Saving Humanity

Chapter Thirteen: Have Courage, Never Surrender

Chapter Thirteen: Have Courage, Never Surrender

Jared

I watch, horrified, as Ephraim enters the boxing ring. Max, already inside, throws a sneer at him.

"We can't let this happen," I tell Holly. Her stony gaze is fixed on Ephraim. "Holly, we need to stop them."

Ephraim has a plan. He will try to call off the duel before it starts by surrendering. Considering Sgt. Agustin's love for violence, I doubt that it will work.

"Tingnan natin kung gaano na-develop ang mga muscles mo sa isang linggong training natin," Max teases, cracking his knuckles. Seeing him like that with a grin on his face, my hatred for him doubles.

Sgt. Agustin lets out a smile before speaking. "Final pair, begin your demonstration."

Max lets out a triumphant grin, his body positioning to prepare an attack for Ephraim. But before he can take a step, my friend whips his head towards Sgt. Agustin.

"I surrender," Ephraim says, his voice cracking on the last syllable. "I accept defeat. Max wins."

Sgt. Agustin's smile disappears. She turns towards her sibling and whisphers something to him. The room is deathly quiet, waiting for the next thing that's going happen.

"Coward," Max spits. I have the sudden urge to get inside the boxing ring and strangle him.

Finally, after nearly two minutes, Sgt. Agustin straightens and fixes her gaze on Ephraim.

"This activity helps us to gauge your skills, and the things that you've learned during our training. Simply surrendering without even lifting a finger is unacceptable."

Ephraim swallows.

"She's not going to let him out," Holly says, steel in her voice. "Itutuloy pa rin nila ang duel kahit alam nila na walang laban si Ephraim kay Max."

Holy shit. This can't happen. We have to do something to stop this. I won't let anything bad happen to Ephraim. He's like a brother to me now.

I consider getting on Sgt. Agustin's face and demand that she stop the duel right now, but Holly's hand is suddenly on my arm.

She fixes her gaze on me. "Don't do anything stupid, Jared," she says, as if she'd read my mind.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask, frustrated. "We have to do something to save Ephraim."

"Do you think Sgt. Agustin will stop the duel just because you told her to? She already made up her mind. We can't do anything about this."

"But—"

She cut me off. "Pwede niyang gawin 'yung ginawa natin kanina. He can take a few blows, and then surrender. Just like you did."

But we both know that that won't be the case with Ephraim and Max. Holly agreed on my plan earlier to fake te duel. Max, on the other hand, surely won't let that happen. He likes to see how much Ephraim can bleed.

He's a complete asshole.

I let out a huge breath to calm myself. Then I watch, helpless, as the duel begins.

Ephraim's grunt echoes across the room as Max's fist connects with his gut. Ephraim tries to punch Max in the face, but Max intercepts the blow and punches him in the face.

I fight the urge to look away as blood wells from Ephraim's broken nose.

"That's all you've got?" Max taunts, kicking Ephraim's right leg. He collapses on his knees. "Come on, give me a good fight!"