THE HIDDEN RIVAL

ed to what they called

s man thinking giving

sounde

o take it too far t

o take in whatever it was th

eed to tell me who he really was. Then the stupid announcement was made again and they chanted his name-"Nikita... Nikita... Ni

giving the announcer

rst to kill wins... and fi

d started

ruel and am n

nd I prayed secretly to my parents that they s

ush, they clearly knew who wa

at me. I'm pro

hey blew the trumpet, signaling that

wd. Then I turned to see my opponent and something hi

Ou

ind of pain

t wild chanting his name-"

ow off, like ack

y and ......nahhh, I di

ot tha

in back the oxygen that escaped my

lf up and I stood immediately,

blow, one more and I swear I mi

ked like someone who ate three

e to be done wi

least that was the little they could do to help me,

own, he turned his gaze right

is he smiling

e down and save y

down, but I was fast to move to the oth

hurt 'cause I was su

r being cal

say it lou

knew one thing for sure that you don't venture to tak

never thou

and he stood up immediately a

he's gonna knock

attack. I

is that I can learn any

crazy, but it would r

and steady ste

ground. I didn'

, though the first blow was

nd into a fist and came

prised. I'm reall

uc

just hit

hh

wish this pain

ne who was shoutin

s and used my hand to

my mouth, but my ear was inclusiv

s standing at the top of the

s so no

iced something drip

dark red

to be k

ng of the ring to know

st forgot i

ed my nose..

don't tell me t

h c

osing blood w

some moment, at lea

nding zigzag wh

he pieces of dignity I didn't both

down and he turn

ession on, like he was ready t

me my parents were still alive, they once said, "Living

I'm saying th

icular mindset when they st

r stuff is what I'm

d, ventured towards me a

h, his ribs and struck it, and h

looked

the chants o

. Rival..

, that fee