Alan, the Champion — Chapter 13 — First Monday
Before the two of them really turn on each other, Alan shouts from the wall.
Before he was King, he was cannon fodder, a convict, a killer. At thirteen, he ran grown men.
Before the two of them went back to going at each other for real, I yelled from the wall.
— Hey, you little punks. Still stirring up trouble in my neighborhood, huh?
They both stopped right away and looked at me.
That already said something. Big grown men don't stop as fast as those two stopped.
— Here's how it's gonna go. — I pushed off the wall and started walking over. — You two are still gonna have to eat a whole lot of rice and beans to beat me. But I'm gonna give you a little shot.
I explained it slow, so there'd be no doubt later.
— Every first Monday of the month, you can come up to the Hill. Green hair knows the way, he already climbed it alone. First Monday of the month, and no other day. Don't show up on a Friday in the middle of my work like you did the last few times, or I'm gonna have to deal with you some other way, and you're not gonna like that way.
I paused.
— First Monday is usually my day off. I've got time to spare. Time to beat your asses nice and slow.
— And to keep it fair — I went on —, since from what I can see you two are half my age, you can come together. Both at once. That way nobody's got an excuse to cry afterwards.
The Kid's expression didn't change. The green hair was already grinning, waiting for the rest.