Flash Fiction - First Fight!

Read my new Flash Fiction story, "First Fight!", from the chapter with the same name and part of my new poetry book Dudebro! The Life and Death of a Modern Gentleman.

The story is about 438 words.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

They’re all around me, they came like vultures to rip into my carcass and label me and shame me and they won’t intervene just wait in the wing until I’m dead what should I do how can I get out of this?

“Come on, bitch. What are you, scared?”

He’s trying to intimidate me. He’s shaking in his shoes I can tell. He has a stupid face and he’s rigid as a statue and I guess I am too, all I can hear is my heart going DOOM DOOM DOOM and it’s in my ears, I don’t even know if I’m breathing anymore should I attack should I hit him first, what if a teacher sees? Options limited: running fleeing cowering apologizing he made fun of my mom he deserves to get hit need to take a breath need to breathe

breathe!

I inhale. I exhale. Sense returns slightly. I remain rigid. I dart my eyes left and right.

The vultures are foaming at the mouth, I feel their hot air consuming me and making me small, my choices are dwindling I can’t escape, the playground is littered with these vermin and they demand blood and I have to give it to them I know this kid with the stupid face is a coward he’s not going to hit me he’s just going to bitch me out and I can’t let that happen there’s 5th graders watching and if I don’t make a move soon the bell is going to ring and I’m going to be totally screwed.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Throw a punch just do it my eyes switch back to my enemy and he’s still standing there with his hands at his sides, he’s not going to do anything I can tell throw a punch just do it bro my fists clench so hard I feel like my fingers will snap and I know I shouldn’t be scared there’s no teachers but the longer I wait they might show up and I know I shouldn’t because in my heart I know that no battle is ever won they aren’t even fought [KD1] or whatever but I have to make a decision NOW I’m running out of time!

DIIIIIIIIIING!

Adrenaline takes over I don’t even know what I’m doing but my fist is in the air and it connects with his jaw and he falls back to the ground and screams like a girl and he clutches his jaw and the vultures are silent and all is quiet.

Save for the sound of my enemy crying.

The vultures descend

but not on me.