Light Throughout The Night Chapter 13: Ding, Ding
Posted:
2023-03-24 At:
5:30 am:
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Light Throughout The Night is a complete story with many twists and turns. The only way to feel the essence of the story is to read it from beginning to end.
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Chapter 13: Ding, Ding
A couple months later, the day finally came when both Glow and Venom reached the Final Battle. Most Final Battles take place two hours after the Obstacle Cube Course. Because of the hype surrounding the two ladies, their Final Battle was scheduled the next evening.
The night before the bout, Glow was in her room. She was lying on her bed, on her back, with her feet arched over the headboard, just like she did many times in the field. She was thinking, meditating in her own way, trying to ready herself for the next day.
Lady walked into her room. Glow sat up. She didn’t speak. She didn’t have anything to say. She just gave Lady a soft hello.
Lady was carrying a medium size vase. Inside the vase, a lone fighting fish.
“I wanted to give you this. Win or lose tomorrow, from birth, you’ve been like a fighting fish. You’ve always been that way.”
Lady put the vase down on Glow’s dresser. She walked over to Glow, kissed the top of her head, then started walking out of the room. Just as she reached the door, she paused.
Lady turned towards Glow, saying, “The only difference between yourself and this fish, you’re not alone anymore.”
Lady continued walking out of the room, leaving Glow to ready herself for the next day.
Lady always knows the things to do and say that get to Glow deep down inside. Glow blocked out much of her worry, at least as much as possible. She laid her head down on her pillow, facing the dresser, watching the fighting fish swim around the vase until she fell asleep.
The next day before the bout, Glow and Venom were put through an obstacle course and series of fitness cubes designed to mimic the strain of the Obstacle Cube Course they completed the previous day.
Neither lady competed against anyone. The two rivals were required to finish within a preset time limit. Both did.
Glow was scheduled to battle Venom on a Saturday night, during prime time. Hundreds of thousands of fans were expected to attend. Billions were expected to watch the bout on television. Experts predicted their Final Battle would have more viewers than any other event in history.
Final Battles don’t have announcers inside the arena. Some have announcers when they’re broadcast on television, though, very rarely. A special announcer was brought in for Glow and Venom’s Final Battle. He was onsite inside the arena, calling the fight over the loudspeakers, a first for Final Battles.
Glow’s cube was in the center of the arena, just under the Jumbotron. She was about to battle Venom inside a cube only used for the most anticipated Final Battles.
The arena was overflowing with people. Every seat filled! Even those without a good view of Glow’s cube, had a good view of the bout. Every Jumbotron throughout all the arenas was featuring the bout, giving every fan in the audience a great view.
Hours before the Final Battle, Glow sat in the locker room. She was nervous.
In general, competitors have their own unique routines used to prepare for finals competitions. Peaches stretches. She maneuvers her body into positions most wouldn’t think possible.
Lady does cardio. She either runs on the treadmill or rides the exercise bike until she works up a lathering sweat.
Venom paces back and forth, rapidly, in a rage of anger. Every once in a while stopping, only to slam her fist into the lockers. Venom’s routine is intimidating to say the least.
Glow tried not to think about Venom’s routine. She already had enough fear instilled within. She was using every ounce of energy to keep herself from thinking about anything adding to her fear.
At times her mind drifted. Quickly, various thoughts rushed through her head, preventing her from thinking about the things she needed to do inside the cube.
Venom’s routine was the least of her worries. Getting knocked out in this scenario was incomprehensible. When she thought about the possibility of another humiliating loss, she began shivering, soon thereafter feeling sick.
Those thoughts caused Glow to think about leaving the arena. Forfeiting the fight. She figured, quitting couldn’t be more embarrassing than another brutal beating. From there, Glow tried doing everything possible to think about something different, as quickly as possible.
Glow didn’t have much of a prefight routine. She showed very little emotion. To her, showing emotion displayed a sign of weakness, putting her at a disadvantage.
In past bouts Glow put plenty of unnecessary pressure on herself, often thinking about worst case scenarios. Sometimes she imagined people laughing at her. Sometimes the additional pressure helped. The additional pressure helped motivate her to prepare for every battle like it was the most important battle of her life.
Not in this case, any additional pressure was simply too much pressure. The pressure of previous battles didn’t come close to the pressure of the Final Battle she was about to enter.
As the time for Glow’s Final Battle got closer, she gathered herself. She stayed quite, slowly walking around the locker room, forcing herself to think about the things she needed to do inside the cube.
In the past she kept to herself, often going out of her way to avoid others. Today, she didn’t have to worry about avoiding anyone. No one was going anywhere near her.
