Steel Read Online Free PDF Page B

another blow smash into his chest like a club. With a sob he threw a wild left that the B-seven brushed off. Another sharp blow landed on Kelly’s shoulder. He lifted his right and managed to deflect the worst of a left thrown at his jaw. Another right concaved his stomach. He doubled over. A hammering right drove him back on the ropes. He felt hot salty blood in his mouth and the roar of the crowd seemed to swallow him. Stay up!—he screamed at himself. Stay up goddamn you! The ring wavered before him like dark water.
    With a desperate surge of energy, he threw a right as hard as he could at the tall beautiful figure in front of him. Something cracked in his wrist and hand and a wave of searing pain shot up his arm. His throat-locked cry went unheard. His arm fell, his left went down and the crowd shrieked and howled for the Flash to finish it.
    There was only inches between them now. The B-seven rained in blows that didn’t miss. Kelly lurched and staggered under the impact of them. His head snapped from side to side. Blood ran across his face in scarlet ribbons His arm hung like a dead branch at his side. He kept getting slammed back against the ropes, bouncing forward and getting slammed back again. He couldn’t see any more. He could only hear the screaming of the crowd and the endless swishing and thudding of the B-seven’s gloves. Stay up, he thought. I have to stay up. He drew in his head and hunched his shoulders to protect himself.
    He was like that seven seconds before the bell when a clubbing right on the side of his head sent him crashing to the canvas.
    He lay there gasping for breath. Suddenly, he started to get up, then, equally as suddenly, realized that he couldn’t. He fell forward again and lay on his stomach on the warm canvas, his head throbbing with pain. He could hear the booing and hissing of the dissatisfied crowd.
    When Pole finally managed to get him up and slip the cover over his head the crowd was jeering so loudly that Kelly couldn’t hear Pole’s voice. He felt the mechanic’s big hand inside the covering, guiding him, but he fell down climbing through the ropes and almost fell again on the steps. His legs were like rubber tubes. Stay up. His brain still murmured the words.
    In the ready room he collapsed. Pole tried to get him up on the bench but he couldn’t. Finally, he bunched up his blue coat under Kelly’s head and, kneeling, he started patting with his handkerchief at the trickles of blood.
    â€œYou dumb bastard,” he kept muttering in a thin, shaking voice. “You dumb bastard.”
    Kelly lifted his hand and brushed away Pole’s hand.
    â€œGo—get the—money,” he gasped hoarsely.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThe money! ” gasped Kelly through his teeth.
    â€œBut—”
    â€œ Now! ” Kelly’s voice was barely intelligible.
    Pole straightened up and stood looking down at Kelly a moment. Then he turned and went out.
    Kelly lay there drawing in breath and exhaling it with wheezing sounds. He couldn’t move his right hand and he knew it was broken. He felt the blood trickling from his nose and mouth. His body throbbed with pain.
    After a few moments he struggled up on his left elbow and turned his head, pain crackling along his neck muscles. When he saw that Maxo was all right he put his head down again. A smile twisted up one corner of his lips.
    When Pole came back, Kelly lifted his head painfully. Pole came over and knelt down. He started patting at the blood again.
    â€œYa get it?” Kelly asked in a crusty whisper.
    Pole blew out a slow breath.
    â€œ Well? ”
    Pole swallowed. “Half of it,” he said.
    Kelly stared up at him blankly, his mouth fallen open. His eyes didn’t believe it.
    â€œHe said he wouldn’t pay five C’s for a one rounder.”
    â€œWhat d’ya mean?” Kelly’s voice cracked. He tried to get up and put down his right hand. With