Read Online Tiger by Jeff Stone - Free Book Online Page B

“Do not let this cub get away. Understand?”
    The boy nodded his head quietly, and the Gentleman turned toward Fu.
    “Excuse me, young man. Just who do you think you are, talking to these men that way? You should treat your elders with respect.”
    “I have no respect for their kind,” Fu sneered. “Or for yours. In fact, I am certain I have even less respect for you.”
    “Why do you say such things?” the Gentleman asked.
    “Why? Because you're planning to kill these tigers! That's why! And because you're pushing your son to do something that he doesn't want to do. What has that cub ever done to him? Or to you? Or to anyone else?”
    “It's not what the cub has done,” the Gentleman replied. “It's what he might do.”
    “What he
might
do?” Fu said. “That's crazy!”
    “You do not understand, young man. If you would just—”
    Fu had heard enough. He roared and ran straight toward the pit, leaping high into the air when he reached the edge. He landed with plenty of room to spare on the other side of the pit and spun around to face his closest opponent—the second hunter. The man stood several paces away, armed with a spear.
    Out of the corner of his eye, Fu saw that the first hunter had run around to the opposite side of the pit.The man stepped up to the edge, grasped his spear with both hands, and raised it up as he had done earlier. The tiger growled again and lifted its head, baring its teeth.
    “What are you doing?” Fu cried.
    “Mind your own business, monk,” the first hunter said. “This hunt doesn't concern you.”
    “I'm making it my business!” Fu said.
    “Then you will be sorry,” the man replied, and thrust his spear into the tiger's thick neck. The tiger roared no more.
    Something inside Fu's head snapped. The world went black before his eyes, and his ears closed themselves off to everything around him. For the rest of his life, Fu would never remember everything that happened next. For the rest of their lives, the others would never forget.
    Fu attacked with lightning speed. He lunged at the second hunter so fast, the man only had time to push his spear out before him with both hands held wide, the spear parallel to the ground. It was a pitiful attempt at a defensive maneuver. Fu bent his elbows and drew both hands in to his chest with his wrists flexed up and back. He spread his fingers wide and curled them down and in, like tiger's claws, then exhaled powerfully as he thrust both hands forward, side by side. Fu's palms met the center point of the spear's shaft at full force and the shaft broke in two. His clawlike hands continued forward, clamping down powerfully on the hunter's throat as his weightand momentum sent them both tumbling to the ground. Fu released his right hand—his most powerful hand—and formed a fist. He smashed it into the side of his opponent's head, knocking the man out cold. Fu looked over at the first hunter.
    The first hunter yanked his spear out of the tiger, its metal tip dripping blood, and ran around the pit toward Fu. Fu sprang to his feet, picked up one half of the second hunter's broken spear in each hand, and raced forward to meet his next opponent head on.
    Three paces from Fu, the first hunter leaped high into the air. That was a mistake. Fu retained a balanced, level plane, bent his elbows back and up beyond his ears, then swung both halves of the wooden spear straight up into the first hunter's groin. The man's eyes bulged and he cried out, pulling his knees up while still in midair. He landed in a heap on his side, immobilized. Fu was about to continue his assault on the man when he heard the Gentleman speak.
    “It's okay, Son,” the Gentleman said. “I understand your reservations. Turn away, if you wish.”
    The boy turned away from his father, and his eyes locked on Fu's. Staring coldly at the boy, Fu dropped the spear halves and picked up the whole, bloodstained spear that the first hunter had let fall to his side as he hit the