Almost two excruciatingly long hours later, the time finally came for Glow to face Venom. Glow stood outside the cube, feeling calm, poised, focused and scared, all at the same time. She’s about to enter the most anticipated Final Battle of the year.
Lady was standing against the railing. The absolute closest spot to the cube. She arrived with all her friends hours earlier, ensuring they had the best view to support Glow.
Both Peaches and Becky were in the stands. Becky skipped one of her classes. She traveled halfway across the country to cheer for her friend.
The E.M.T. who helped Glow out of the cube during her first battle with Venom was also in attendance rooting for Glow.
Even the old lady who owned the field where Glow lived showed up at the arena.
After reading Glow’s note, the old lady visited the field where Glow stayed. She hadn’t been there in fifteen years. She forgot its beauty.
The old lady saw the care Glow instilled with her setup. Going forward, she visited the field every week, spending hours there, often doing nothing more than sitting on a beach chair, enjoying the atmosphere, listening to the birds and watching the squirrels.
The news of Glow’s tragic defeat traveled to all ends of the earth, even reaching the old lady. The old lady felt horrible. That’s why, when she heard about Glow’s rematch, she called all her family members, friends, and acquaintances.
She got to know many people over the years. Many, as a result of her determination to keep her property. Because she didn’t cave into the pressure to sell her property, she became acquainted with plenty of people who admired her courage.
A local newspaper picked up the story. From there, the dispute over her land became national headlines.
She called as many of the people she knew as possible. She told them Glow’s story. She asked them to attend her Final Battle. Most of the people she called traveled to the arena to cheer for Glow. She must have filled at least a hundred seats herself.
Standing outside the cube, Glow wasn’t going to let anything distract her. She didn’t look at anyone or focus on anything. Her face was emotionless. She stared straight ahead.
The pressure was enormous. The ref motions for her to enter the cube.
Just as Glow enters, Lady yells, “Glow, you glow brightest at night! Do your thing!”
Emotions raced through her body. Thoughts of her mom embraced her soul. She came to far. She made good friends. She couldn’t disappoint them. She couldn’t disappoint herself. She couldn’t disappoint Lady. And she couldn’t disappoint her mom. Not here, not now, not ever! Not after all she’s been through.
After touching gloves, the two ladies wait in their corners.
The bell sounds. Glow and Venom swiftly move to the center of the cube, neither showing fear, immediately going at each other. Each throwing and landing flurries of punches. Neither giving an inch.
Glow’s arms fling forward and back, smoothly, rapidly firing combinations. Venom's doing the same, viciously hurling her arms forward, letting loose an intense offensive attack of heavy powerful punches.
Both ladies are getting hit by almost as many punches as they throw. Glow knows she can’t stop punching. The onslaught of punches continue minutes into the round before slowing.
Glow digs deep down inside, using every ounce of inner strength to keep punching. She moves in closer, shortens her punches, throwing and landing a quick flurry. Venom backpedals.
Glow keeps up the pressure, slowly backing Venom into the turnbuckles. The two ladies clinch. Venom gets under hooks and leverage. She flips Glow around, now pressing Glow’s back against the turnbuckles.
Venom has a dominate position. She tries lifting Glow, attempting to throw her to the canvas. Glow struggles to keep her balance. She repositions her legs into a wider stance, doing everything possible to stay on her feet.
Venom’s just as strong as Glow remembers. Glow’s forced to relinquish her clinch from Venom’s arms. She needs a higher point of balance. Quickly, she grabs hold of Venom's shoulders, keeping herself on her feet.
With her arms free, Venom immediately releases her hold, instantly drawing her gloves back in rapid succession, slamming them into Glow’s mid-section one after the other, after the other, repeatedly.
Multiple, heavy, hard punches land cleanly, sending a dreadfully loud sound of gloves slamming into flesh deep into the stands.
The crowd roars!
Glow takes the flurry of unanswered, unblocked punches. She enters a brief state of panic. She has to grab hold of Venom. Vehemently, Glow tries to wrap her arms around Venom’s upper body. Her first couple attempts fail. Venom’s punches are too powerful, knocking Glow’s grasp loose.
Glow keeps struggling. Finally, after a few seconds she grabs hold of Venom, clinching her foe with all her might, bringing the assault of punches to a halt.
Glow’s still in a vulnerable position. Her backs against the turnbuckles. Venom’s leveraging her weight, pressing herself at an angle against Glow’s body.
The pause in the action only lasts a couple seconds. Venom launches a series of swift lightning quick knees to Glow’s ribs.
The crowd lets loose with another round of loud cheers.
Painfully, Glow absorbs the knees. Glow's undeterred, she slips one of her arms under Venom's. Then, pushes herself off Venom, spinning out of the corner, and out of danger.
