The winner would not only take the purse but was poised to move up through the ranks of semi-professional boxing, so this would have been a big match no matter who my opponent was.
It was close all through the first five rounds, but when he let his guard down for just a moment, Bam!, I got a punch in straight at his face and when I heard and felt the crunch of his nose breaking, I was spurred on to push him onto the ropes, pummeling him even as I followed his retreat.
I was now clearly ahead in points, landing blow after blow while my older brother barely kept his gloves up, me pressing him against the ropes so he wouldn’t fall, so I could continue to punch him without fouling.
But when the ref called me off, sent me to my corner for the ten count, my brother staggered off the ropes, lifted his bruised and bloodied face, straightened, and raised a glove to me in a way that implied the middle finger even as an old familiar smile cracked his swollen lip.
I was at him before the count of five, losing points with each blow, disqualified when I landed another one when he was down on the mat. If my brother ever regains consciousness, I hope he is lucid enough to know that I let him win- and that I outlasted him.
The Six Sentence Story prompt this week is “crunch”. Click HERE to join a fun, casual, and supportive group of writers who regularly respond to these weekly prompts or to read their responses.
loved this.
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Cool. Thank you for coming by and commenting. Are you a boxer? or a brother?
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Brilliant! I think his brother knew how to get to him. Brothers usually do.
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Yep. And the galling “I let you win” so even victory is sullied. This is the winning tale of a loser.
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As I said, brilliant!
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This is one i couldn’t stop reading. My brothers used to be such enemies.
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I hope they are over it now. Boys!
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I’m a brother, not a boxer. Make love, not war was my mantra!!
Now it’s just make room, I need to sit down!
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Ha! Paul leans Upon the ropes.
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man! talk about your cross-current writing synergy, serendipitous literary mash-up (all Sixes this week, collectively)… Cap’n Crunch ahead in early count, but your boxing setting and Sister Margaret’s running clothes… did not have seen that coming.
lol
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Ow! The crunch of bones breaking!
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I never cared to watch boxing matches on TV. Too violent. Your Six was such that I almost couldn’t read it, it was so…visual! Good job!!
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Sorry? Thanks.
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loved boxing when i was growing up, a wonderful story of brotherly love.
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Brotherly like Cain and Abel… If I had more than six sentences I’d have made it more clear that the older brother had always claimed to have let him win in their contests over the years. Remember how that rankled? By (literally) beating his brother he lost the match that he’d already won, a more satisfying win for him.
Thanks for coming by.
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letting someone win seems generous but the gloating takes away that joy doesn’t it. yes I reckoned this was that sort of brotherly by your last para.
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Brilliant piece!
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Thanks!
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