Sarcophagus

The Final Fight

"No please, have a seat." "I must have dozed off." Harvey rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

" No problem at all, I'm Harvey, but I think I might have already told you that."

"I'm Ashley, It's a pleasure to meet you Harvey."

She extended her hand and he gently held her hand in his as he shook her hand. While shaking hands, her features darkened as she noticed how scarred his hands were.

"You must work with your hands Harvey, I've rarely seen hands that rough."

Chuckling Harvey replied, "You could say that, I'm a boxer and a lot of stout chins have found themselves on the end of these knuckles."

"That always seems like such a brutal sport. I've never actually known anyone who's done that for a living."

"It takes a lot of patience, a lot of training, and a lot of luck." He smiled to her as he finished

"I'm actually headed South, this might be the last fight I ever get. I have always wanted to go out on top, finish with a big fight."

"Well I hope you get that last win, by the way where is your fight supposed to be at?"

"Well it's in Atlanta, at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium, there was a last minute cancellation and I just happened to be available."

She couldn't help but smile at him, he had a charm that was undeniable. For being an older gentleman he still had an athletic physique. His dark skin hid most of the scars he had taken from his beatings over the years, the only giveaway of his age was his salt and pepper hair. He had to be at least fifteen years her senior, but he had this air about him, even after he told her that he was a boxer she couldn't have pictured that he would ever hurt anyone.

"If you don't mind me asking Ashley, why are you heading South?"

"I just took a new job in Atlanta, at a hospital, in the oncology department."

Harvey furrowed his brow and after a moment he said, "Ma'am I must have had my head hit one too many times, I just can't recall what kind of medicine that is."

"That is the study and treatment of cancer."

"Well Ashley, I hope that all works out for you."

"Thank you Harvey."

With a polite smile he began to look back out the window and watched the landscape move by. The scenery changed over time and the rolling hills and trees soon changed to concrete buildings and bridges. As the coyote neared Harvey's mind wandered again, thinking about what could have been. Someone had once told him that the road to Hell was paved with good intentions, Harvey also thought the same thing could be said with what ifs. As the train pulled into the station, the brakes squealed as the train began to slow and eventually came to a stop. Ashley and Harvey gathered their things as they began to exit the train.

"Well I hope your fight goes well."

"Thank you ma'am, I hope you enjoy your new job.

With a smile they departed. The station platform bustled with movement, an ever shifting mass of people. Harvey scanned the crowd looking for anyone that may have been sent to pick him up. As he walked towards the front of the station there was a smartly dressed man, who held a large sign that had Dennison printed on it.

"I'm Harvey Dennison." He said to the man as he walked up.

"Excellent Sir, I'm Charles, your driver. Here Sir, let me get your bags."