Hugo smiled as he entered the gym. He sidestepped the faulty floorboard and strode forty-eight exact feet to the practice ring. Nothing had changed.
Marcus was there, as Hugo expected, scrubbing the canvas. A legendary boxing coach, Marcus still cleaned the ring himself. It was his church, he claimed. Nothing had changed.
Marcus looked up, eyes widening on seeing his most famous student.
‘Champ…’ Hugo unleashed a massive right hook to his old coach’s temple. The old man crumpled and lay still.
A young boy came, crying, from the showers. He looked at Hugo, and Marcus’ body at his feet. Hugo smiled.
Something had to change.
Written for the weekly Friday Fictioneers hosted by our gracious host Rochelle Wisoff – Fields. This week’s prompt is from J. Hardy Carroll. Read other takes and enter your own here.
L.E.R.T 
Ouch! Somehow I knew Hugo was going to punch Marcus, but the reason was a real Oh, goodness moment especially after the line about the boxing ring being Marcus’ church.
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There is so much story here unsaid, which we read through Hugo’s actions. Well told.
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Not every coach is a good… maybe the young boy was saved from a misery that Hugo had to live through…
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That was definitely the story here. Thanks for the comment, Bjorn.
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I think the crying boy gives an indication that maybe not all was well in the gym. Dark and well told.
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Indeed they were not. Thanks for the comment, Subroto.
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A knockout blow was payback, but perhaps public humiliation might have been better, great use of so few words.
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Thank you, Mike.
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a lot of metaphors in this – the reality is nothing changes.
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Unfortunately, you are right. Thanks for the comment, James.
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He’d finally come undone, or maybe, become whole again.
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It was not entirely about him. Thanks for the comment, Anurag.
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If it weren’t for a real life coach and crying little boys in showers, I might not have had a frame of reference. Unfortunately I did. And things had/have to change. Does this mean that Hugo will have to pay another price?
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I think Hugo would be glad to pay it.
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Hugo is beyond brave.
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Disturbing reference to the place being the coach’s church. Powerful story.
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Nice, unexpected twist to the ending. Sad sign of the times.
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Yes indeed. Something definitely had to change. Very well done.
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I suspect a lot of somethings are about to change – including a future with sirens and iron bars.
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That is not what I expected but you made it abundantly clear what was going on. Well done.
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Ugh. The boy, coming crying from the shower, spoke volumes. I don’t feel a bit sorry for the coach.
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The brutal murder of the coach took me by surprise, and I realised that the real meat of your story was unsaid. I like the touch about the faulty floorboard – excellent prefiguring; the floorboard hadn’t changed and neither had the coach.
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Excellent, what is left unsaid says it all.
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Dear Varad,
A rather dark ending that baffled me. Well described scene. I felt like I was there.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Not everything in churches is holy
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