Free BOOM by Michael Whetzel

the
handyman twice and stars exploded in Punchy’s vision.
     
    The doors slid closed and the
men began to grapple as the girl dodged to one side. Punchy hit Crow in the
stomach but the assailant shrugged it off. Crow had both hands behind Punchy’s
neck and he pulled down and head butted the former boxer. Sharp pain radiated
inside Punchy’s skull. It was a familiar pain and his mind flashbacked to
Svenson dancing before him, shocking him with those quick sharp jabs.
     
    Crow jumped back and hit
Punchy in the nose. Blood squirted and Punchy realized his nose was broken
again. But he found himself strangely satisfied. Crow backed away and got ready
to swing in again but stopped. Punchy was smiling at him.
     
    Unlike the two punks
downstairs, this kid could fight.
     
    Punchy beckoned Crow to come
on. Crow ducked in but was met with a hook to the side of the face he staggered
against the side wall of the elevator. The doors slid open.
     
    They were on the third floor.
An old woman holding a small Yorkshire got ready to enter the car then stopped.
She glanced at the two bloody men beating each other senseless.
     
    The old lady screamed.
     
    The girl moved to leave the
elevator but Crow pushed her back into the corner. Punchy smacked him against
the wall but Crow spun and Punchy found himself being flung through the
elevator doors.
     
    The doors slid closed on
Punchy’s body then re-opened again.
     
    The old lady let out a second
scream.
     
    Punchy leapt back into the
car and slammed into Crow. He unleashed a flurry of blows working inside of
Crow’s hands and punishing the body. Crow wheezed and tried to circle away.
Punchy met him with another hook to the side of the face.
     
    The girl punched the button
to keep the doors open. She waited for a chance to escape but none came. The
old woman was disappearing down the hallway, the dog slung over one shoulder
watching the fight with interest.
     
    Crow kicked out and his foot
landed in Punchy’s stomach. All of the air left his body and he staggered back.
Crow punched him in the face and Punchy flew back through the open elevator
doors and landed in the hallway.
     
    He stared up through blurred
vision and saw the girl looking helplessly down at him. Crow pushed her back
against the corner and hit the elevator button. The doors closed.
     
     
    *****
     
    Punchy staggered to his feet.
His head was ringing and his vision was fogging in and out. He spat a mouthful
of blood onto the hallway carpet. Eyes peeked out from behind doors as the 3 rd floor guests peered out at the beaten man.
     
    Punchy wiped his eyes clear
with one hand and headed for the stairs. He knocked the heavy door open and
staggered up the two flights to the 5 th floor hallway. He stumbled
down the hall, heading for room 532.
     
    He rounded to corner just in
time to see Crow push the girl through the suite’s doorway. Crow glanced back
and saw Punchy coming. He called something into the suite and pulled the door
closed.
     
    Crow ran at Punchy with his
hands up. He connected with a straight right. Punchy absorbed the blow. Another
right followed by a left pushed Punchy back a few steps, but the boxer regained
his composure quickly and pushed forward.
     
    He ducked a hook from Crow
and again started to work the body. Left right left right left right. Crow
staggered back into the wall. Punchy sent two right jabs into the man’s face,
making his eyes water. Then followed with a left cross and a right uppercut.
Crow rocked back against the wall.
     
    Punchy threw another round of
jabs. Crow’s head ricocheted back and forth. Punchy kneed him in the stomach
doubling the man over. He clasped both hands together and delivered a powerful
ax handle blow across the back of Crow’s neck.
     
    Crow went down.
     
    Punchy sucked deep lungfuls
of air. Everything hurt. His knuckles were split open and bleeding heavily and
bells rang in his head louder than ever.
     
    He shook the fog away. It
took a bit