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The Raging Bull

The Temper of a Man

By Benjamin MarshPublished 3 years ago 8 min read
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The Raging Bull
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

The Raging Bull

I am not sure where to begin telling how I obtain super strength through rage. One day while driving to work a rancher lost control and jackknifed his trailer when he headed off to the side of the road. There was a large bull standing in the highway. It looked confused and didn’t offer any protest to the rancher and his helper who approach it.

Man, I’m gonna be late!, I thought. My boss can be a real dick about late and often demand proof. As soon as the two men guided the bull out of the road, I pressed on the accelerator and went around them. “FUCK!”, I shouted. With one hand one the wheel the other hand fished through my cargo pocket for my cell phone. I slowed a bit, turn my head and shoulder and snap a quick pic. I carefully checked the image while making several glances on the road. The snap got the bull, part of the pickup truck and lower torso of the men. Jeez I hope this is good enough, I thought.

I arrived at work fifteen minutes late. “That’s not a great picture but I tell you what, you owe me fifteen minutes of your lunch and I’ll call it even”, said Mr. Fudderwicks. I marched right in the employees lounge steaming mad. That fat fuck Fuckerwicks, I thought. My thought of more curse names for my boss came to a stop when in my head is the image of that confused bull.

I focused all my rage into that image and then the image came alive and I can see the bull coming toward me fast with his horns lowered. It charged right at me and stopped just an inch away from me and looked into my eyes. I can feel the rage flowed down my arm and into my hand. In my hand was a brand new water bottle and gave a monstrous squeeze that broke the seal and caused the water to gush out. Over half of the water gushed out and spilled all over the floor. Damn! I was mad at myself for wasting my water for coffee. I picked up all the water and went back to work.

The Present…

The big man came after me like a raging bull with his shiny bald head lowered as he charged. The crowd cheered Ragging Bull, Raging Bull, Raging Bull! I side stepped and forced him to lose his control as he slammed head first into the cage. I went in to kick him but was met by fast hands that caught my leg in mid roundhouse. He was strong, too strong as his grip on my leg was like a vice. The strong man threw me down to the side like I was nothing but a rag doll. I couldn’t get out of the way for what came next so the only thing I can do is quickly turned my back to him.

The crowd chant even louder RAGING BULL, RAGING BULL, RAGING BULL!

I was getting mad of how easily this big piece of meat can man handle me! He was squeezing me and I can feel my arms ache. I shouted, “WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?!” I focused hard on the bull and it ran towards me like usual and then our eyes met. DAMN THIS FUCK’N BASTARD, I thought. I lean forward and twist towards my left and I came out of his grip. It was like magic! Abracadabra!

Indie…

I finally done it! I launched my video game business and quit my graphic design job. PAX convention will be hosting my games. On the last day of the convention I met Penny an indie just like myself. Her games are 2D adventures with anime chibi style characters. “The colors are vibrant and looks a bit like the classic Neo Geo”, I said. “Bingo!”, exclaimed Penny. “I loved the Neo Geo as a child and my dad bought every game made and we would play in the den”, said Penny. “That must be expensive!”, I exclaimed.

We talked about games and other interests all the way till closing time. I asked her for her number so I can text her for a lunch date. Dates became months and after four months I thought we’d hit it off. “I got a job over at Redmond Washington state as a lead designer for Nintendo!”, exclaimed Penny. I tried to process that when I was getting our coffees at the Starbucks counter. She’s gonna leave me?, I pondered. While nervously walking I sat down awkwardly with one leg off to the side. I straighten up and said, “Penny that’s great but I thought we can be partners and, and I a I mean we were starting to connect and feel for each other.” “I understand how you feel because I feel the same way too with you but I need to focus on my future and four months isn’t that long of a time”, said Penny. The conversation went stale and I swallow hard, stood up, gave her a hug and wished her well. On my way home the rain pounded on my windshield. I barely made it to my driveway before the water rose too deep. “Damn it! WHY ME!”, I shouted. AAAH UGH! I strike the steering wheel with my fist. While breathing heavily and clinching my fist I focused my rage. The raging bull appeared and when our eyes met I shouted, HIYA and threw a punch at my windshield and shattered it in one blow. “Oh FUCK SAKES WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!”, I shouted at the top of my lungs.

As the weeks went by I decided to test my rage on real people so I took martial arts lessons and I was a quick learner and I got thrown out of a lot of dojos for losing my temper. An ammeter Pride Fighter flyer was on my windshield. The flyer said top skilled contenders will be drafted to a fight team to earn money. I knocked out most of my opponents and sent a few of them to the hospital. I later went solo and called myself Raging Bull.

The Present… Finishing The Fight

I caught his meaty stub of a fist and squeezed it with full rage. The big mad moaned loudly and a second later he yelled out his agony as the bones crack under my grasp. I quickly clinched my right fist and threw a powerful right cross to his jawline. ‘CRACK!’ My knuckles only tingled a bit after that explosive punch. He teetered back and forth for a couple of seconds and then he spun toward his right and fell face down onto the canvas.

I won that fight but I felt sick to the stomach. I became something I never wanted—a raging bull. I shuffled to the showers, showered with a blank face, go dressed, and headed to my assistant ride. The night sky was my void and my soul just ascended into it leaving me as an empty shell.

Then there was a loud ‘POP!’ And the driver shouted, “Hang On!” He steered the SUV to the side of the highway near an overpass. We all got out to investigate the blowout. “I’ll get the spare while you two guys put up the triangles and flares”, said the driver. My assistant placed a red triangle to the rear and I placed two flares out in the front.

The red glare of the flares look back at me like angry set of eyes. I stared back. I shook my head at the notion that I was staring at eyes. “No it’s just my head”, I said mumbling. I walked aimlessly forward while arguing myself. “Didn’t ask for this, but I took it.” “I want my girlfriend back! She wanted, wanted…, “ I ponder at my memory yet taking another step.

“I want you to come with me and after a few years of experience we can start our own company together”, said Penny. The raging bull blocked that speech and clouded my judgement all because I wouldn’t let go of it. I shouted at the top of my lungs, “I don’t want your FUCKING POWER TAKE IT ALL BACK!” A car slammed its breaks and honked its horn. My assistant and the driver ran to pull me back to the side of the road. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed you moron!”, shouted the driver of the passing car. And then he said, Oh shit my bad you’re the Raging Bull!” “Great fight man but be careful ok?” With that statement the man drove off. “Jesus Christ man you could’ve been killed!, exclaimed the driver. “It’s ok Jack for the important part is no one got hurt”, said my assistant as he gently held my arm and walked me back to my seat.

Back to normal and getting back to Penny…

The days went by without the trace of the inner rage. I am finally free! I called Penny and apologized for being pigheaded and full of rage. “Penny, if you’ll have me I’ll come”, I said in a soft voice. “You were a big mutton head and you broke my heart just walked away from Starbucks like that and never called me!” Shouted Penny. “I never saw any of your fights but I heard about your quick rise to fame. I’m glad that you had came to your senses and gave it all up. You can come but with one condition”, she said. “What’s that?”, I asked. “Never ever stop communicating with me, you got it?”, demanded Penny. “Yes MA’AM!”, I said while trying to hold back laughter. I couldn’t hold back the laughter and busted out laughing and so did Penny.

-End

Short Story
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About the Creator

Benjamin Marsh

USAF veteran of four years.

College graduate with a BA in Communication/Technical Writing

Love video games.

Enjoy nature hikes and outdoor photography.

Dream to be a game designer

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