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Ajax pulled Enid deeper into the warehouse. She had basically been buzzing on the way there. Ajax always talked about these underground fights like they were his home. “It’s so real. Raw.” Nothing like the polished fights on TV. Tonight she would finally get to see it for herself. Maybe it would help her understand him better. Be something they could share.
But then she stepped inside with him. The air was thick with sweat, smoke, and testosterone. Ajax already had his vape out in his hand, clearly ready for it. She was not. But all she could do was breathe through her mouth and hope she didn’t catch too much secondhand smoke.
Aside from the smell, the first thing she noticed was the amount of men. They packed the space shoulder-to-shoulder, shouting and laughing too loud. A few women dotted the crowd, but they clung to their boyfriends or worked at the makeshift bar. Enid tugged at her bright pink sweater, feeling very out of place. Like a neon sign in the desert at midnight.
She felt quite a few eyes on her at any given moment. Hostile eyes. Ones that undressed her without her permission and made her shiver in disgust.
Still, she tried to push the unease down. This was Ajax’s thing. She wanted to give it a fair shot.
He steered her right for the betting table. “C’mon, babe. Spot me a couple hundred. I’ve got a lock on this next one.”
There were quite a few photos on the table in pairs of 2, presumably belonging to the fighters. Ajax pointed at the third pair. A large muscly man with scars all over his face and a… spotless pale girl. “300 on this guy.”
Enid hesitated only for a second before pulling out her wallet. “Are you sure?” There was something in that pale girl’s eyes. There was a reason she was even on the list, and up against a huge guy like that. “That girl…”
“I know what I’m doing, Enid. You haven’t seen anything yet.” He laughed with the bet table organizers and exhaled some smoke. “That girl’s gonna die in there. But she’ll make me at least a bit richer by doing it.”
She emptied her wallet and told herself it was fine. She was just being supportive of his interests. And that girl probably wouldn’t die, right?
They found a spot high above the ring to watch the ongoing fight. Two men, one tall and lanky, and another one shorter and bulkier. The shorter one was winning. Hard.
The crowd roared as a punch went straight into the lanky man’s gut. He keeled over and spit up a bit of what was hopefully a red meal. Either that, or it was blood. But he kept standing.
Enid’s eyes widened as a man bumped into her from behind, cheering loudly. Ajax didn’t notice, he had already begun screaming along. “KICK HIS ASS!” and some other and much worse sayings caught her attention. But she couldn’t say anything.
A few more punches were exchanged and blood flew back and forth. It was horrifying. Enid tugged Ajax’s sleeve. “Can we please leave? This is getting too intense.”
Ajax didn’t even look at her. His eyes were glued to the ring. “Not yet, Enid. My fight hasn’t even started yet.”
The tall fighter went down, spitting more blood onto the ground. For a few seconds, the winning fighter waited for him to get back up. But nothing happened. So he raised his fist and let out this… bloodcurdling celebration cry.
“Ajax…”
But he shushed her. “It’s starting, babe. I’m totally gonna cash in!”
The downed fighter was dragged out and the winner hopped away, grabbing the nearest female and pulling her into a kiss.
Then the next fighters were brought into their respective corners. This was the fight Ajax had bet on.
“Alright, you fuckers! In the red corner, weighing in at two-hundred and forty pounds of pure destruction… the Bonecrusher!”
The massive, heavily muscled man Ajax had bet on stepped forward, flexing and spitting on the floor. He looked terrifying.
“And in the blue corner…” The announcer paused, letting out a low chuckle that made a few guys nearby laugh along, as if they were all in on an inside joke. “We’ve got this little freak show. Five-foot-nothing, pale as a corpse, flat as a board. Give it up for… the Viper!”
Boos and mocking laughs erupted. Enid felt her stomach twist. That was mean. The tiny fighter who walked out was small, sure — pale skin, dark braids, dressed in all black — but there was something in the way she moved. Calm. Almost unbothered by the jeers.
Then, the fight started. Enid watched, awe setting in despite everything. The woman dodged and weaved with eerie precision, landing quick and vicious strikes that seemed to hurt the bigger man a lot more than they should. It was impressive. Hypnotic, even.
But as the man actually started trying and the crowd screamed for blood, her own blood started running cold. People would bump her in what could only be ‘assumed’ accidental, but it kept happening, in all the wrong places. She was exposed and unsafe.
“Not now, Enid. Bonecrusher’s about to make me richer.” He shook her off and leaned over for a better view as Bonecrusher rushed forward.
Enid’s heart sank. The small fighter — the Viper who was living up to her name, whatever that meant — slipped under a wild swing and countered with a sharp elbow. The big man staggered. The crowd gasped.
Enid pulled harder on Ajax’s arm. “Please. I really want to leave. Right now.”
But Ajax was completely tuned out, roaring and screaming along with the rest of the men as the Bonecrusher tried to recover.
