Dragon's Curse
Tough Love
My father hits my hard. "You know better!" He yells.
I stand up straight again. "They threatened Anastasia!" I spit back.
"I don't care!" My father hisses. "My son has been consulting with the Shadow over something as small as that!" He hits me again. "You know damn well that you could have won that fight and we could have dealt with the threat. I am ashamed of you!"
That hurts... to hear my father say that. I've always done things to make him proud of me. Now I have let him down.
"I know why you are going there." He says. "To be stronger! You are a disappointment!"
I look up in shock. He had heard the conversation last night. "I need it!" I yell. "I want a rematch with Knockout!"
I don't expect the next hit. My father hits me where Knockout did. Not as hard but still. I go down fast and hear him walk away. "Make sure he does not leave the house" he says to my siblings.
I hear a door shut and lay there feeling sorry for myself. I have to go now. I sit up and hold my head. I feel the blood run down my cheek. "I'll go tonight" I think out loud.
***ZION'S POV
I shut the door hard and tell Kurt to keep Bernard from leaving. It was just like before when Kurt wanted to fight Hun. The 2nd top MMA fighter. I told him it was a bad idea and that he wasn't ready but he didn't listen and fought anyway. I let him go to teach him a lesson about humility. He got his butt kicked and never went to a fight he wasn't ready for again. I'm proud of him for that. Bernard is much more stubborn. He reminds me of myself.
As I sit down in my office I think of my eldest son, Bernard. I couldn't let him go this time. It was too big of a risk. With Kurt, it wasn't. Hun might be a brute but he is fair. The Shadow is not. I have seen other fighters make deals and they never live long. Knockout is the only one who is still alive. I think of what Bernard had said. Knockout was a juggernaut. That must be the deal Knockout made. Make him invincible and he'd fight for them. Now my son had made the same mistake. He wants to be invincible like that fool. I wonder what Knockout gave up to the Shadow to have that power and make my decision. I won't let Bernard take the risk. Later that night, I hear Anastasia yelling.
I jump out of bed and run into the gym. My daughter runs up and says that Bernard is leaving. I run outside and call his name. "You are not leaving" I say.***
I turn as my father comes out side. "Yes I am" I say. "I won't let you die from my mistake."
"And I can't let you risk your life!" My brother, Kurt tackles me but I throw him down. I get into a fight with my father and end up throwing him on his bad knee. As soon as he hits I let go and stand up. He groans from the pain and I feel the pang of guilt flood though me. I never ment to hurt him but I had to go to protect him and Ana.
As I walk away I try not to look back. It would only make my stay. I meet the men outside of town and they take me to my destination.
"Here we go" I say. "Let’s do this"
I stand up straight again. "They threatened Anastasia!" I spit back.
"I don't care!" My father hisses. "My son has been consulting with the Shadow over something as small as that!" He hits me again. "You know damn well that you could have won that fight and we could have dealt with the threat. I am ashamed of you!"
That hurts... to hear my father say that. I've always done things to make him proud of me. Now I have let him down.
"I know why you are going there." He says. "To be stronger! You are a disappointment!"
I look up in shock. He had heard the conversation last night. "I need it!" I yell. "I want a rematch with Knockout!"
I don't expect the next hit. My father hits me where Knockout did. Not as hard but still. I go down fast and hear him walk away. "Make sure he does not leave the house" he says to my siblings.
I hear a door shut and lay there feeling sorry for myself. I have to go now. I sit up and hold my head. I feel the blood run down my cheek. "I'll go tonight" I think out loud.
***ZION'S POV
I shut the door hard and tell Kurt to keep Bernard from leaving. It was just like before when Kurt wanted to fight Hun. The 2nd top MMA fighter. I told him it was a bad idea and that he wasn't ready but he didn't listen and fought anyway. I let him go to teach him a lesson about humility. He got his butt kicked and never went to a fight he wasn't ready for again. I'm proud of him for that. Bernard is much more stubborn. He reminds me of myself.
As I sit down in my office I think of my eldest son, Bernard. I couldn't let him go this time. It was too big of a risk. With Kurt, it wasn't. Hun might be a brute but he is fair. The Shadow is not. I have seen other fighters make deals and they never live long. Knockout is the only one who is still alive. I think of what Bernard had said. Knockout was a juggernaut. That must be the deal Knockout made. Make him invincible and he'd fight for them. Now my son had made the same mistake. He wants to be invincible like that fool. I wonder what Knockout gave up to the Shadow to have that power and make my decision. I won't let Bernard take the risk. Later that night, I hear Anastasia yelling.
I jump out of bed and run into the gym. My daughter runs up and says that Bernard is leaving. I run outside and call his name. "You are not leaving" I say.***
I turn as my father comes out side. "Yes I am" I say. "I won't let you die from my mistake."
"And I can't let you risk your life!" My brother, Kurt tackles me but I throw him down. I get into a fight with my father and end up throwing him on his bad knee. As soon as he hits I let go and stand up. He groans from the pain and I feel the pang of guilt flood though me. I never ment to hurt him but I had to go to protect him and Ana.
As I walk away I try not to look back. It would only make my stay. I meet the men outside of town and they take me to my destination.
"Here we go" I say. "Let’s do this"