Read Online The Camp by kit Crumb - Free Book Online

in the room, Claire was standing in the middle of the mat. “All you guys against the far wall. Amy, I want you in the middle here.”
    Then it began.
    Bear hug from the front and rear. Push to the left shoulder then the right. Each time, it was someone different. Some took it easy on her, and others tried to take her down. There was no stand and face each other and wait for a cue. Claire called out the attack and pointed to one of the men standing against the wall. He would then walk over and attack.  
    She had faced everyone several times with different defenses—everyone but one guy. Claire called out ‘headlock’ and the biggest guy—the only one she hadn’t already defended herself against—closed in.
    The defense for a headlock called for a strike to the groin with the left hand that would immediately come up and over the back to grab the assailant’s nose before pulling him over backwards. But she could see that it wasn’t going to work. He was at least six foot three and she was only five foot five.
    He surprised her by slamming her shoulders and knocking her back. Every other attack had been to the letter. This was already different. Then, lunging to her right side, he hugged her head so tight that she could barley move. She tried to tuck her chin to her chest, but he shifted his weight so she couldn’t. Then he just kept moving. There was no clear shot to the groin, so she grabbed the upper inside of his thigh and squeezed and squeezed until she got a yelp and he released the grip on her head and neck.  
    She was staggering back when he came at her like a raging bull, pushing and shoving until he’d driven her up against the wall and began choking her with both hands.
    With all her strength, she snaked her right arm up between his two hands until it was straight up and then drove it down on his left wrist, simultaneously pulling her right shoulder away from the wall and launching her right elbow at his face. With a sudden shout, he stepped back, seconds before the strike would have hit home.
    Grinning like a banshee, Claire stepped between the two. But sometimes, the adrenaline rush created during practice spurred on reactions after the technique had been demonstrated.  
    Amy was the same size as her aunt and launched her full body at her attacker, both arms flying. One hand was in a hammer fist, while the other was in a tiger claw. Her attacker was looking on like a deer in headlights.  
    Claire was forced to subdue Amy with a choke, grabbing her right collar with her right hand and stepping to her left side, pulling her shirt across her throat. Amy recognized the move and immediately began to ratchet down, calming her breathing. She then took a single step back and bowed to her attacker and extended her hand. He cautiously took it and awkwardly returned the bow.
    Amy moved back to the wall and slid down to the floor. Her hair was wringing wet and her ears were ringing, but she focused on her breathing as she watched her various opponents leave the room.
    Claire walked over and sat next to her. “How far would you have taken that?”
    Amy stared straight ahead. “As far as necessary, until he wasn’t standing. Until he no longer posed a threat.”
    Reaching over, Claire gently pulled the fifteen-year-old’s face around by the chin. “You okay? I think you scared the shit out of that guy.” Then she got up and shut the door. “I’d like to ask you a delicate question.”
    Amy’s mind raced. This didn’t sound like anything to do with the martial arts.
    “So ask.”
    Claire braced herself for an explosive reaction.
    “Have you had sex?”
    Amy stood and walked over to her instructor until they were eye to eye. “Do you and Uncle Rye have oral sex?”
    Claire staggered back as though she’d been punched. This was not what she had expected.
    “What?”
    “None of my business, right? Well, my sexual activities are none of yours.”
    “How very right you are.” Claire gave a long, slow