Aberrant

Sixteen: Dex

Isaac and Jo are first up in the ring. You can literally feel the anticipation in the air. Neither of them have lost to anyone yet and almost everyone here wants to see Isaac defeated.

Isaac and Jo stand eyeing each other, before Isaac makes the first move. He punches her face but she ducks and punches him in the side. He whips round and shoves her hard. Jo falls on the floor heavily, but then, before Isaac can use it to his advantage, she's up again.

It's a long and gruelling fight, with both Jo and Isaac sustaining heavy blows, but eventually Isaac manages to force Jo to the ground. And this time, she stays down.

There's a sigh of relief in the room because no one, not even people like Edgar and Brooke, liked seeing Jo beaten that badly. Isaac walks out the room smirking while Amar helps Jo up.

"I hope you all took careful notes," Amar says, "because that is what we call a fight."

"A fight to the death, more like," mutters Cassie in disgust.

"Next up! Phoebe and Edgar!"

"Who are you betting on?" Sam whispers.

"It's wrong to bet," says Plato.

"You're boring," I inform him, and then I ask, "What are we betting on?"

"Whoever loses gets no Dauntless cake at lunch," smirks Sam," Who wants to bet? Cassie? Amy?"

"I'm not risking my right to eat cake," says Cassie.

"No thanks," says Amy.

"You're on," I say. As much as I may love the Dauntless cake, I'm not one for refusing a bet, "I say Phoebe is going to win. Edgar's a wimp."

"They're both wimps," retorts Sam.

"Hey! Be nice!" hisses Amy.

"Sorry," says Sam, "It's the Candor in me. Fine, I'll go with Edgar."

"Deal," I smile, "Though expect to lose because Edgar usually goes down after one punch."

We watch as Phoebe and Edgar enter the ring. As predicted, Edgar falls to the ground the moment Phoebe's fist connects with his face. Sam looks seriously displeased.

"He could have at least tried, " he mutters angrily.

"You were the one who put cake on the line," I remind him smugly.

"Next up! Sam and Amy!" announces Amar, as he circles Phoebe's name on the board for the first, and probably only, time.

Sam groans, "My legs feel stiff after sitting here for so long," he turns to Amy, "Don't make me look like Jo." Amy just grins.

In the ring, it starts out pretty evenly but then it becomes clear that time isn't on Amy's side. Clearly for her to win she needs to defeat her opponent very quickly, but that moment has passed. Soon, using Amy's exhaustion to his advantage, Sam overpowers her and she concedes.

"Up next: Brooke and Dex!" shouts Amar. I wince.

"Good luck," whispers Plato to me. I just smile. This is the fight I've been looking forward to. I never had a chance to fight back at Brooke. This may be my only opportunity. I square my shoulders and head into the ring.

I glance at her, "Kang." Her fists are already balled, clearly ready for this fight. 

"April," she smirks her trademark smile. 

I glare at her, "Don't call me that. My name's Dex."

She ignores me, "Ready to be hammered?"

"It's you who is about to get hammered." I retort.