Page 84 of The Genius
I was in my office, watching Marco’s fight – hating how the two commentators were bashing him.
“Looks like the underdog is showing up the champion in this fight. Such a disappointment for many to see Marco Polo look so lost.”
The other commentator laughed. “Good one, but you’re right, physically he looks to be in great shape, but mentally he doesn’t seem prepared. I wonder if he’s still battling the disappointment of being rejected in the last two tournaments.”
“Yes, this champion has been close a few times. Could be that he was so sure of himself against this underdog that he’s a bit rattled by the hits young Neil Jefferson has gotten on him so far.”
“Oh, here we go again. Fuck, look at that energy Jefferson is attacking with. He really wants to win, doesn’t he? Son of the Devil, that had to hurt. Did you see the punch to Marco Polo’s face?”
For someone who had always claimed that I wasn’t attached to a certain outcome, watching Marco fight was a rude awakening.
I was scared to my bones that Marco would be injured and I had already decided that if he got paralyzed, I’d dedicate my genius to finding a way to make him mobile again.
“Would you look at the way Marco is protecting himself? Why doesn’t he fight back?”
“That’s a good question. It’s hard to watch, knowing that this is the same warrior who defeated great champions like Danielson and Zillinger just a few years ago.”
“You’re right. I would like to see him use the fighting skills we know he has.”
My fingers covered my eyes when Marco took punch after punch. I couldn’t watch it, and turned my head away.
“And if you look to the right corner you’ll notice Magni Aurelius is shouting at the contestants. He looks like he wants to go in and fight himself, doesn’t he?”
“I wish he would; this fight hasn’t been as entertaining as we’d hoped it would be.”
“No, but look at that…” one of the commentators gave a loud outburst. “Dancing demons… what a comeback.” The commentators were laughing and it made me dare to look again. “Such a perfect roundhouse kick, and yes… look at that, Marco Polo just followed up with a classic high kick that knocked Neil to the ground.”
“I think that’s it. Neil isn’t coming back up, is he?”
“No, he’s not. Now, you might not be able to hear this at home, but people in the audience are cheering for the kill.”
“That’s not his style, is it?”
“No. Marco isn’t that kind of fighter; we know that from previous years. So far he has spared the life of each of his opponents.”
“I have to say that as an old-school fighter I think it’s a shame that it’s becoming the norm. There used to be a much bigger risk involved and that was what made these games so exciting.”
“I have to agree with you on that. So far we’ve only had two deaths in this tournament, which has to be the lowest number in history.” He chuckled, low. “Soon they’ll accept safety gear as well.”
“We shouldn’t joke about something like that; they might hear us and think it’s an excellent idea… oh, and here comes Commander Magni Aurelius. He just entered the arena and he’s calling out Marco as the winner.”
The two men were laughing. “Looks like Marco Polo found his way back after all. Let’s see the last part in slow motion again.”
My mouth gaped when Marco jumped up, spun in the air, and kicked the guy with brutal force. I’d seen Marco fight before, but it had always been for training purposes and this was for real – the concentration on his face, his eyes closing and opening, and the way every muscle on his body was working as a weapon. They zoomed in on Neil’s face when he landed on the ground, his head bouncing a few times with his lips and cheeks vibrating because of the slow-motion effect.
All the talk about fights and deaths made me turn off the show. Marco might be the winner of this fight, but in a few hours he’d be at it again, putting his life at risk.
Picking up a small tool, I threw it against the door. It made a thumping sound before it fell on the floor, mocking me by not making a dent in the door or a difference to anything.
I should find something heavier to throw, I concluded, but the practical part of me didn’t see the point.Breaking a door won’t mend your broken heart.
It would be easier if I could attain some detachment and not care.
If we were meant to be together, he would have fallen in love with me by now.
We’d shared a month together and rationally, I understood that Marco was too attached to his goal of winning a tournament to being open to anything else.
If I were a bigger person, I would find satisfaction in Marco’s being happy, even if it’s with another woman.
