Fight

Fight
Sweat was trickling down from my forehead profusely. I rolled up my sleeves as I sat on a bench in the canteen. “They could still play basketball after two hours,” I thought while looking at my watch.

Suddenly, I could hear someone shouting angrily, “Thief!” What was going on? Why was someone screaming in the middle of the game? I took a few steps forward before stopping in my tracks. I cringed. What if something were to happen to me? As curiosity got the better of me, I walked towards the basketball court. By now, a crowd had already gathered in the court. Being smaller-sized than my other friends, I squeezed my way to the front.

One of them was my best friend, Jack, and the other was our class bully, Mark. How did Jack land himself into such trouble? Both Jack and Matt’s faces had turned into a dark shade of red. Their hands were curled into tight fists. Glaring out through their bulging eyes, they breathed heavily. The veins in their necks seemed ready to pop out. They were staring at each other like ferocious, wild animals, ready to deliver their knockout blow.

Matt gave a punch into Matt’s stomach. Jack staggered but he soon regained his balance. Jack’s eyes narrowed as he aimed for Matt’s stomach. His leg found its mark and Matt crashed to the floor. Obviously embarrassed, Matt pulled himself up. He raised his right leg, straightened it and lashed out into Jack’s chin. His foot powered into Jack’s chin with such great force that he did not have time to cry out. Jack fell to the ground. He looked dazed and lay spread-eagle. Taking advantage of the situation, Matt rained blows after blows at Jack – punching and kicking him. Jack’s eyes remained close. He was totally defenseless against the cruel assault. I gasped and heard someone shouting at Matt to stop. I realised that the person was me. However, I did not dare to strike as I was afraid of being hit.

“Shut up! What right do you have to interfere in this situation!” Matt thundered. I stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, I head a familiar Voice. Immediately, I regconised that it was our discipline master. “Stop fighting at once!” he ordered. Almost instantly, the crowd dispersed at the sight of him. He was totally speechless when he saw Jack. Snapping back to his senses, he whipped out his mobile phone and dialed the numbers for the ambulance.

Minutes seemed like hours before the ambulance arrived. Paramedics jumped out of the ambulance with a stretcher. They lifted Jack onto the stretcher. “Who is accompanying?” one of the paramedics asked. Both Miss Tam and I raised our hands. With much persuasion, Miss Tam allowed me to accompany Jack. In the ambulance, I prayed fervently to Jack.

After what seemed like an eternity, we reached the hospital. Jack was brought into the emergency room while Miss Tam and I were led to chairs outside the room. “Jack must be all right. He must be fine. Don’t let god take him away from Earth. Please don’t,” I whispered to myself repeatedly.

Jack’s parents entered the hospital with a worried look. “How’s my son?” Jack’s mother inquired. “Nothing must happen to my son,” she sobbed. At a loss of words, Miss Tam patted her shoulders reassuringly. Jack’s father was trying to look strong; however, I could see that tears were threatening to spill out of his eyes. Just then, the doctor came out of the emergency room with a grim face but brightened up as he approached Jack’s parents. “He’s fine,” he told Jack’s parents. Both of Jack’s parents shrieked in delight upon hearing the news.

The next day, Matt was expelled from school as he was believed to be a threat of danger to others. Investigations revealed that Jack was not the one who stole Matt’s wallet but was accused as he was in the class at the point of time.