Chapter 21 Chapter 21

Chapter 21 Chapter 21
Sabrina's POV
"Sabrina." Mira walked over, her voice low.
"Listen to me."
"Garrick is strong. Very strong."
"Don't fight him head-on."
"If you can't win, just last one round, then forfeit."
"It's not shameful. Afterwards, we'll figure out another way to get Teresa in."
I nodded. "Okay."
But I knew there wouldn't be another way. If I lost today, Teresa's chance was gone. No one would bring it up again.
I started taking off my jacket, leaving only my black sports bra.
Elena walked over and handed me hand wraps.
"Wrap tight," she said.
Elena helped tie up my hair.
"Listen," she said. "Garrick fights very directly."
"He charges. He hits hard. But he's not patient."
"If you can last, he'll get frustrated, then you'll have openings."
She looked at Garrick.
"Hey, big guy!" she shouted.
"Don't go easy on her!"
"She can take it!"
Garrick laughed. "I won't."
Elena turned back to me.
"His weakness is stamina," she whispered.
"Outlast him."
I nodded.
The crowd started cheering. Some were placing bets.
"Ten on Garrick!"
"Five on Sabrina!"
"She's got guts, I'll give her that!"
I walked toward the fighting ring. It was a clearing in the center of the camp, covered in yellow sand and roped off. Simple, but it worked.
I stepped over the ropes onto the sand. The crowd around us grew larger. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.
I looked at Kael. He stood outside the crowd, motionless. His face expressionless.
Garrick entered the ring too. He didn't take off his shirt, just rolled his shoulders and neck. Crack, crack.
He was a head taller than me. His shoulders were twice as wide. His arms were as thick as tree trunks.
Standing in front of him, I looked like a child.
"Sabrina," he said.
"You sure about this?"
"Yes."
"Alright." He shrugged.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
"It'll be good if you can take even one punch."
I didn't answer. I just got into my stance. Left foot forward, right foot back. Hands up to protect my face.
My eyes locked on Garrick's shoulders. Not his eyes. Watching the shoulders helps predict punches.
Ready.
"Fight!" Mira shouted.
Garrick moved. He charged. Fast. Too fast for someone his size.
Right straight. I sidestepped. The fist grazed my face. The wind from the punch was powerful enough to knock my hair tie loose.
My hair fell, the black ponytail cascading down like a waterfall, blocking my vision.
I quickly backed away, brushing the hair from my eyes.
Garrick pursued. Left hook. I ducked. Dodged it.
Right uppercut. I jumped back.
"Come on!" Garrick shouted. "Stop running!"
He kept chasing. I kept retreating. Running around the ring. Couldn't let him catch me. Couldn't take his punches head-on.
The crowd was shouting.
"Hit her!"
"Don't let her run!"
"Corner her!"
Garrick started changing tactics. Instead of chasing straight, he forced me into a corner.
He moved left, cutting off my escape. I had to go right. He moved again. Cut me off again. My space was getting smaller.
My breathing became rapid. Sweat ran down my cheeks, dripping onto the yellow sand.
Finally, I was cornered. Back against the ropes. Nowhere to run.
"Got you," Garrick said.
He rushed in. Throwing punches in succession. Jab. Cross. Hook.
I could only block. Arms covering my head.
Fists slammed into my arms. It hurt. Even my bones vibrated. But I couldn't drop my hands. If I did, my face would take the hit.
Garrick's punches got heavier. Faster. My arms were giving out.
He threw a right straight. I blocked with my left hand, but the force was too much. My own hand was smashed into my face. He threw a left hook. I tried to dodge, but had nowhere to go.
Garrick didn't stop. An uppercut hit my chin.
My head snapped back. I saw stars. Then I fell, crashing onto the sand.
Ears ringing. Vision blurry. Blood started trickling from the corner of my mouth, bright red drops hitting the sand.
"One!" someone started counting.
"Two!"
"Three!"
