Chapter 11: Battles*
1987 Words
“I need to see her!” Kurt said
“No,” Xan said firmly.
“What?” Kurt shouted.
“You need to calm down Kurt! It’s the law; no one apart from injured fighters is allowed in the medical wing. This helps with neutrality and stops fights. You have to understand this law is centuries old and has to be respected!” Xan explained.
“Of course he understands Love, don’t you Kurt?”Grace said.
Kurt folded his arms and closed his eyes. He needed to control his temper in situations like this, breaking the centuries-old Gang Law would help no one. Suddenly, an idea came to him.
“Xan, I think I just had a great idea!” Kurt said with a grin.
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“Is she ok?” Bruce said as he burst into the room the Nine-Tails had been allocated. He had just won his fight and had raced back to the Nine-Tails wing. He knew something had happened to Alannah because normally waiting for him ringside. However, she was nowhere to be seen and this meant only one thing: she was seriously hurt.
“Alannah is in a pretty bad state, she is in surgery now,” Tao said seriously.
“How bad is bad?” Bruce asked.
“The Surgeon thinks she got a few broken ribs which are puncturing her lung, a broken forearm and a badly bruised spine!”Maya reported. Suddenly there was a massive bang, as Bruce slammed his fist into the closest metal locker.
“f**k! What the hell was she thinking? We will win easily!” Bruce roared.
“You know she did not want to let her family down. Double winnings help pay off debts quicker!” Tao said with a sigh.
“Try not to worry, she been through much worse and Xan said that cost was no obstacle!” Maya said putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Bruce chuckled and said, “That is too true!” Bruce as he thought back to the assessment.
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13 years - Island somewhere in the Pacific!
Alannah and Bruce had been doing well. They had managed to escape the hunting dogs that had been set loose on the Island by sleeping in the trees and having no fire. This was unfortunately not the case with the other group of men.
Bruce and Alannah had woken up hearing the distance screams and barks of the men. No one said anything at the time, but Alannah knew they were both terrified and unlikely to make it off the island alive.
Saying that they had made good time on the second day. Bruce had some experience of the outback, which had come in handy. That was until the hunting dogs had found them and they were forced to run and jump off a cliff into a plunge pool below. This was after Alannah had received a nasty bite on her forearm.
The fast flowing river took them to the coast. Alannah and Bruce managed to swim ashore before being swept out to sea.
“f**k!” Bruce complained as he tried to stand up. On closer inspection, Alannah confirmed her suspicions.
“It is badly broken, you won’t be able to stand on it!” Alannah said getting out the basic medical kit. She cleaned the wound and then splintered the broken leg.
“Leave me behind Alannah!” Bruce ordered seriously.
“Not going to happen, so don’t ask it again!” Alannah said firmly.
There was no way Alannah was not going to leave her only friend to die in this hell hole. She looked around and saw the Mango swamp nearby and shuddered. Mango swamps were beautiful but dangerous. One could easily get lost or eaten by the local residents. There was no choice, they would have to go around it.
Alannah started to find large branches and cut them down.
“What are you doing?” Bruce asked
“Making a raft, it is the only way,” Alannah said as she quickly lashed the branches into a raft.
“Where did you learn that?” Bruce said impressed.
“Scouts!” Alannah said with a smirk.
Once Alannah had finished, she helped Bruce onto the raft and pushed off. With a long stick, she had managed to stay close to the coastline. Alannah used the stick as a gondola does, but it was exhausting work.
Some crocodiles poked their heads out to look at her, but thankfully not one of them had made a move. Bruce had done his best to chat and keep her mind off things. He talked about life in Australia and the family he had to leave. There was even discussion about his first pet, an Australian shepherd dog called Perry.
It was on the third morning the trouble really started. When Alannah woke up, she could not wake up Bruce. When Alannahnundressed his broken leg to have a look, there were signs of infection. Bruce had a soaring temperature as well.
To make things worse, Alannah also had issues! Her bite was becoming infected and she started to feel her body heat up. She looked in the medical kit, there was only one dose of Antibiotics and one dose of paracetamol.
Without a second thought, Alannah injected Bruce with the antibiotic. She then made a rudimentary stretcher and attached roped to it. The tide had gone out, they had passed the mango swamps but now there were mudflats.
It was soul-destroying for Alannah and halfway through she broke down. It was hard enough walking sometimes waist-deep in mud, but dragging someone behind made it slow and painful.
When Alannah was ready to let the mud swallow her up forever, she heard her Mother’s voice telling her to stop crying and keep going. Alannah summoned all her strength and managed to get through the mudflats.
