slips.
They are sloppy fighters.  Wild punches and stagnant footwork.  One hook finally clips a fighter in the jaw, sending him to the mat with a dull thud.
Before the ref even calls the fight, a clump of people swarm the betting booth to collect their winnings.  Others spit and grumble at their losses.  She take the opportunity to scan the crowd for any vestiges of the thief.
A young girl of perhaps 14 catches her eye.  She seems to be one of the few people not reacting to the knockout but instead surveying the people in the crowd.  They exchange a silent salute.
The referee’s voice claws at the crowd.  “The gate!  Ascension!”  The horde howls.  “The next fight, my friends, is for the right to ascend!”  An even louder howl arises.

No comments: