You swipe at him with an open hand, as if to shoo him, but your fingers connect with his eyebrow.

He takes this as an attack. Anger and fear rush through his eyes. He gets close and kicks you, aiming for your shin but he ends up hitting your thigh.

It doesn't hurt that much until his fist slams into your floating ribs. *ouch!* You whack him in the collarbone, knocking him a little off balance, but he veers in and grabs you.

His grip hurts. Just as he's about to get you in a headlock you escape and grab him back. He starts thrashing around, using everything at his disposal. You get elbowed in the eye, kicked in the shin, and slammed against the wall.

Your wrestling match goes on for ages. The one who seems to be winning depends on who has better footing. It keeps going. It's been almost ten minutes of dragging, pulling, scratching, haymakers and attempted crotch kicks. You injuries hurt like hell but he doesn't look like giving up so neither do you.

Then he trips on the curb.

Both of you fall but you land on him, shoving him between you and the concrete. You use the force of the fall to hit him. It was gonna be a punch but you miss and hit him with your shoulder, walloping with the weight of your torso.

With the last of your strength you roll over, gasping and wheezing, your whole body thrumming with pain. Your muscles ache. Your lungs burn as if they're about to implode. It hurts.

You look beside you and the scammer's not there. You look up. Oh god. He's stood up. Now he's reaching into the overgrown grass three meters away. He pulls out a brick.

Your breath quickens. You bend your knees and plant them on the cracked asphalt. Your leg muscles start going tense. Veins bulge. The pain intensifies then numbs.

Then you throw your body at him, using your current momentum to give him one last haymaker.

Good lord. You did a real number on him. I hope you're proud of yourself.

With trembling arms you prop him up against a tree. You pray for his life with bruised broken fingers and wavering verse, interrupted by the occasional wheeze.