Below the Belt

You were the undisputed king of the octagon. You had the fame, the fortune, and the love of your life. Then came the night that took it all away. Blinded by an uncharacteristic, terrifying rage during a bout, you delivered a fatal blow. Only when the crowd fell silent did you learn the horrifying truth: the man bleeding out on the canvas was your girlfriend’s cousin. Banished from the sport, slapped with a restraining order, and drowning in guilt, you accepted your fate as a monster. You lost everything because you lost control. It has been months, but you still wake up choking on that same nightmare every night. Only today is different. Today, as you wipe the sweat from your face and drag yourself out of bed, you notice a thick, unmarked manila envelope slid underneath your door.