My Cobra Guy

Episode Ten

"This isn't the same spot, but this is what I was trying to teach Robby," Daniel said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday and the sky was becoming overcast. They gave the kids a free day to hike, socialize, and basically just enjoy themselves. Meanwhile, Daniel had invited Johnny on a walk.

Daniel continued. "This was before I knew he was your kid. He seemed like he had some issues, so I was trying to teach him about balance. Not just how to balance on the trunk itself, but how to find balance in his life."

"Sounds like a good lesson," Johnny said. As cold as the day was becoming now that the sun was in hiding, he somehow felt overly hot. His hands shook slightly so he shoved them in his pockets.

They stood beside a ravine. A creek had run below at some point, but it had long-since dried up or been diverted. Jagged rocks jutted from amid the smooth stones that had once lined the bed. Maybe the last time water had flowed there was as long ago as when Daniel had bested Johnny in the tournament. A single tree lay across the open space, a giant trunk, long dead, that had fallen some time ago.

Daniel walked carefully across the log. He turned and faced Johnny, got into his fighting stance, then did a perfect hook kick. He made it look so easy, as if there was never a chance he would lose his balance on the uneven wood. Daniel gave a short laugh and grinned at him.

"He practiced for hours but he got it that day. He had a natural talent."

Johnny nodded but his eyes fell. Thinking about Robby, and how he had let his own son down, was just too depressing. It brought Kreese to mind, and Johnny didn't want to dwell on that anger and pain while he was here. He would much rather enjoy himself with Daniel. It was a strange thought to have, enjoying himself on a hike alone with Daniel LaRusso. But he had said he would meet him halfway with this friendship crap, and he would keep his word.

"You wanna give it a try?" Daniel asked. Johnny finally met his eyes. Daniel wasn't such a bad guy, really. Forgetting all that crap from the past, this man had taken his son in, a stranger, a kid with a history, and tried his best to help him.

"Sure, why not," Johnny said, flashing his own toothy smile. Daniel climbed down and Johnny hopped up, his longer legs working only half as hard. What could it hurt to have a bit of fun and show Daniel that he was still a badass?

* * * * *

"I can do this." Johnny laughed down at Daniel.

"Go ahead," Daniel said, trying to ignore his sense of unease. Perhaps he shouldn't have asked him to do it. As Johnny was climbing, Daniel noticed that his feet took a bit too long to find the center of the log. Were his hands shaking? He certainly seemed to be sweating a lot in the cold.

No, Johnny would be fine. As Johnny liked to tell the boys of the dojo, "kicks get chicks." With a motto like that, Johnny couldn't possibly—

Johnny toppled from the side of the long-dead tree, chunks of bark fluttering below. His arms flung toward the sky and his legs kicked as if he were swimming, or as if they could find purchase on the very air. He attempted to throw his body in Daniel's direction, away from the rocks below.

Daniel's body reacted, tensing and launching, his arms outstretched. With a sickening crack, Johnny's head hit a jagged rock and his body went still.

A red line appeared across Johnny's brow, bisecting the golden waves at his right temple. The crimson ribbon thickened and dripped, soon becoming a small puddle.

"Johnny!" Daniel shouted, jumping down to him before kneeling in front of his old adversary-turned-partner. His insides felt as frozen as the snow that would soon fall. Why had he ignored his shakiness? Was he having withdrawal from lack of alcohol?