Chapter 2

                                    

                                          
She dodged the blow, spinning to the right as a fist went careening past her, hitting air where her head had just been. It was close, too close for the level she was at.
The spun around her opponent, constantly changing direction, using his size against him. Her 5ft 6 frame was small enough to give her an edge when dodging but still allowed her to pack her punches with power. 
The person she was facing was above 6ft, definitely, and looked to be about her age, if not a year or so older. He had brown hair and piercing blue eyes. While she wanted to analyse his appearance further, memorise every aspect of his face as she had done with every other person she had come across, she didn't have the time. 
He sent another punch her way, this time following it up with a roundhouse kick. She hated to admit it but her opponent was good, better than she had seen in a while. This meant she didn't have to turn down the heat. The fire she had suppressed was begging to come out in a flurry of fast and never-ending attacks but she pushed it down, knowing that the ring was no place to let anger, one of the only emotions still strong enough to make her feel something, take control.
The place she fought was a bit dingy, a run down building in the deprived part of the suburbs but it had character. After doing karate for a while and finding it was too rigid, not a release for her, she tried boxing. That was where she had met Julie, a literal god-send. Probably one of the only other people Alex remotely trusted, Julie helped her channel her self-resentment and turn it into a force that drove her, allowing her to become the person she wanted to be. Every time she wanted to quit, Julie was there. Every time she succeeded, Julie was there to see it. Alex had come to see Julie as a motherly-ish figure in her life, if a motherly figure would tell you how to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort. 
"Come one Alex, stop dancing around."
Alex scoffed in reply, rolling her eyes but nodding nevertheless. The best thing about fighting at this place was the lack of rules. When boxing became boring, she moved on, dabbling in kick-boxing before fighting unrestrained, a style not unlike street-fighting but with gloved hands and a semblance of order with some rules. She stopped, only momentarily, but it was enough for her opponent to pounce, wrapping his arms around her to the outcry of many audience members (many of which she knew were betting on the outcome of tonight's fight). 
Then she smirked and she could see the moment in Julie's face when she understood what Alex was planning. 
She brought her head forward and then back, hitting the guy's nose with a satisfying crunch. Though he groaned in pain, he didn't let go. Admiring his resilience, Alex elbowed him in the stomach while twisting out of his hold before kicking the back of his knee, causing him to fold over and hit the ground. 
Alex sent a series of punches at his face, forcing him to left his hands to block her attacks, giving her the perfect opportunity to kick him in the stomach, hard. Just as he doubled over, Alex sent one last punch to the side of his head, knocking him onto the lightly padded flooring. 
The countdown started.
10
No movement.
9
A twitch of the hand.
8
An arm moving to the side.
7
Legs moving.
6
Knees brought up.
5
Pushing himself onto all fours, blood dripping down from his split lip.
4