Whoah. That was too close.
I felt Red's body nearly hit mine as he soared over my head and clobbered Punky--and half the front row.
I pull myself back up to my feet using the railing. Looking over it, I see Megan under Red cursing up a storm.
"Sorry," I say, giving a weak smile and shrugging. "Front row is part of the show."
This is going to buy me time. That's good because my ankle is throbbing with every beat of my heart and my heart would get pulled over for speeding down the freeway right about now.
I put some weight on it--and my eyes bug out, my mouth opening wide as I try not to curse. Okay. Okay. I'm going to need every second I can get. Red is tangled up in the crowd. And the referee is--
--oh crap--I mean--
--nevermind all that. The count is up to five!
I limp gingerly on my ankle over to the apron and fling myself in. She counts "SIX!"
I look out at Red, still tangled up in the Punky mess. She isn't helping out.
"SEVEN!"
Damm--darnit, Red. I can't win the title on a count out!
I could stay in here and just win. Fight for another day.
"EIGHT!"
I don't know if you can even hear the referee over Punky's cursing.
"NINE!"
Safety or the title. There's really no choice.
So before she can count ten, I roll back out to the floor. Still careful with my ankle. Putting a little weight on it--a little more every second.
It hurts. It hurts a lot. But the more time I can buy, the better. And you're just getting to your feet. By the railing.
By the railing--
--yeah. That just might work.
I step forward--OUCH--and get ready to grab you the moment you get free of Punky. Hoping you're too distracted by her--she is pretty much very distracting right now with her tight jeans and her torn t-shirt slipping this way and that--to notice little ol' me.