Rampant: A Divergent FanFiction (Book Two) ©

Chapter 2

                I frowned as the man in front of me crawled onto his knees, took a ragged breath, and then somehow managed to get back onto his feet. He tried to take a step but ended up back on the floor before I’d even had time to blink. He didn’t seem ready to quit though.

               Stay down damn it!

               Through the openings in the ceiling-high chain link fence that surrounded us, I could see that the crowd was growing impatient. However, though they demanded I finish him off, all I could do was stay rooted in my spot. His face was a medley of purple and green bruises, and I could see that his arms were shaking.

                Please, just go unconscious.

                The man shuddered, but then stood. I could see him clench his jaw, and knew immediately that my prayers would remain unanswered. With a lurch, he charged at me.

               I gave an internal groan, I didn’t want to keep hurting him, but then reacted as I always did; on instinct, I attacked.

               As soon as he was within arm’s reach, I leapt, hooked an elbow around his neck, and then proceeded to punch him repeatedly in the gut. He groaned but kept trying to land a blow as he flailed his arms around wildly. I wasn’t worried; my hold was unbreakable. Why wouldn’t he just tap out?

                Then, as if reading my thoughts, I felt it; the man stopped thrashing his fists and instead tapped his open palm against the forearm I was using to keep him in the choke-hold. Finally. A loud horn blared, and I let go of the man. He slumped to the ground and stayed there as he tried to catch his breath.

                From the outside, a pair of dauntless ran up and flipped the hinge that kept the door to the ring shut.  They rushed in, and then positioned themselves at either side of the fallen man; helping him hobble his way out. I followed behind them, but while they continued to make their way out -probably to the infirmary- I turned and instead headed over to one of the benches that surrounded the arena.

               “And that is it ladies and gentlemen! What a show we’ve had today!” The ringmaster, Jax, bellowed into the microphone in his hand. “Let’s have a big round of applause for today’s winners! From the female lightweight category; Alice, the Assassin, Jones! And from the male; Mac Andrews–”

                Alice, one of the few female fighters to earn a nickname, jumped up from the bench and pumped her fists in the air. I could hear people in the audience cheer and a couple even tried to swarm closer so they could ask for an autograph; she was always a favorite. Mac, the newcomer who’d been steadily working his way up, seemed almost embarrassed as he waved at the crowd.

                “–from the female middleweight category; Becky Owens! And from the male we have Kayne, the South-Paw, Hoffman!–”

                Kayne, who I’d actually fought during my first week in The Cage, clenched his hands into fists and began to beat his chest in a gorilla-like fashion. I rolled my eyes; he always seemed to have a flair for the dramatic arts. The crowd let out a series of whoops, and began to stomp their feet.

                “–female heavy-weight is Janice Graham!–”

                The girl tried to smile, but her face was so swollen and bruised I actually found that I couldn’t bear to look at her.

                “–and last, but certainly not least, from the heavyweight male category; Sage, the Monster, Stronghold!”