Twenty two

"Next up, Commander Burk," the announcer says, and I peek out from behind Zuri's shoulder.

Each fight has ended so quickly that getting to Burk's fight seems to have happened in record time. I take a deep breath to calm myself just as the Mangog runs out onto the field.

"Oh my God," I whisper as my eyes take in the monster named Mangog.

His skin is a mixture of red and orange. His massive head has six horns, and his gigantic three-fingered hands have four-inch claws ready to kill. His lips can't close over his fangs, and his tall body is stacked with bulging muscles. My heart immediately begins to pound again. Burk has to fight that!

As Burk's name runs through my head, he emerges out from the champion area, looking nothing but calm. His knife is clutched in his hand, and he is approaching the Mangog as if he doesn't have a care in the world.

"How is he so calm," I whisper, feeling uneasy.

Zuri shrugs as she, too, stares at the Mangog with big eyes.

"I don't know. This one is the seco