just themselves and their opponent. No one held back. They fought hard in two minutes using footwork and combinations to score points. Blood flowed freely from one fighter’s nose down his chest, causing me to gag. When the two minute bell rang the fighters shook hands and the one with the bloody nose shoved cotton up his nostrils and carried on. Two more kids got in the ring and fought and this continued until each kid had fought everyone for two minutes. Blood from smashed faces pooled on the floor, knuckles were split open and bleeding, the men were glistening with sweat but none of the fighters were winded, unlike the kids earlier. These young men were in shape. They knew what they were doing and it made me fearful for my life. I shrunk further into the corner and closed my eyes, hoping if I couldn’t see them that the reverse would be true as well. After another hour or so of jumping ropes and lifting weights the five men finally left the gym area. I was reluctant to get down from this hiding spot and sneak out of the building and had no idea what time it was.
I thought of Karen and Tommy then. I wished I could go back to them without putting them in danger of the Roaches who would look for me if and when I didn’t show up. I wondered if they were safe and feared that if Tommy was caught by these thugs and forced to fight he would surely lose. Tommy was all talk; inside he was just a fearful kid trying to get by one day at a time like the rest of us.
I climbed down, taking my time and finding my way out of the now dark but always dank building. I made my way across town and finally found the brewery that housed the Roaches and went directly to Pauli’s office.
“Where the hell were you? Huh, you fucking punk?” The greasy guy who helped Pauli was raving mad.
“I asked you a question, you little shit, you better speak up.” He had crossed the room and grabbed me by my shirt collar.
“Jesus, Squid, you’re gonna scare the shit out of the kid, let him go.” Pauli interjected.
“I found them.” That’s all I had to say before the goons released me and were told to get me something to eat.
After I ate, I recounted everything I saw right down to the blood stained floors.
“Come with me kid.” Pauli led me to a section of the factory that I hadn’t been in before.
He pushed open a large metal door and I was hit immediately by the stench of body odor and blood. I looked around and saw a gym that was similar to the one the Rabbits used to train. This gym had a punching bag and another smaller bag that I later learned was a speed bag. Several squares were taped off on the floor and free weights, jump ropes, and other equipment I didn’t recognize lay in piles.
Fighters were in the midst of training. It was a smaller number of kids but because this gym also had five trainers the boys got more personal attention. Here they not only focused on offensive training but on defensive training, ducking the punch, bobbing and weaving, and dancing around the floor. These fighters looked lighter on their feet, although I was no expert.
“Tell me, what do you see? What are the differences between their gym and mine?” Pauli nudged me forward.
“I think you have more stuff, like that small bag over there, they don’t have that.” I looked around for more differences.
“That’s called a speed bag kid. It helps develop your rhythm and give you quick hands.”
“You have fewer rings, they have four marked off. You only have two.” I wasn’t sure if that mattered but it was a difference.
“You also have fewer kids in training but the ones you have seem stronger. Their kids look like they’re hungry but I mean they really look starved. I swear I could count their ribs if I was close enough.”
“Hmmm, they must have a new group fresh off the streets. They round up kids and offer them protection if they’ll fight. Then they feed them when they win and starve them when they don’t.”
“Well I think
I thought of Karen and Tommy then. I wished I could go back to them without putting them in danger of the Roaches who would look for me if and when I didn’t show up. I wondered if they were safe and feared that if Tommy was caught by these thugs and forced to fight he would surely lose. Tommy was all talk; inside he was just a fearful kid trying to get by one day at a time like the rest of us.
I climbed down, taking my time and finding my way out of the now dark but always dank building. I made my way across town and finally found the brewery that housed the Roaches and went directly to Pauli’s office.
“Where the hell were you? Huh, you fucking punk?” The greasy guy who helped Pauli was raving mad.
“I asked you a question, you little shit, you better speak up.” He had crossed the room and grabbed me by my shirt collar.
“Jesus, Squid, you’re gonna scare the shit out of the kid, let him go.” Pauli interjected.
“I found them.” That’s all I had to say before the goons released me and were told to get me something to eat.
After I ate, I recounted everything I saw right down to the blood stained floors.
“Come with me kid.” Pauli led me to a section of the factory that I hadn’t been in before.
He pushed open a large metal door and I was hit immediately by the stench of body odor and blood. I looked around and saw a gym that was similar to the one the Rabbits used to train. This gym had a punching bag and another smaller bag that I later learned was a speed bag. Several squares were taped off on the floor and free weights, jump ropes, and other equipment I didn’t recognize lay in piles.
Fighters were in the midst of training. It was a smaller number of kids but because this gym also had five trainers the boys got more personal attention. Here they not only focused on offensive training but on defensive training, ducking the punch, bobbing and weaving, and dancing around the floor. These fighters looked lighter on their feet, although I was no expert.
“Tell me, what do you see? What are the differences between their gym and mine?” Pauli nudged me forward.
“I think you have more stuff, like that small bag over there, they don’t have that.” I looked around for more differences.
“That’s called a speed bag kid. It helps develop your rhythm and give you quick hands.”
“You have fewer rings, they have four marked off. You only have two.” I wasn’t sure if that mattered but it was a difference.
“You also have fewer kids in training but the ones you have seem stronger. Their kids look like they’re hungry but I mean they really look starved. I swear I could count their ribs if I was close enough.”
“Hmmm, they must have a new group fresh off the streets. They round up kids and offer them protection if they’ll fight. Then they feed them when they win and starve them when they don’t.”
“Well I think
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