Sparring Session

Harriet sized up the small mountain of a man and nodded. ‘Bring it on.’ ‘Another bet?’ Elias said. Lemuel quickly shook his head. ‘No, sir.’ Harriet faced off against the hulking, brawny sergeant, her body coiled like a spring ready to pounce. After making sure Sergeant Beard’s stance was ready, she launched forward in a blur of motion, her fist a bullet aimed straight at her opponent’s midsection. Beard’s instinctual parry deflected the blow, but he felt his bones rattle from the impact. Undeterred, Harriet followed with a swift leg sweep, aiming to unbalance her foe. But he sidestepped, avoiding the sweep with a deft shuffle that showed surprising agility for his size. The dust beneath their feet was kicked up in a frenzy of movement. Seizing the opportunity, Harriet surged into a series of rapid punches, each jab a calculated strike that sought out openings in her opponent’s defences. Beard countered with sheer power, his meaty fists blurring in the air as they repelled her assaults