The Amplified : Fire Blight (Book 1)

Chapter Three - Fight or Flight

When I got outside the sun had mostly disappeared beneath the trees and the blood red sky glowed above. Justin's goons followed me out of the shop, the three of them made a dull and terrifying crowd. Justin stood in the middle of the grassy patch to the right of the shop, he had thrown his jacket to the side to expose his muscles in his slim fit t-shirt. Juan and Pep were at the window watching from inside. Juan cracked his knuckles nervously like he always did when he was anxious or scared. I unzipped my hoodie to reveal a far less terrifying physique.

"So, you're actually doing this," Justin shouted as I walked towards him. "you're actually going to fight me!" I was face to face with him now. Close enough to hear his oddly steady breath and smell his axe spray on his shirt, "Finally going to stop being a wimp." He said with so much confidence.

"Yup," said trying to unsuccessfully match his confidence, "I'll even let you have the first punch." Turning the side of my face towards him. He didn't hesitate to take miss the opportunity and he threw a punch towards my face. To his amazement, I grab his fist mid-punch moving it away from my face and pulled him into my elbow. He fell to the floor with blood dripping from his nose. He got up shakily and came at me again. He throws predictable punches which I dodged and evaded causing him to go off balance and found the opportunity to kick him in the side chest knocking back to the ground. From the ground, he swiped my feet knocking me to the ground as well, I could slowly feel my rage taking over. I tried to get up, but he comes out of nowhere and knees me in the face. I feel my lip split open and the metallic taste of blood seep on to my tongue.

I got up to Justin charging into me, I roll out of the way to avoid being winded by his size. He turns around and marches towards me. My vision begins to blur as the rage takes hold over me. I throw a jab into his side and then bring my elbow into his head stunning him. With both hands, I grab his head and force it into my knee. Then two sets of arms grab me from under my arms and hold me back, at first, I thought it was my friends stopping me from doing any more harm to Justin but then one of Justin's goons comes into my sight. I wriggled and jerked my body to try to get loose, but their grips tightened, I realized that I was being held by the other two goons.

The one in front then punched me in the gut, then again, then again, repeatedly beating me while I tried to get out of the hold. Suddenly Justin, with blood dripping from his nose and cuts on his face, pushed him aside. His short pitch-black hair was wet and covered in grass, I wasn't sure if it was blood or sweat. He then proceeded to use me as a punching bag, hitting every single inch of my body. When he was done with me he told his goons to drop me like I was a sack of potatoes. Through the pain, I could see them take my bike from the side of the shop and shove it into the back of Justin's car. Justin stood over me with bruised knuckles and a sloppy grin on his face. He crouched down next to my torn-up body and whispered into my ear.

"This, this is why you don't mess with me. You're always going to be under me Stark." He kicked dirt on to me and drove away.

The next thing I saw was Pepper running towards me with a med-kit in her hand and Juan by her side. I could feel the warm blood drip out of my nose and into the cold soil. My mind was blank through the pain, I willed myself to say conscious, but I had no strength left. I felt slim fingers gently left my head on to a soft surface.

"You are so dumb, oh my god, why would you do that?" I opened my eyes and saw Pepper above me rummaging through the kit pulling out cleaning alcohol and cotton balls. She'd placed my head on her lap, I could feel her warmth move into my body leaving me feeling vulnerable.

"How did I do?" I croaked.

"You didn't win," Juan said bluntly, "and you didn't tell me you could fight, you were winning for a bit." He put on a smile that was comforting and put me at ease.