Glow felt an instant sense of relief. She needed that. She needed to know she could take Venom’s best shots and stay on her feet. She needed that to calm her nerves.
Despite the fact she’s gasping with every breath, in direr need of oxygen, Glow’s lasted longer in this battle than their first battle. In doing so, she was able to get out of a vulnerable position.
Both fighters reset. The crowd quiets. The two foes circle each other from a distance, catching their breath.
Both ladies are still as determined as ever to batter the other. A few seconds later, each launch another flurry. Glow steps back, throwing two rapid kicks to Venom’s thigh and side.
Immediately thereafter, both engage in a flurry of punches, a long flurry, with both fighters landing and taking punches. As the flurry continues, Venom slowly backs up. Glow launches a front kick, landing it flush to Venom’s mid-section, sending her into the turnbuckles.
Fluidly, Venom bounces out of the corner, seemingly unaffected. Now irritated. Fury burns through her eyes. She charges forward.
Glow’s just starting to reset. Venom launches a series of punches. Glow’s slow to react. Taking punches, Glow abruptly backpedals, doing everything she could to prevent Venom from guiding her into the turnbuckles. At the last second Glow quickly circles to the left and out of danger.
Glow keeps circling away from her foe, throwing jabs from a distance, trying to catch her breath, trying to break Venom’s rhythm.
Loud boos hiss throughout the audience as the action slows. Glow doesn’t let them get to her.
After a short break in the action, the two foe's go at it again.
It’s another flurry! The announcer is going nuts. “I’ve never seen determination like this! Both ladies giving every ounce of their desire and determination to win the battle!”
Glow lands a clean punch to Venom’s body. Venom freezes for a split second. Glow lands another series of punches. Venom backs away.
Venom’s slowing. Glow continues forward. The two clinch. Glow gets both underhooks. She maneuvers Venom to the netting by the side of the cube. Venom's back is now against the netting.
Both ladies fiercely struggle. Glow loses one of her underhooks. Venom's strength is showing. She begins to overpower Glow, maneuvering her back away from the netting. Both ladies are now positioned with their sides against the netting.
Glow’s tiring from the struggle. Venom begins to slowly push Glow towards the turnbuckles. Glow desperately tries to escape. One of her arms is locked tightly under Venom’s.
Her only option is to slide it down and out of Venom’s grip. Venom’s grip is too tight. Her arm doesn’t budge.
Franticly, Glow takes her other glove and pounds it down against her trapped arm. At the same time she positions her feet away from the netting, leveraging her weight, trying free herself. Her arm doesn’t budge.
Glow does the same thing again. Slamming her glove down against her trapped arm. This time her arm jars loose, breaking the clinch just before reaching the turnbuckles. Quickly, Glow pushes herself off of Venom towards the center of the cube.
Both ladies reset. After a quick breather, both let loose with another flurry. The punches aren’t as crisp as earlier. Regardless, they’re landing.
Glow connects with a clean uppercut, knocking Venom’s head back. The crowd roars! Though, mostly for effect. The round was coming to a close. Both women previously dispensed most of their energy. The punch didn’t have enough power to do serious damage.
The ref yells, “Ten seconds left in the round!”
Even though both ladies were exhausted, both dug deep, attacking the other with a flurry of punches.
The bell rings, signaling the end of round one.
After a two minute break, the second round begins. Both ladies approach the center of the cube.
Venom launches herself forward! Looking to catch Glow off guard with a take down.
Glow was ready. She quickly steps back and out of harm’s way.
Venom continues moving forward, throwing a series of jabs, trying to guide Glow towards the turnbuckles.
Glow's corner yells instructions. “Move your feet, move your feet.” Glow cautiously circles away from the turnbuckles.
The crowd’s looking for action. Waves of boos flow through the audience.
Venom snaps a jab. Glow slips it. Instantaneously, Glow moves forward, letting loose a combination of punches. A couple land cleanly.
Venom clinches her foe. Both fighters still in the center of the cube. Both struggling for position, straining, slowly turning each other.
Venom has a better position. She stays aggressive, attempting to trip Glow, trying to force her to the canvas. Glow adjusts her feet, stepping away. She avoided the takedown, nevertheless, she’s now against the cubes netting. The struggle continues.
Every ounce of strength in Glow's body is straining for a better position. Venom isn’t giving an inch. Glow muscles start submitting. Venom’s gaining an even better position, now using her weight and strength to slowly guide Glow’s body to the canvas.
Venom steps in towards Glow, pivoting her hip against Glow's mid-section, twisting her rival further down.
Venom’s advanced training is showing.
Glow’s shoulders are now only a couple of feet from the canvas. Without any hesitation, Venom repositions her hands, grabbing hold of Glow’s shoulders.
