The dim hall echoed clattering names in praise as the aura of the hall stinks of sweat and blood.
Kaylee squeezed her thin body, making her way through the crowd to the front. Reaching to the front line, she was stunned to see a deadly scene.
"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!" The crowd exclaimed with an evil smile on their lips.
Kaylee was terrified by their heartless words and she saw a person who the crowd wanted dead was already and the bridge of the netherworld with a thin life still life in him. Unfortunately the weakling was beaten into a pulp by the his strong opponent who appeared to be bigger than him.
Kaylee leaned over to Willow whose eyes were on the fight while chewing her gum.
"Is this the game of luck?" Kaylee questioned, feeling her herself on the the bridge of life and death.
Willow uttered no word.
Kaylee took a glance at the deadly fight that was still going on in the ring. "This isn't a game of luck. It is a game of life and death and I haven't been in a place like this nor had a fistfight before."
"Wrong, I have once saw you engaged in a fight with someone else before and the fact was you can fight way." Willow interrupted the young lady who was trying to lie her way out.
"Yes you are right. I know, I won a black belt in taekwondo but still I can't be compared to you. And now I'm a mother. I can't engage myself in fight anymore." Kaylee said sweetly but her words went futile on Willow. She didn't mind to glance at Kaylee who was still speaking.
"This people fight aggressively here and I'm not I'm not ready for it. I have a daughter and mother who are waiting for my safe return. Please let's change this game, Willow." She prayed in her heart that the stone-hearted young lady would be convinced after hearing her long talks.
Willow slowly turned around to Kaylee whose voice was trembling all this time. She could sense the fear that was glowing on Kaylee's body however she appeared unconcerned.
"That is why it is called the game of luck. You have to put your strength and wisdom in there to come out alive. Also, don't think of dying in there because your family would have to pay the debts in your dismise."
After saying this to the dumbstruck Kaylee, Willow turned around, returning her gaze to the deadly show.
Suddenly, they heard the bell ringing. "Chime! chime! chime!"
When the bell rang, the fight was stopped, and the person who lay lifeless on the boxing floor had his blood, flooded on the floor, and the strong opponent was declared the winner while the lifeless young man was dragged out of the cage by two men.
Just as the unconscious young man was dragged out of the ring, someone rushed in to clean up the bloody floor. Not too long after, the ring floor was cleaned, sparking again as if not used before.
Seeing this, Kaylee gulped down hard. She felt her adrenaline had started to flame up. Her heart almost left its position as it skipped.
"Now is your turn, Kaylee," Willow reminded the young lady beside her.
Kaylee gulped down dry in terror. She slowly made her way to the ring as the men there opened the ring and she got in.
A young lady who was taller than Kaylee entered the ring. Just as the young lady entered the ring, the cage was closed, leaving the two young ladies with the referee inside the cage made of steel that encircled the ring.
Without hesitation, the referee declared the fight to begin. At first, Kaylee wanted to attack her opponent but she had a second thought of her waiting daughter at the kindergarten school. If she starts this fight it wouldn't end soon since she can't tell how strong and weak her opponent was. She wants the fight to end shortly.
With this thoughts in mind, Kaylee was just moving in a circle, watching the young lady bouncing up and down while angling for an attack. Observing, the steps of the young lady Kaylee could tell her opponent must be an old fighter with a strong balance.
After some bouncing up and down, the young lady moved to attack her opponent but Kaylee kept on moving backward.
"Hey! What is she doing?!"
"C'mon fight and stop running away!"
"If you can't fight get lost from there!"
"Just kill the weakling!" The crowd yelled at the top of their lungs.
Kaylee played deaf ears to the angry crowd as she kept on moving backward and dodging the young lady's blows as well.
"You sulks!"
"Just a weak fellow! Hahaha!"
"There is no fun watching this! Get out of the ring, you asshole!"
"Kill her! She is so weak!" The crowd cursed again.
"Hey! What are you doing? Fight!" The referee said. He was upset since the first round was almost over.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" Questioned, Michael, one of Willow's men.
"Just watch the fun," Willow muttered with her eyes still fixed on the show.
Michael looked around and noticed the crowd was roaring like an angry lion because of Kaylee's cowardice.
"There is nothing fun to watch here. She will only get killed." Michael said while sounding a bit worried.
Willow uttered no word but glared at Michael who decided to keep shut.
Seeing how Kaylee was dodging and running away from her, the young lady got angry and went to Kaylee for an attack fiercely.
Kaylee saw the vicious opponent coming after her. She spread her hands in the air as if waiting for an embrace. "This is it! Just one blow and the game ends right away." Kaylee muttered while a satisfied grin curled her lips.
