Legacy

Troy entered the boxing ring.

Magnus entered the boxing ring.

Round after fantastic round, the behemoths of men slammed fists into faces and stomachs. Blood spewed from noses, knuckles cracked and shattered. They were seemingly fighting to the death.

It was in the sixth round that Troy finally succumbed to the annihilating blows. His skull fractured in two places, his breathing ragged, Troy fell to the ground. Magnus stood over him and placed his foot on Troy’s chest.

The medics rushed into the ring and pushed Magnus aside. They lifted Troy onto a stretcher and carried him out of the arena. Time was running out for the battered man and the medics weren’t sure they could save him.

•••

Four months later Troy opened his eyes again for the first time since the fight. There was nobody to meet him by the hospital bed except the nurse on duty. The nurse called for the doctor as Troy mumbled nonsense.

The doctor looked Troy over and consulted with the nurse. “Keep him on the fluids, he’s still just barely there. His injuries are going to leave him permanently disabled, he will never be the same.” The doctor left the room and the nurse changed Troy’s IV bag.

Troy was repeating something barely intelligible, the nurse leaned in to listen. After listening to the words a few times she could understand.

“Six rounds!” muttered Troy.

“That’s right,” the nurse said, “Six rounds.”

•••

 

-One year prior to the fight-

Troy put the shotgun barrel into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

*Click*

He exhaled sharply and inhaled just the same, tears streaming down his face. He looked down and realized that the safety was still on. He pulled the gun out of his mouth and began hyperventilating. It was in that moment that he realized that he didn’t want his life to end this way.

The tv blared in the background, announcing the winner to the national boxing championship, Magnus Pope. Troy watched boxing all the time, always dreaming of getting into the ring with that bastard Magnus. He hated the man’s ego and the fact that nobody had ever made it past five rounds with him.

Troy signed on with a boxing coach the next day.