Then it happened. The tiny fighter went low and swept the big man’s legs. He crashed to the mat like a felled tree. Before he could get up, she was on him — fist after small fist pummeling into him. The referee stepped in fast.
The announcer’s voice cut through the chaos, dripping with disbelief and mockery. “Un-fucking-believable! Your winner… the Viper!”
Laughter and angry shouts exploded. Ajax’s face went purple. “What the fuck?! How could that little bitch win!”
Before Enid could even attempt to soothe him, Ajax shoved past her and stormed toward the exit, disappearing into the surging crowd. He didn’t look back. He didn’t wait. He was just… gone.
Enid stood frozen for a second, stunned. Then panic hit. She pushed her way outside into the dark, cracked parking lot behind the warehouse. It was still packed. It was a wonder how the police had never been called before — a huge building lighting up multiple times a week in the middle of the night with no advertised business inside.
Ajax’s parking spot was empty. He’d driven off.
“Shit… shit, shit, shit.”
She pulled out her phone to call him. And… nothing. She called just about every number in her registry. Still nothing. No service. No bars. No data. Even the multitude of rideshare apps on her phone wouldn’t load. She was stuck.
She hugged her arms around herself under the flickering bulbs of the closest streetlight, regret flooding in already. Why had she begged to come? Why had she thought this would be fun or bonding? It was stupid. So stupid.
Heavy footsteps crunched on gravel behind her.
“Well, well. Look what we got here.”
Enid whipped around. A large man was walking toward her — broad shoulders, greasy hair, a beer bottle dangling from one hand. His eyes raked over her pink sweater and blonde hair like she was edible.
“Ya lost, princess?” His voice was thick, slurred. He stepped closer, blocking the path back to the warehouse door. “Ya here alone? I could help ya out.”
Enid’s mouth went dry. She took a step back, heart slamming against her ribs. “I’m… I’m fine. Just waiting for my ride.”
He laughed, this low and ugly sound, and kept advancing. “Don’t look fine to me. All alone out here in the dark. Bet you’re scared.” His free hand reached out, fingers brushing her arm. When she flinched away, he grinned wider. “Aw, c’mon. I can keep ya company. Make ya feel real safe.”
The smell of alcohol and sweat rolled off him. He crowded her backward until her back hit the cold metal of a rusted truck. His body loomed, trapping her. One meaty hand planted itself on the truck beside her head, the other reaching to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You’re shaking, sweetheart. Don’t worry… I know how to handle girls who bite off more than they can chew.”
Enid’s breath came in short, terrified gasps. Her mind raced for escape routes, but there were none. She could only wait and hope that someone would stumble upon them and save her. She knew she couldn’t overpower him. She pressed herself harder against the truck. “I’m okay… My boyfriend is on his—”
The man laughed again. “So ya came here with your boyfriend?” He leaned in closer, breathing his alcohol breath right into her mouth. “But he left ya, didn’t he? You’re better off letting me take care of ya…”
“Please, just leave me alone. I’m not interested.”
But she knew he wouldn’t listen. It was just the cruel reality of being a woman. Especially in a place like this.
“Ya know this i—”
A voice, low and cold but unmistakably another woman, came from behind the man. She couldn’t see from her position from between the truck and the man, but she could only hope it was someone with a weapon — maybe a gun, or realistically a taser — or someone strong enough to fight him.
The man turned his head to look back as Enid squirmed uncomfortably. “Get lost, little girl. We’re busy, can’t you see? Don’t ya got a boyfriend to look after ya? Or maybe you want to join?” His wicked smile only grew.
The woman didn’t answer. Enid could tell she approached by the gravel sounds, but she wasn’t sure what this woman could do. Not until she did it.
A foot went straight for the disgusting man’s crotch. He didn’t react for a moment, but soon went right down to his knees in front of Enid, groaning in pain. Enid nudged him away with her foot and he hit the ground.
The woman — the fighter that had just won the last fight — was standing in front of her. “You shouldn’t be alone this late at night.”
Enid’s knees buckled. The rush of relief hit her so hard that tears immediately spilled down her cheeks. She slid down the side of the rusted truck until she was sitting on the cold ground, hugging her arms around herself again. Her whole body was shaking.
“I— I didn’t know what to do,” she choked out, voice cracking. “My boyfriend just… he left me here. He lost all my money and stormed off and I have no signal and that guy— he was—” A sob cut her off. She wiped at her face with her sleeve, but the tears kept coming. “I’m so stupid. I begged him to bring me tonight because I wanted to see what he liked about this place, and now I’m stuck and I just want to go home. Please… can you help me? I don’t have anyone else right now.”
The small fighter crouched down so they were closer to eye level. Her dark braids were slightly messy from the fight, and her knuckles looked bruised, but her expression stayed strangely calm. Almost gentle in a detached sort of way.
“I’ll give you a ride,” she said simply. No questions, no judgment. Just a flat, straightforward offer.