When the crowd saw what Kaylee just did, they thought the young lady night be crazy.
As the hard blow fell on her face, Kaylee fell on the floor and passed out without any knowledge of what happened afterwards.
Willow's eyebrows narrowed when she saw the unconscious Kaylee on the floor. "It's not fun to watch and it the flavor is out." She spat the bubble gum out of her mouth to the ground. "Get her out of here."
"Yes Boss." Michael bowed in obedience. He instructed two men inside the boxing ring who got there on time to save Kaylee from getting killed by the opponent.
"This sulks! Take her away! We don't such weak fellow here!" The crowd were angry that they could not enjoy the well fist fight for two minutes.
Now, at the other side of the hometown. The Vehicle held its brake on the side of the street and the door opened when the young lady was pushed out of the vehicle, falling hard on the ground while the vehicle zoomed off until it was out of her sight.
Kaylee felt pain in her forehead due to the fierce blow she received from her opponent. Also, Kaylee was still feeling pain in the right jaw she got from Willow.
"Does she think, I will fight to get myself beaten and killed in there? Hell no." Kaylee smiled broadly. She knew Willow would get her out once she passed out and it went like she expected.
All of a sudden, Kaylee remembered what time it was now. She swiftly opened her handbag and brought out a small round bronzer powder before applying the powder to her face, trying to hide the pale look.
After a little touch of the powder, Kaylee's hand seized to do its work when she felt a sudden sympathy for her pathetic reflection in the bronzer mirror.
She could not bring herself to face Ellie in scary appearance if she eventually had a aggressive fight in there. As she recalled the ill words of the crowd, Kaylee didn't appeared affected by it. She has to be greedy this time around to keep herself alive for her daughter and family.
After she was done applying a slight tough of make up, Kaylee put back the cosmetics into her handbag, brought out a lipstick, and then applied a little which hid her burst lips.
She stood up and fastened her steps on the street since the place she was heading wasn't far from the spot where Willow abandoned her like a trash.
After some miles, Kaylee halted in her tracks when she saw the little girl who stood in front of the school gate, waiting patiently for her.
Kaylee took a deep breath and put on a lovely smile before continuing further.
Ellie held her backpack handle tightly while playing with her leg as she raised her heels and then tiptoed. The little girl seemed to be on this all this while.
"Hey, Ellie."
When Ellie heard her name, she raised her gaze to the familiar voice.
"Mama." Ellie called softly with a grin.
Kaylee smiled sweetly at Ellie. She noticed that the school must have dismissed for along time since Ellie and the security were the only ones presence.
The sweet smile on Kaylee's lips dissipated. She returned her apologitic eyes at Ellie. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting again. I'm really sorry, Ellie."
"It's okay to wait for Mama. I'm happy you did come to pick me up." Ellie smiled.
Kaylee couldn't resist the adorable smile that twirled on Ellie's lips which usually gave her strength. She squatted down to the level of the little girl. "Thanks, Ellie. I won't keep you waiting next time. Mama wouldn't try that again." Kaylee reassured her.
"Does it hurt?" Ellie asked.
Kaylee was puzzled by her words. She wondered if Ellie saw her pale complexion behind the make-up. But she could tell, she did a great job to hide her pale expression that not even an adult could see her ugly complexion.
"No. I'm fine." Kaylee said abruptly.
Kaylee raised her hand to rub down Ellie's hair which fell on her tiny waist. "Can I have your backpack?"
"Yes," Ellie answered as she pulled off her backpack from her back and gave it to her mother.
Kaylee took the backpack and stood up. "Let's go home. I see you must be hungry." She took her daughter's hand as they moved from their spot.
"Yes, I am hungry. I can't wait to eat eggs benedict and potato pancakes." Ellie said with a grin.
"Okay, I'm going to make it for you."
"No. Grandma's egg benedict and potato pancake taste better. I want Grandma's egg benedict and pancake." Ellie said abruptly with her mouth slightly raised into an adorable pout.
When Kaylee heard her, she snorted softly.
Kaylee looked down at the little kid in disbelief. "Really?"
"Uhmm." Ellie hummed and nodded at once.
"Alright, then she will make it for you. I know she is waiting for us in the restaurant."
"Grandma is the best! Always the best." Ellie raised a thumb. She would have raised two thumbs if not for her other hand was in Kaylee's grip.
Kaylee couldn't stop chuckling at her little girl.
At times, Kaylee does wonder if she is the little girl's mother or if Mrs Ashton was the one who gave birth to the little girl because of the close relationship between the old woman and the little girl.
They giggled while going down the alley, walking hand in hand.