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In the end, my curiosity won out. I changed into dark jeans and a grey shirt, clothes that wouldn't stand out in a crowd. I put on a ball cap and my hair in a low bun. Nondescript and anonymous.
The moon was out while I drove downtown towards the area hinted at in the forums. This was the seedier side of Sunridge. These overlooked corners of the pleasant Midwestern town revealed a different world of crumbling, older buildings and litter-strewn sidewalks. Turning the corner, I thought about how these paths were frequented by those who preferred to stay out of sight, conducting their business away from the eyes of the town’s more respectable citizens.
The further I drove, the streets grew emptier, buildings more derelict. I killed the headlights, moving slowly through the shadows until I came upon it. The building housing the Carnage Brawl was unassuming, with weathered bricks and faded graffiti.
As I approached the building, the atmosphere grew more charged, as if the very walls held echoes of the MMA fights that had taken place within. The entrance was dimly lit, with a flickering neon sign casting an eerie glow that barely illuminated the spot. My car windows were rolled up, but a low rumble of music seeped inside.
Cars were parked in a nearby lot. This was it. Carnage. I drove over to the lot and found a space. The thumping music from the building reached my chest and feet as I got out and walked closer. Each step felt heavy as I moved towards the door leading to a basement.
No chickening out now. I held my breath for seconds before I slipped inside.
Upon entering, the interior was a stark contrast to the glamour of official sports arenas. The space was dominated by exposed brick walls, rusted metal beams, and the scent of sweat and adrenaline. String lights were haphazardly strung across the ceiling for cheap lighting, casting a moody ambiance.
I approached the burly guy near the door. “Just you?” he asked.
I wasn’t sure about answering the question whether I came alone. “My date’s joining me later. Just here to see the fight.”
He held out his hand. “It’ll be eighty for you, one sixty if you want two.”
Eighty bucks to see a fight in this dingy crawlspace? I almost balked. Then I remembered that people weren’t coming to Carnage for the sleek amenities. This was where the knock down drag-out brawls occurred. People were out here to see the real blood spill.
Before the guy got impatient, I slipped him a hundred-dollar bill. “One for now.”
He pocketed the Benjamin like it was lunch money. “No change.”
Of course he didn’t have change. I hid my annoyance. “Where’s the fight?”
He nodded behind him. “Straight shot down the hall to the basement. Just follow the noise.” He swigged something from a brown paper bag before speaking again. “Your date’s a POS to be running this late.”
Apparently, everyone in Sunridge was entitled to an opinion on my love life, the real and imagined. “When he gets here, make sure you tell him.”
I left down the hall before he could ask me to describe my fake boyfriend who was running late.
I passed several men and women on their way to the fight. Some looked like they could hold day jobs as accountants or store managers. Even so, their presence didn’t make me more comfortable. This place was still dicey. I kept up a steady pace as the floor dipped towards the lower part of the building.
The dim basement was dank and dingy, with exposed pipes running along the low ceiling. A cage sat at the center. It had a chain link fencing with a dirt floor, stained dark in places. Around it, a mixed crowd jostled and shouted. My nostrils burned from the musty, damp smell in the air.
Makeshift bleachers lined the walls, filled with men clutching beers, yelling encouragement at the two masked fighters currently circling in the cage. I wrinkled my nose at the stale beer stench as I wedged into a spot on the end, trying not to touch anyone or notice how the soles of my boots stuck to the floor.
A bell clanged and the fighters rushed together, exchanging blows with animal ferocity. The crowd’s cheers and jeers echoed, harsh, off the concrete walls. I scanned the sea of faces, not recognizing anyone. Until one of the masked fighters stepped out from the shadows in the cage. Broad shoulders, muscular build. A familiar gait. No, it couldn't be...
But when the man turned, and the light overhead hit the front of his mask, I saw the blazing hazel gold eyes that had been branded into my memory for weeks.
Ryder was here. At Carnage.
Chapter Nine
Ryder
Each month, on the first Friday, I stepped into the grimy blood and sweat-soaked ring at Carnage, wearing my mask and preparing for the underground league’s brawl. I knew once I arrived, I’d be tempted to fight like many of my opponents, cold and merciless. In a weird way, I liked battling my demons. This constant restlessness was the part of me few people knew about apart from my shiny stage demeanor in the pros.
Down here, in the grime and grit of the city, beating that animal urge made me feel alive.
I also fought Carnage matches because I was still a free agent. I couldn’t lie, though. Not much else compared to facing down an opponent with all the odds stacked against me.
And tonight, this guy the underground promoters had me up against didn’t disappoint. I balled my fists as I took a left fighting stance in the caged ring. I might be feeling the bruises tomorrow, but if I took him down, the rush would stay with me.
At least until next month’s brawl. Or until I saw Ava again.
