Page 212 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

Arms locked around him from behind. A fourth guy pinned him in place while the fifth swung. Mano ducked at the last second. The punch slammed straight into his own friend. The guy staggered, dazed. Mano twisted free just enough to drive his fist into the stomach of the one in front of him, folding him in half.

The third, already recovering, lunged again, throwing punch after punch. Mano slipped past each one, then answered with a brutal kick to his stomach. A sharp scream tore out of him as he collapsed, curling in on himself.

Behind him, the one who’d taken the hit from his friend pushed himself back up. Mano didn’t see him. A fist slammed into the side of his head. His vision flashed white as he hit the ground.

Ody rushed out from behind the chapel, sprinting straight at them. He crashed into one of them mid-step, his punch landing hard against his face.

Another staggered back to his feet.

“Are you okay?” Ody dropped beside Mano, reaching for him, when a kick drove straight into his ribs. The air left his lungs in an instant, sending him stumbling across the dirt.

“Fucking faggots!” the guy spat, stepping over Mano and driving a punch into his face.

Ody groaned, clutching his ribs as he forced himself to turn.

Another punch snapped Mano’s head to the side.

Ody pushed himself up, ignoring the pain, and shoved the guy off Mano hard enough to make him stumble.

“Get up. Hurry,” he said, breath tight, reaching for him with one hand while the other pressed against his ribs.

Mano caught his hand, gripping it tight. And in that same second, something moved behind Ody. A flash of metal. The blade drove into his stomach.

Ody’s body jerked. A broken sound tore from his throat. Then the knife was gone, pulled back out.

He dropped to his knees, hand flying to his stomach, pressing hard like he could hold himself together. A strangled groan slipped past his lips as he tipped onto his side, curled in, trying to breathe.

Everything stopped.

Mano’s eyes lifted slowly. Locked onto him.

Tom.

Something in him snapped. He was on his feet before he felt himself move.

The guy backed away, real fear creeping into his face, switchblade still clutched in his hand.

Mano’s fist drove into his face, dropping him instantly. He followed him down and didn’t stop. Punch after punch landed, brutal and uncontrolled, blood spreading across his skin.

When the guy started slipping out of consciousness, Mano grabbed the wrist that had driven the knife into Ody.

He twisted it hard.

A crack echoed.

The scream that followed didn’t reach him.

The friend who had stumbled earlier and was still standing a short distance away panicked, taking several steps back.

Mano didn’t look at him. He was still staring down at the guy beneath him. Blank. He pushed himself up, walked to where the switchblade had fallen, and picked it up. His grip tightened. Then he turned toward the one who had stabbed Ody.

Tom dragged himself backward, elbows digging into the dirt, one arm hanging useless at his side. “I’m sorry! Please—no! Help!” He scrambled away, heels slipping as he tried to get distance.

Mano kept walking toward him, slow and unhurried. The knife hung at his side, his face blank.

“Mano...”

The voice cut through him.