Read Online Warrior Angel by Robert Lipsyte - Free Book Online

anything, Horace. This my place.” Johnson looked stern. “What do you think Mr. Donatelli would say?”
    â€œThat was a different time,” said Horace. Sonny felt grateful. He remembered the fat man, a former fighter who owned a ribs restaurant called Jelly Belly’s. He had eaten there with Alfred and Johnson.
    â€œI believe in second chances, third chances,” said Johnson. “But I don’t think this boy has earned his.”
    â€œSonny.” The Fave was pulling off his head-guard, leaning over the ropes. “Talk to us, man, what happened to you? Why’d you walk on everybody?”
    He hated the way they were all looking at him, making him feel small, pushing him underwater. He remembered nights fighting smokers in hillbilly towns when the hatred of the cracker crowds slapped his body with a fine cold spray that gave the monster strength. Where is the monster now?
    â€œWe’ll listen to you, Sonny,” said Horace.
    â€œTalk fast,” said Johnson. “After you walked out on us, stayed with Hubbard, why should we give you the time of day?”
    Sonny had no answer. He wasn’t going to beg.
    â€œThat’s a no-brainer.”
    A voice from the doorway, a voice Sonny had never heard before, high and hard and clear, knifed through the dusty murk of the gym. “He put this dump on the map, and you owe him one.”
    Johnson’s mouth fell open. “What?”
    â€œYou heard me.” A tall, skinny teenaged boy was marching toward the ring, his long darkhair flopping over his pale face. “Sonny is going through a personal crisis, and if you can’t see that, Mr. Johnson, you’re not the crippled little kid who made himself the best trainer in the business.”
    Sonny lost his breath. His chest vibrated as if his lungs had become wings beating against the insides of his ribs. The wings of the Hawk. How long since he had felt that spirit?
    â€œWho are you?” asked Johnson.
    â€œMy name is Starkey Brant, and I’ve come to help you get Sonny ready for the title fight.”
    â€œHelp me?” Johnson’s voice squeaked with outrage.
    I know this boy, Sonny thought.
    â€œI’ll take my orders from you, Mr. Johnson, but I know you agree we need to get back to basics. Dust off Rocky—”
    â€œWho are you?” asked Johnson.
    â€œâ€”and we’ll need to work on his head.”
    â€œI said, who are you?”
    â€œIt’s very complicated, but for now consider me your assistant trainer.”
    â€œConsider you crazy.” Johnson was shaking his head. “You know this boy, Sonny?”
    â€œHe’s come to save me,” said Sonny. He waslaughing, suddenly feeling safe here again, with a future.
    â€œIs he crazy?” said Johnson.
    â€œHe’s the Warrior Angel,” said Sonny.
    Â 
    It took another hour of standing around, Johnson muttering while Horace and the Fave pleaded with him to give Sonny a chance. Starkey sponged off Rocky and hung it up in a corner. The other boxers went back to work, but they kept glancing over their shoulders. Sonny sensed that they liked the idea of the heavyweight champ back training at Donatelli’s, but they didn’t want Johnson to make it too easy on him. He’d walked out on them once. Why wouldn’t he do it again?
    â€œIf Alfred was feeling better, I’d let him make the decision,” said Johnson. “Don’t want to bother him. You got some sort of plan?”
    Just to be here, thought Sonny.
    â€œOf course,” said Starkey. Where did this kid get his confidence? “Sonny’s going to sleep here, help keep the place up, just like he did when he was starting. He has to prove his sincerity.”
    Johnson blinked. “That right, Sonny?”
    Sonny nodded.
    Johnson asked, “What about you?”
    Before Starkey could answer, Sonny said, “He stays here, too.”
    Johnson took a step back and