I struggled. Pushing against the ground. Digging my fingers into the sand.
"Four!"
"Five!"
Get up. Must get up.
"Six!"
My legs were shaking, but I stood up.
"Seven!"
I steadied myself. Raised my hands. Bruises were already starting to show on my face.
"Continue," I said. My voice was slurred, mouth full of blood.
"Sabrina!" Rosa shouted from the sidelines.
"Enough!"
"Stop!"
But I shook my head. Spat out a mouthful of blood. Bloody foam splattered on the ground.
"It's not over."
Garrick looked at me. His expression was complicated.
"You're tough," he said. "But this is pointless."
"You can't win."
"Maybe," I said.
I got back into my stance. Even though my hands were shaking. Even though my legs were weak. I could still fight.
My eyes changed. No longer just focused, but filled with a near-mad determination.
Garrick sighed.
"Alright."
He charged again. This time I didn't retreat. I met him.
Threw a left jab. Hit his cheek. Light. Did no damage. But it hit.
Garrick paused for a second. I threw a right cross. Hit again.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Not bad," he said.
Then a heavy punch. Right in my stomach.
I doubled over, gasping for air.
A knee strike. Slammed into my face.
I flew backward, crashing to the ground.
Nose bleeding. Mouth bleeding. Blood everywhere. Mixed with sweat, dyeing my face red.
My hair was completely loose, sticking to my bloody face.
"Two!" Mira started counting again.
"Three!"
"Four!"
I crawled up again. Using all my strength. Sand stuck to my bloody face.
"Five!"
"Six!"
I stood steady. My left eye was swollen almost shut. Could only see with my right.
"Still want to continue?" Garrick asked.
"Yes."
He shook his head, but respect appeared in his eyes.
"You've got heart."
"I'll give you that."
We fought a few more rounds. I hit him a few times. But he hit me more.
Every punch felt like a hammer smashing into me.
My face was swollen. My right eye started swelling too. Now both eyes were barely open.
But I was still fighting. Still throwing punches. Still dodging.
My movements got slower. Reactions duller. But I didn't stop.
Sweat and blood mixed together, dripping off my chin.
Garrick was getting impatient.
"Just go down!" he shouted.
"Give up!"
"No." My voice was weak but firm.
He got angry. A full-force right straight. I couldn't dodge in time. Hit me square in the face.
I went down again. Worse this time. My whole body flew back, hit the ropes, and slid down.
I lay on the ground, face buried in the sand. Blood stained the sand around me red.
"Five!"
"Six!"
"Seven!"
I tried to get up. But my arms gave way. I slipped and fell back down.
"Eight!"
Using every ounce of strength, I crawled up. Hands and knees shaking.
"Nine!"
Stood steady. Face covered in blood. I was unrecognizable.
Swollen, bruised, bloody. Vision almost gone. Both eyes swollen into slits.
But I was still standing.
I spat out more blood.
"This..." Garrick looked at me.
"There's no point in continuing."
He turned to Mira.
"Stop the fight. She's proven herself."
Mira looked at me, tears in her eyes.
"Sabrina," she said.
"Enough. You did well."
"We can stop."
She looked at Kael.
"Kael, stop this."
"She's proven her point."
Everyone looked at Kael. He stood there, unmoving.
"Someone must forfeit," he said. His voice was cold.
"Only then is it over."
"Sabrina?" Mira turned to me.
"Do you forfeit?"
I looked at Kael. That cold face. He was testing me. Testing my resolve. Testing my will.
I couldn't forfeit. If I did, it would prove him right. Prove I wasn't strong enough. Prove Teresa shouldn't join.
"No," I said. Voice hoarse, barely audible.
"Continue."
Garrick sighed.
"Stubborn."
He walked over. I raised my fists. But too slow.
His fist was already there. Hit my temple.
Everything slowed down. I saw the sky spinning. Saw the faces in the crowd.
Saw Kael. Still expressionless.
Then. Darkness.