Ref
Sweaty, meaty, raw. Their bodies glisten in the limelight and the crowd jumps from their seats to yell. I stand nearby, wondering if I could leave by 10 – or if this’d drag on. Chanting occurs, the claps, the stomps, the various cat calls. I look at my watch and I see it’s stuck at four pm. Mental note: new batteries.
The mentors step forward, one happy, one pissed. Both pouring a bottle of crystal water at the men’s torso. Towels are thrown in, wiping away every drop of sweat the liquified through their pores. In the distance, a bell rings. I quickly asked the big man near me what time it is – it’s already 9:30. This could go on for hours.
I scratch my nape – the two men are on it again. Everyone is wild and happy. One man forces another down, pinning his arms above his head. With a loud yell, bounces on top of him, pounding the muscular framework of his body. The other shouts. I clamber up and yell at the first man. He doesn’t hear – can’t perhaps, more likely, won’t. I push him back, he swings at me.
Through the boos resonating from the crowd, I grapple with the man. The second man is regaining consciousness. I force the first man down. Bell.
A first aider rushes to me. I refuse, I’m barely hurt, barely hit. All in a day’s work. And it’s 10 pm and the match isn’t over. Goddamnit.
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CARD DRAWN:
KING OF CUPS
THIS IS THE TAROT CHALLENGE, a 78-day writing challenge where everyday I pick out a random card from my tarot deck and write something about, against, inspired by, based on the card by the day’s end. The works can range from poetry to fiction to drama. When the card is from the major arcana, the title of the work should be the card name. When the card is from the minor arcana, the title can be different but the card drawn should be revealed at the end.
