Renegade Path

Ollie unlocked a heavy metal door and pushed us through.

The room was a wide, concrete nightmare of flickering lights, dirty corners, and leaking overhead pipes. In the center, someone had painted a wide red circle. Several rusty splotches stained the inside of the circle.

My heart jumped in my throat. I didn’t want to be here.

“Watch him,” Griff said to Eraser in a low voice, his gaze shifting to me. “And stay out of it.”

Eraser clenched his jaw but nodded.

“If things get out of control, find a corner and sit with your back to the wall. When the guards get here, lay down on your belly, hands on your head,” Griff instructed. “Got it?”

If he thought I was going to sit and watch while these animals ganged up on him, he was out of his mind, but I nodded to reassure him. He needed to go into the fight with a clear head.

A guard I recognized from one of the other units walked in with three of his inmates. He and Ollie argued briefly, then shook hands. More guards and kids came down until the room was somewhat crowded. I even recognized off-duty guards in their street clothes among the people placing bets. So many people seemed to be taking part in this savagery that I started to wonder if I was the crazy one.

“All two-faced pieces of shit,” Eraser whispered to me, as if he knew what was bubbling in my brain.

No one made any official announcements or anything like that. The guards huddled together. Someone walked around and collected money. Kids got called into the ring. The bloodshed began. No time to waste.

Griff had stripped down to his shorts by the time he got called into the ring. Most of the kids did. Easier to fight without worrying about being strangled by your sweatshirt.

He jumped in place to pump himself up and scanned the crowd. I lifted my hand quickly and he nodded.

Egghead really did have a head shaped like an egg. He was a mean bastard too. Always talking shit and lashing out at the other kids. At least I wouldn’t feel bad when Griff kicked his ass.

“Go!” one of the guards shouted.

A hush fell over the room. Griff and Egghead circled each other slowly. Egghead was strong—I’d watched him throw a weight bench into the wall one afternoon and flip over a cafeteria table another time—but he was slow. Griff was strong and quick on his feet. In another life, he’d probably be training to be an MMA fighter or something.

Egghead rushed Griff, diving for his middle. Griff grabbed Egghead and shoved his face straight into his knee. Blood gushed from Egghead’s nose and Griff shoved him away.

“Ooo!” The crowd erupted.

Lurching to his feet, Egghead came at Griff again. This time Griff threw two punches to the kid’s face, turned, and threw an elbow to his jaw.

Egghead hit the ground and didn’t get back up.

“Too short!” a guard yelled.

There was a commotion by the side of the ring. Ollie took Griff aside. At first Griff shook his head, then he nodded.

“What’s going on?”

“Probably going to have him go another round.”

I zeroed in on the side of the ring where someone had dragged an unconscious Egghead. “How? He’s out.”

“Someone else.”

“Jesus.” I rammed my fingers through my hair.

“Goodyear.” Eraser elbowed me. “He’s not as slow as Egghead but Griff can take him easy.” He snorted. “Got that nickname because of the spare tire he’s carrying around his middle.”

“Genius,” I muttered.

The second fight started right away.

Goodyear approached Griff with caution. He threw a fast fist, but Griff dodged it and rammed his shoulder into Goodyear’s chest, pushing him back a few feet.

Goodyear wrapped his arms around Griff’s body, lifted him in the air, and threw him to the ground in a bone-jarring slam.

“Fuck!” I yelled.

“It’s okay,” Eraser assured me.

They grappled on the floor for a few agonizing seconds. Goodyear landed several blows to Griff’s face.

Finally, Griff gained the upper hand, trapping Goodyear beneath him on the floor. He jabbed several punches in Goodyear’s face, grunting with each blow. Drops of blood and sweat popped in the air.

Goodyear stopped fighting back.

Griff jumped off him, slowly backing away. He grinned, his teeth stained bright red.

The guards called the fight and finally let Griff leave the circle. Someone dragged Goodyear out of the ring and dumped him next to Egghead.

Two other kids replaced them in the ring.

Griff wobbled a bit as he approached us.

“You all right?” I asked.

“Never better.” He dabbed a dirty towel against his split lip. “Ollie said he’d share his winnings with me for the second fight.”

Eraser slapped Griff’s chest. “Good luck collecting that.”

Weary and freaked the fuck out, I followed them back to our room.

That night, I manifested like a motherfucker, praying I’d get out of there before it was my turn to battle it out in the ring.