Alannah could have kissed the ground when she felt firm ground under her feet, as she pulled Bruce up out of the mud and then fell on her back, panting.
“Well Bruce, we are not going to die in the mud!” Alannah said as she started to shake.
The fever had started to kick in as her body was fighting the infection from the bite. Alannah took out the only dose of paracetamol from her bag and swallowed it with the last of the water. Alannah tied the rope around her again and started to pull.
The night was drawing in and Alannah knew she was running out of time. She picked up the pace and after an hour, she finally saw the finish line. Alannah cried with relief when she had finally dragged herself and Bruce across the line.
“Help, please!” Alannah sobbed and she saw Tao and another man she did not recognise walk towards them.
“Well done, you both made it to the end,” Tao said.
“Yes, Tao. Please help Bruce, he got a broken leg and an infection!” Alannah said panicked.
“Well, that depends on you Alannah!” Tao said
“What do you mean?” Alannah snapped, fear creeping into her heart.
“Someone came in before you, there is only one space left. You need to decide which one of you takes that space and lives.” Tao said firmly.
It was then that Alannah saw the gun in the unknown man’s hand.
“No!” Alannah said getting up and moving in front of Bruce.
“Choose,” Tao said simply.
“This is not fair, we did everything you asked!” Alannah shouted angrily.
“Choose or I choose for you, Alannah!” Tao repeated.
“Me! Kill me and let Bruce take the spot!” Alannah said.
“Really? You are willing to die for a man that only met last week?” Tao said surprised.
“He..has a family. Did you know that? A wife and a daughter who he misses. I have nothing and won’t be missed. Bruce is my friend, it is the last thing I can do for him!” Alannah said in a defeated tone.
“Fine, but I think you are a fool! Last chance Alannah, who do you want to take the second spot?” Tao asked.
“Bruce!” Alannah said firmly and Tao sighed.
“Fine...Matt do it!” Tao ordered the other man.
“Kneel!” Matt said holding the gun. Alannah nodded and collapsed onto her knees. She saw the moon overhead and wondered why she had never truly seen how beautiful it was until now.
“Thank you Tao for everything!” Alan ah said before closing her eyes.
Alannah took a deep breath and prayed that she would meet her Mum soon. She heard a click and felt a sting pain in her chest.
“Goodbye, Bruce!” That was the last thought before she fell into darkness.
1 week later
Alannah woke up screaming.
“Shhh, Alannah it is ok!” A familiar voice said.
Alannah looked and saw it was Bruce!
“Bruce! Are you dead too?” Alannah said confused.
The room was still spinning and there was a loud ringing in her ears.
“Surely death should not hurt so much?” Alan ah thought.
“Alannah, we are not dead - you are not dead! Focus on my voice and calm down.” Bruce said and Alannah tried to calm her breathing.
The room eventually stopped spinning and she realised she was in a hospital room attached to a drip and a heart monitor.
“Where am I and why am I not dead?” Alannah asked.
“Well the first bit is easy - you are in Beijing and a private Triad Gang hospital. You have been out for a week because of a nasty infection from that dog bite. After some super strong antibiotics, your fever finally broke and here you are!” Bruce said cheerfully.
“And you are not dead because you passed!” Tao said as he, Maya and Matt walked into the room.
“What?” Alannah said confused.
“We knew you could fight and survive Alannah, but that is not enough. We needed to see if you could work as part of a team or family.” Maya explained.
“Yes, so we planted Bruce and got him to pretend he was rubbish. Then at the end, we made you choose and shot you with a Tranquilliser dart. If you had chosen yourself to go forward, we would not be having this conversation.” Tao said stroking his chin.
Alannah looked at Bruce, trying to hold back the tears.
“So it was all fake? You did not really like me as a friend?” Alannah said
“ No Alannah, you have got it all wrong! I will be honest, yes I had to be nice at the start, but then I started to really like you! I wanted to help you more, but I broke my bloody ankle and you saved me. Alannah, I owe you my life and I would like to continue to be your friend!” Bruce said with a smile, placing his hand on top of Alannah’s.
“You still betrayed me!” Alannah said pulling her hand away making Bruce looked like a kicked puppy.
“Please understand, Bruce has no choice! He did not want to do it, but he was given an order. Bruce is one of the most genuine guys you will meet. Hopefully, you will find that out soon.” Maya said softly
“What do you mean?” Alannah said.
“Well my girl, you are the newest member of the Nine-Tailed Foxes!” Tao said with a smile.
- Writer
