Dekka 2

Chapter 37

37. Fighting.

Marcus reverts back to his silent self once we are on the mini-bus and so do I. I hope that I have done well. From the blank expression on his face, Marcus is giving nothing away.

The journey back to base is uneventful. After the bombardment of noise on the street the traffic sounds of the other vehicles seem much less intrusive. My head still pounds in pain but I try to ignore it and just stare ahead. I will be glad when we arrive back and I am once more in the familiarity of my cell.

Marcus escorts me back and waits while I get changed into my uniform. I have worn these clothes for so long now that anything else feels wrong. Even though I know they will be sent to laundry I fold the clothes up neatly and precisely before wordlessly handing the pile to Marcus.

He starts turning to leave but pauses and reaches out to touch my cheek.

"You did well, today," he says, then walks quickly away.

I can feel content with myself. I have not let Marcus down and that is the only thing that matters to me.

Life goes back to normal for a while. Most of my time is spent alone in my cell. I leave it only to go to the canteen or for training in the gym. In spite of what we have been through together us khaki suits stay isolated. We do not share memories or ideas. We do not talk to or acknowledge each other at all.

The next time I see Marcus, he is back in his grey suit. I prefer it. That is how I know Marcus, and I know how I am expected to treat him.

We are escorted to the gym but it has been changed. It is not set up for one of our usual training sessions. The equipment has been rearranged to make space for a roped off area with seating around the outside. On one side of this space I see several of the people that I have only before seen in the canteen. These are the people that move freely amongst themselves; that talk to each other; that never have anything to do with anyone but themselves. They do not seem to acknowledge our approach in any way. We may as well not exist.

Three of us are escorted to seats. We each sit next to our own grey suit. I would like to ask Marcus what is going on but know that I am not allowed; I sit staring silently at the ground in front of me waiting for things to be made clear.

The two of us remaining standing are escorted one to each side of the roped off area. The man who injured his leg is on one side; opposite him is a girl that I have never been teamed up with. Their grey suits are giving instructions, none of which I can hear but I'm now getting a good idea of what is about to take place.

Two khaki sweatshirts are removed, leaving the man and girl face to face in t shirt and sweatpants. They stare at each other coldly. Neither of them seem sure of what to do.

"These two contestants will fight each other. There are no rules governing combat. There can be only one winner." The grey suit sounds curiously bored given the enormity of his announcement. "The winner will be the individual that survives."

Nobody responds to this at all. We sit in silence, empty of emotion as always. The two opponents, now left by their grey suits weigh each other up. Neither of them seem to be willing to make the first move.

Time passes. I can hear voices coming from the other side of the fighting area, but not clearly enough to make out what has been said. I will appear calm. I will not show Marcus the tension that is building up inside me while I wait for this fight to begin, for this murder to be over.

When the move comes it is unexpected. The man throws himself across to land a heavy punch on the left side of the girl's head. As she goes down she thinks to grab his previously injured leg, bringing him down to the floor with her. There are punches thrown and kicks made but I get the impression that no one really wants to inflict real damage to their opponent. Neither of them seems willing to cause real pain.

The grey suits will not allow it to continue like this. They step in and haul their Khakis to the side as the instructor makes his way back into the ring.

"Enough of the warm up. This is not entertainment. This is a fight for survival. Only one of you will see the end of this so start taking it seriously, unless you want to be the one who doesn't make it back out of this gym."

The grey suits roughly push the opponents back towards each other and this time they keep on going. The girl lets out an almost inhuman cry as she leaps in the air and kicks the man hard in the chin, knocking his head backwards. He staggers but remains upright, and counter attacks with an elbow to her neck and a thump to her stomach.

The sounds of the struggle have more effect on me than the sight of it. I can concentrate most of my vision on the floor without Marcus realising that I am doing this. I cannot invisibly cover my ears.

She falls to the ground and I can hear feet reaching their target, ribs cracking, but she is not giving in. She pulls him down and scrambles up to get hold of his head. She lifts it up and smacks it down, over and over again.

From the sickening thud of his head meeting the floor I realise that it is over, that she has won. She stands, staring blankly ahead of herself. She has blood on her hands, and is breathing heavily but otherwise gives no sign of having been involved in a fight to the death.

We all stand and file out, no one saying a word. I can't help noticing that the man has just been left, lying in a heap with the back of his head caved in. No one has even bothered to remove him or even to cover him up. I think that that is the moment that any humanity remaining inside of me died.