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And that’s when I felt it. A scrap of paper, almost weightless, was passed into my hand. Only as I scrunched my fist did I feel it.
I brought it up close and saw that the paper was a note.
Dearest darling Serena. I was so close, I could smell you. But I didn’t want to break your concentration. You look so cute when you focus. I couldn’t help but leave a note telling you how wonderful you look. Be well.
I looked around.
I was abruptly reminded of how very human I was. The bottom of the food chain. Easy prey.
My breath came in shallow gasps. The people crowded in closer like wolves on Earth moving in for the kill.
I opened my mouth to scream for Koda, for anyone to come help me, to get me out. But no sound came out.
My mind darted to Jalik, and for a moment, I fantasized about him breaking through the crowd. Of scaring them all back and sweeping me up in those strong arms of his and whisking me away.
But Jalik wasn’t here. Jalik wasn’t coming.
Everything swirled around me.
My head began to swim. It was too much. Too much. I couldn’t move, could hardly breathe. Couldn’t hear anything over the mad rush of blood in my ears.
Someone brushed their fingers over my hair and suddenly the spell was broken. A short scream escaped me. I pushed through the crowd and just ran. Ran like a deer in the woods fleeing for its life.
I ran and I ran and I ran, and all the while, I prayed for someone to wake me up from this horrible nightmare.
JALIK
“That was such a great fight, such a great fight,” said the young Zequinid who had been following me since I got out of the ring. Some high roller’s son, a big fan. “I hope to be able to control a ring like you one day!”
“Yeah…” I looked down at the scrawny insectoid. It was amazing he could even keep his head aloft. But Draven made it very clear that I needed to be nice to the kid. We couldn’t lose his dad as a customer. “You start training now, maybe you can challenge me before too long.”
“And beat you?” he said with child-like excitement. Joy flooded his bug eyes. Before that moment, I’d never seen that race show so much emotion.
“Maybe.” I laughed. Then I tossed the dirty rag I’d been mopping up my sweat with towards the kid.
He quickly snatched it out of the air. “Thanks! Can’t wait to see you fight again tomorrow!”
I quickly threw on a shirt as the kid scurried away and out of my dressing room. I then turned my attention to everyone else who followed me back from the ring.
More sons, grandsons, nephews, daughters, neighbors, and whoever else could be a high roller’s son came to set up a meeting with me. Even a few high rollers themselves. I had to play nice with them all. Sign things, take pictures, and give advice to young hopefuls. All just to keep happy whoever paid a lot of money to get them here.
“Missster Jalik,” a teenage Ewani started to say, with the sibilant s his race was known for. “When you get hit in the faccce, doesss it–?”
“Jalik!” an agitated voice called through the crowd.
In the distance, getting closer and closer, someone pushed towards me. It was not the first time someone tried to cut in line to see me after a fight. It certainly wouldn’t be the last time.
“Move! I need to speak to Jalik!”
“Ow!”
“Hey! Watch it, buddy!”
“Out of my way!”
“You stepped on my tail!”
“Hey! Whoever is pushing their way through, stop and wait your turn,” I yelled. “Or –”
