The Fighter Part II

He thought he was a pawn on the board. At least he was on the board at all. At least he could control his future, more so than others. He had grown up in a middle class family. He had never thirsted or hungered or scrounged for scraps like some of the more well known fighters. He had never hungered for fame. What he had always wanted, and what had been denied in this world to him was freedom. Freedom to make his own choices, freedom to not be enslaved, to not be dancing to the tune of money in this strip club. He was rather proud of that analogy. It came to him when he was at an actual strip club. He worked a desk job during the day, and was single. He would blow his money, carefully, not all of it, he wasn’t stupid, at a strip club. Everyone had their vices. He remembered the thought even now, the exact thought, ringing through his head like it had that day. This country, no this whole world is a strip club. There are people with the money, and there are the rest of us, dancing for it. He smiled. He was proud of that thought. He believed in the truth of that statement as soon as it echoed around the pole of his mind, it took him a lot longer to act on it. Maybe that was why his story wasn’t etched in the minds of the people. But also, he didn’t want it to be. He had never thirsted for fame. They all knew, even the number ones in the world, that he could wipe the floor with them. They didn’t want to fight him. He wouldn’t fight them. It was an open secret.

He thought he was a pawn on the board. At least he was on the board at all. He waited now, overcoat a few sizes too big for him, completely hiding his bulky frame, sagging on him, as rainwater welled up in the pockets, head covered by the hoodie. Eyes darting from side to side. Even in this much rain, it wasn’t hard to see. There were not that many people out here. He would know when whom he had been told to look for was here. The man had mismatched eyes, and ‘they will be the most beautiful you have ever seen’. The rain pattered softly. Calm, now that it had scared off most people. The thunder above was mellow like a cat purring after drinking milk. It smelled moist and damp, and it had rained for so long that no bacteria could thrive, it would be drowned. Or would it? He frowned at the thought. He took his fingers out of his pocket and felt the rain, cool and soothing. Funny, that something that had locked people in their homes could feel so... natural. Visibility was poor but it was just enough. He looked at his clock, the man should be passing by soon. They had given him the exact time, and thus far, they had not been wrong. Five. four. Three. Two.