Enid stared at her through blurry eyes, gratitude flooding her chest so strongly it almost hurt. But right behind it came a nervous little twist in her stomach. This girl had just dropped a grown man with one kick. She had gotten in the ring with 240 pounds of muscle and won. She looked tiny and pale and… harmless at first glance, but clearly wasn’t. What if she wanted something? What if she stole her stuff once they got to the house? Still… what choice did she have? No phone service, no ride, no Ajax. She was beyond grateful.
“Okay,” Enid whispered, nodding quickly. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
The fighter helped her up with a surprisingly steady grip, then led her across the parking lot to an old black hearse parked under one of the flickering lights. Enid blinked at it.
“You… drive a hearse?”
The girl unlocked the passenger door. “It helps with dead bodies.”
Enid let out a nervous half-laugh, not entirely sure if it was a joke. She climbed in anyways and handed over her address. The interior smelled faintly of leather and something metallic. It should have felt creepy, but after everything that had just happened, the quiet rumble of the engine and the locked doors felt safer than anything else tonight.
The drive was mostly silent. Streetlights slid past in orange streaks. Enid kept stealing glances at the driver — this small, pale girl who had moved like liquid violence back in the ring and again in the parking lot. She wasn’t scared of her exactly, but she was… impressed. Wooed, almost, by how calmly she had stepped in and handled everything when no one else would. It wasn’t attraction. It was more like awe that someone so small could be that steady. That capable.
Enid’s hands still trembled in her lap. “I’m Enid, by the way.”
“Wednesday,” the driver replied, eyes on the road.
When they finally pulled up in front of Enid’s place, Wednesday killed the engine but didn’t stay in the car. She got out and walked around to the passenger side.
“You don’t have to—” Enid started.
“I’m escorting you inside,” Wednesday said, tone leaving no room for argument. “I need to… make sure you get in.”
Enid was too drained and too grateful to protest or question the pause. She nodded and led the way up the short path, keys jingling in her shaky hand as she unlocked the front door.
The moment they stepped inside, the smell of weed hit them. Ajax was sprawled on the couch with two of his buddies, already packing a fresh bowl, laughing like nothing had happened. He hadn’t even texted to check on her — she had checked as soon as she got bars.
Wednesday’s dark eyes narrowed.
They didn’t notice as both women stepped in. They didn’t notice anything at all until Wednesday’s fist was in his face. His nose snapped with a sickening crunch.
“Oh my god—” Ajax dropped the pipe and bits of weed scattered to the floor and all over the couch. His two friends popped up, but didn’t make a move, not to attack Wednesday or to help Ajax.
“What the fuck, man?!” He brought his hand to his now bleeding nose and looked up at the woman. Wednesday. “You’re that bitch from the fight!”
He stood up, dripping blood all over his shirt and the floor. He tried to use his height to intimidate her, but it didn’t work. At all. Even almost a full foot of height couldn’t intimidate her when she could beat a man who was easily over 100 pounds larger than her.
“Get the fuck out!”
She punched him again. Enid rushed to his side as he stumbled back and fell. “Ajax!” But he shook her off, even from the ground.
Wednesday just looked down on him with a sneer. She shook some blood off of her bruised knuckles. “You’re lucky I only hit you.” She spared a short glance at the two friends, who flinched away. “I don’t like men like you. Pathetic. She shouldn’t like you either.” Then she turned and headed for the door.
When it closed behind her, Ajax shot up. “Who the fuck is that bitch?!” He gave Enid this withering and hateful glare. “What’s the matter with you?! Bringing her here?!”
She still sat on the floor beside where he fell, eyes red and puffy from her earlier tears. “I just— she gave me a ride home from—”
“I don’t care!” And then, for the first time, he raised a hand against her. He didn’t punch her like he had just been punched.
He slapped her.
Enid froze. She didn’t cry. But… she couldn’t exactly speak.
The door opened again. Wednesday slowly reentered the room. “I hate men like you.”
Ajax turned back towards her, the smallest bit of fear in his eyes. But still — maybe for his friends, even though they didn’t say one word when he went down or when he hit Enid — he acted tough. “Did I tell you to fuck off? Why are you still here?”
She didn’t answer him. She moved forward, brushing past him, and right towards Enid. But he wouldn’t take that.
“I’m talking to you!” He made a grab for her shoulder, and a third punch came at him. He dropped to his knees and groaned. “Fuck!”
Still ignored. She handed her open phone to Enid. “Call yourself.”
Enid, shaking once again, could do nothing but obey. She called herself, her phone ringing in her pocket.
Wednesday took the phone back and hung up. “Call me if he touches you again.” She looked down at Ajax with a sort of what might be interpreted as pity. “I’ll make sure he’ll never do it again.”
Ajax tried to push himself up, but she just kicked him while he was down.
“Better yet, I’ll call you in the morning.”
And then she left. Just like that.