Visitor in my world

I’m a fighter, but I don’t hit, anyone can land a lucky punch, and I’m not looking for a homerun; I’m looking to take your king with my pawn. I’m counting on you thinking you can keep that distance before I advance. The look in your eye says you’re scared to get close, you fear the touch of the fight that’s already started. You gamble on the knock out, while I invest in the submission. Without your eyes you’re nothing, but I live in the connection, from here I can tell everything about you.

It doesn’t matter how good you are sooner or later you have to touch me, you have to get close enough for your knuckles to make contact, then I’ve got you. One hit lands, the ice is broken, two hits land the water now splashes, and you’re looking for a third. The adrenaline is flowing, the fighters tingle is on your forehead, your already fast beating heart is making your muscle tense, and you breathe only when you strike—distance. You step back because you’re afraid to stay close, but you forgot, everyone knows how to throw a punch. Wham! I’ve returned your favor. Wham! Now you’re in my world. Like the anaconda my strike was only to get close to you and now that I have you in my grips it’s only a matter of time.

Just like the gazelle that sees the water rising as the crocodile lunges forward you panic and try to push off so you can get away, but that’s not going to work. Your push has only opened your body more for me. The tips of my fingers now pull my head to your chest as my foot wraps around yours. Flight has not worked, now you feel like punching will, but I’ve taken that from your too. At this range there is no power yet you still try to knock me out. Silly rabbit you can’t do that, I’ve protected myself. Your arms can’t get the angles you need because my arms are under them. You hop attempting to stop the fall, but with each one the connection gets more secure.

Each degree we fall from ninety to one hundred and eighty you lose more and more of what you pride yourself on. Years of training, countless hours hitting bags, and sparring are leaving you—I’m taking away your soul. I can feel it turning around trying to pull you back to your feet, but it’s not strong enough, you’re in my world now. I love the ground it’s my home, it absorbs the power of lighting like I’ve taken your punches, and just like that mighty bolt you won’t be returning to where you came from either.

As your mind races and your body convulsive trying futilely to pry me off, I learn. My head at your throat I listen to you breathe; I feel your strength weaken as the adrenaline becomes your enemy. You panic because you’ve never trained for this you never thought you’d be on the ground unable to get up. You’ve visited my home before when you fought other people, but no-one has done this to you. I’ve got balance and even when I do make space for a punch you still cannot move. I toy with you as if you were a seal and I the orca. Everything I do, is done with purpose, I struck you, only so you can move. I needed you to sit up, I allowed you to punch at my face.

My adjustments are as precise as an engineer moving material at increments only visible to him. The movements so slow you didn’t notice my leg around your neck. You were so relived to feel like you almost got me over you head. I could see it in your eyes you knew exactly how you were going to stand up. I can see you planning—jab, jab, straight, body shot, back out. I saw that, it’s the reason I smiled as I pulled your other arm to my chest. The last thing you remembered is seeing me smile when I rolled to my back. I saw the shock in you when you realized it wasn’t your power that moved me.

Saliva rushed around my teeth when you stood up and I locked in my choke. With both my hands around the back of your head I closed my eyes and for the first time, I used a little strength. My time is here, my investment is yielding its profits, and your gamble just flopped. You made no sound as you passed out and you felt no pain as you body went limp, but you remember the gray that soon turned to nothingness. My pressure as been released and blood is now flowing into your brain again, but you don’t know that. You’re fast asleep, I can hear you snore, so I’ll leave you there, peacefully sleeping as a visitor in my world.

Pres