Glow didn't react in time!
Venom lets loose a powerful, impressive burst of energy, hurling Glow to the canvas! The takedown wasn’t clean. Glow held on to Venom. Venom goes down with her. Both fighters land hard.
Venom lands on top. She doesn’t have a good hold of Glow. Glow slides Venom off to the side. She quickly gets one of her feet set, then lifts herself from the canvas.
Venom’s up at the same time, instantly letting loose with a relentless series of punches. Glow freezes. She’s getting bombarded with punches. Freeing herself from the takedown took a lot out of her. She's gasping with every breath. Thoughts of her previous knockout send her into a panic.
The crowd’s on their feet. Cheering! Yelling, “Knockout! Knockout!”
Venom continues her barrage of punches. Glow’s forced backwards, still taking an immense amount of punishment.
Glow’s disarray only lasts a few seconds. She snaps out of it. She has to many people supporting her. Regardless, she’s too tired to effectively counter punch. Her mid-section is in pain. She does the only thing she could. She grabs hold Venom, pressing her body against Venom's, clinching her foe with all her strength.
Nevertheless, Venom’s having her way with an exhausted fighter, guiding Glow towards the turnbuckles. Venom's breath is heaving in and out like a steam engine just hitting its stride, pushing forward, driving Glow backwards, only stopping every few seconds to slam her knee into Glow's ribs, every so often, creating enough space to unleash a stinging kick to Glow's inner thigh.
Glow doesn’t put up much resistance. She feels her ribs bruising, air being driven from her lungs, her legs yielding. Soon thereafter, Glow’s trapped against the turnbuckles, panting, taking a merciless thrashing.
Scenes of her previous life, the life where she was relinquished to the streets flash before her eyes. She remembers a similar feeling of helplessness, feeling trapped by society. She remembers the pain she felt in her legs from malnourishment, from walking miles searching for a place to sleep.
Anger rushes through her body!
Glow takes a deep breath. She knows she has to fight her way out of the corner. She has to fight her way out of the corner in much the same way she fought her way off of the streets.
Sensing a knockout within her grasps, Venom breaks her clinch. She unleashes an onslaught of punches. Simultaneously, Glow lets loose with her own onslaught of punches.
Glow can’t stop punching. She has to get out of the corner. She’s jolting her arms forward and back as fast as possible. She sees an opening. Glow ducks, sliding her feet sideways, slipping out of the corner and out of immediate danger.
She maneuvers away from Venom to the center of the cube. Her corner yells, “Glow, one minute left. You have to score points.”
Glow’s in a lot of trouble. Trying to fend off Venom’s extended offensive barrage sent her into a severe state of exhaustion. She’s desperately gasping for oxygen. Her lungs are burning. Her arms feel like led. She’s using most of her strength just to hold her gloves up in a defensive position.
Glow looks up at Venom. Venom’s moving towards her, seemingly in slow motion. Glow takes a few steps backwards, throwing weak jabs as she backpedals. She takes another few steps backwards, circling away from Venom, keeping her distance, trying to gather herself. Finally, Glow starts to recover. She hears her corner yell, “15 seconds left!”
Then, for the first time ever, she hears a good portion of the crowd cheering for her. Their chanting, “GLOW! GLOW! GLOW! GLOW!”
They want to see her finish the bout. They weren’t just her friends, or friends of friends. A good portion of the natural audience was cheering.
Something clicks inside Glow. She knows, win or lose, she has to go out fighting. She steps forward. Venom steps forward. Both ladies let loose every ounce of energy, desire and determination within their bodies, flinging and landing rights and lefts.
Ding Ding, the bell sounds.
The ref throws herself between the two combatants, neither wanting to stop fighting. Seconds later, a sense of relief overwhelms Glow. She didn’t know if she won or lost. Whether she won or lost didn’t matter. She finished the battle.
Win, lose or draw, Glow showed she belonged. She was emotional knowing people were cheering for her, cheering after she gave one of the most embarrassing performances in the sport. Cheering, knowing all the things written and said about her in the papers and on television. She was ecstatic with herself for enduring Venom’s onslaught.
Glow’s eyes filled with tears. For the first time in her life, they were tears of joy. Lady rushed into the cube, grabbing hold of Glow, guiding her to the side of the cube to acknowledge the fans.
The crowds going berserk! Cheering loudly! Cheering passionately! The announcers are yelling over the loudspeaker, calling the fight, “The best Final Battle in the history of the sport.”
Keywords: Light Throughout The Night, Chapter 13 Ding, Ding, LTTN, Glow, Final Battle, Venom, Female MMA Fight, Mixed Martial Arts, Vs, Versus, Foe's, Fighting Fish, Betta
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