Max exhaled deeply as he let go of Dud's head, just in time to drive his knee with full force into his face.
Everything he had held in, every ounce of frustration, anger, and pain from everything he had been put through, was unleashed in that single devastating blow.
And when Dud's head snapped back, it was almost like the world slowed down.
Max could see every detail, how his crooked nose twisted even further, how his front teeth flew from his mouth mid-impact, and how Dud's eyes rolled lifelessly into the back of his head.
Then came the fall.
Dud's body hit the ground with a sickening bounce, his skull tapping once against the floor before his entire frame lay still. Frozen. Motionless. Blood smeared the concrete in more than one place, painting a picture of undeniable defeat.
He wasn't getting back up. Not this time.
