60

Now that I have him up against the wall, I aim for his stomach, he moves his arms to block my attack but I change my direction at the last minute and hit his nose again. His black blood poisons his white shirt.
He punches me hard across the face. My head reels back and my world starts spinning.
I only manage another blow to the nose and another resounding cracking rings out and he actually screams. I didn't know it was possible but a nose can break twice. Apparently.
“I'll fucken kill ya,” Stone vows.
He moves, darting under my arms.
He seizes my neck and slams me so many times against the wall that the room sways and tilts. The only thing I can see now is black spots and fireflies. Millions of them.
I'm helpless and exhausted, stuck in the in-between place until the pain of my head hitting the wall hard jerks me into consciousness again.
His grip around my neck tightens. On one ear, I hear the Elder asking if I give up yet. I'd rather die than utter those disgusting words. I won't surrender.
What happened to my other ear? I can't hear anything with it. It's like it's full of water. I hear only the roar of an angry river.
I feel like the life is slipping out of me. I feel so weak, I stop thrashing, I stop trying to pry his hands off my neck. I don't have the energy. He removes his hand and I land with a thud on the floor. Pain stabs from every angle of my body.
I gulp down air. My lungs burn.
I'm on my knees. A praying position. He touches his boot to my side and I sway left. It's not a real kick. No, not really. It's the way people usually move something, a wounded animal on their potch, to see of its still alive.
I open my eyes and his fingers come into focus. He stands over me, feeding my face his big ass feet. His feet.
I need to think of something -- and quick.
What had Kaseke said?
ya need to grab the foot, Steel. Twist thrice to the right and hold. Hold until the motherfucker goes down on one knee to worship ya. Make him beg. Make him beg.
And that's exactly what I do.
The crowds roar their worry. We have an audience. A much bigger audience than the one we first began with.
I shift my position. My fingers are numb. Stone shrieks.
"Stop," he says at last. "Make her stop."
Well, at least this was easy.
I let go of him, collapsing on the floor and Kaseke is already on me. He takes me into his arms and my body protests with pain with each step he takes.
"ya're so stubborn,"he says, his words sort of dangling in the air. "And stupid. Very stupid. ya should've just told him to stop."
I can hardly bear to stay still in his arms. My heart pounds as hard as the roar in my ear.
"Make the water stop,” I say. I feel my voice rising in pitch, but I can barely hear myself. “Please. Please. Kaseke, do something.”
I watch him study me thoughtfully and I get a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Oh Gods!" he says.
I can't move. I can't breathe. I can't see, not anymore. Kaseke blurs until I'm completely without sight.
“Oh no. No, no. Gods please no,” he says. He is speaking very fast and carefully. "I'm no medical personnel but I think ya ruptured an eardrum or something and there's so much blood coming out of yer ears."
My eyes flash open. My vision has cleared and I realise I was looking at him through a haze of tears. "It hurts so bad."
"I'm taking ya to the Black Shuck."
"No..." My voice cracks but I'm in too much pain to care.
Kaseke looks stunned. "Mama can't heal ya." He gives me a small, enigmatic smile. "The beast is in yer debt."
A saying goes that if ya help a Black Shuck it'll pay ya back but ya also have to pay back. It's a rotating debt. A generational cycle.
"I don't want to owe the beast anything..." I mean to say more but the black clouds wrap around me, taking me away with them.

I heard that when people wake up from a coma, it's always gradual.
Through lidded eyes I take in my room. D'ziko and Kaseke are chest to chest, glaring at each other. My brother even has a hand gripping the hilt of his sword. If D'ziko dare makes a sudden move, Kaseke will behead him.
I should be worried. I am worried, but just a little. Kaseke wouldn't kill D'ziko, injure him, yes, but Kaseke loves me too much to ever do anything that might hurt me. I love him just as much.
D'ziko's eyes stray to the sword at Kaseke’s waist, making sure it remains where it's supposed to be. Far away from his neck.
It seems Kaseke loves intimidating D'ziko, he's wearing that smug big brother look: ya-want-my-sister-ya-have-to-impress-me-first. Poor D'ziko. He hesitates, unsure of what to do, what to say, whether he should let Kaseke win this pissing contest.
My heart fills with hot lava. I smile expecting to feel some sort of pain. I don't feel anything. In fact, I feel no pain at all, anywhere.
Kaseke tugs his sword halfway, D'ziko takes a step back, conflicted. My brother laughs, turning towards the beverage table. He’s having too much fun. D’ziko shakes his head, his eyes never leaving Kaseke. The bed protests as D'ziko sits, and he tries hard not to make more noise and wake me.
Kaseke takes two shots of whiskey, fills the glass to the brim again and walks to the window. “Hey Kid, really... it's better not to wake her... she's asleep," he says in a tone of entreaty.
Kid? Kaseke and D'ziko are the same age.
“There's nothing to be done, we'll have to wake her," D'ziko says, rising and going up to the beverage table to pour himself a glass of water. “The Black Shuck said there was no reason for her to remain in a coma and she might wake up any second now.”
Kaseke shakes his head, clearly prepared to wave D'ziko off like social vapor. “But ya aren't going to wake her. It'll happen on its own.”
I’m skeptical about how much they believe it.
D'ziko catches my eye and he squints, trying to make sure I really am awake. He drops his glass and crosses the room at once. He takes a huge breath and says, “Imani?”
I don't answer. I can't. My throat is closing. I'm overwhelmed with emotion.
“Imani…?” he says again, louder this time.
Then, “Imani!”
I blink up at him, and Kaseke finally jogs up to us.
D'ziko's eyes brighten, but then his face falls. "I didn't mean to wake ya," he whispers as he crawls onto the bed.
“I need the bathroom,” I say.
“Here,” D'ziko offers me his hand. “Let me help ya up, ja?”
I nod but then Kaseke has reached my side and he too offers me his hand. And the biggest smile I've ever seen. When he smiles like this, he reminds me of Commodore.
“C'mon Steel,” Kaseke says as he moves his hand closer to me as though he doesn't see D'ziko offering me his hand and thinks we are the only people in the room.
D'ziko tilts his head, and looks at Kaseke right in the eye. "I said I'll take care of it."
I can't contain my surprise. D'ziko finally speaking out against Kaseke.
"She's my sister, I'll take care of her." It sounds as though he is talking to D'ziko but I know the comment is specifically directed at me and is as much of a reminder ( of who should matter more) as it an challenge (me or him, choose). And it is also a warning: if ya dare choose him...
I sit up in bed admiring them, allowing all the emotion I originally felt to wash over me. They're so stubborn. So stupid. And I love them for it.
"I think we can just ask Mama to do it." Kaseke crosses his arms over his chest.
They both look at me expectantly, and I know it's my cue to say something. Anything.