Listening to Sam’s comments regarding the upper cut punch Victoria looked to her feet again and positioned herself in a more planted stance while still trying to keep her joints bent. A couple more attempts at the punch followed with minor adjustments after each. When she completed the movement in what she thought was just like his example she looked up to him with big eyes and a bigger smile. “I did it!”

As her teacher began showing a new set of punches Victoria watched and mimicked again. The front and reverse punches were easier and felt more natural to throw. She tried making a few quick throws with each. “I like these, but wouldn’t it be better if I were punching something besides the air?”

Sam smirked again when she seemed over excited when she got something done right. Sam nodded his head and simply added a, ”Yes you did.” Sam always enjoyed teaching for this reason when kids had there ‘a-ha’ moments of understanding… well that was why he enjoyed teaching so much.

”All in due time kiddo, got to learn to crawl before you walk right? The same thing when you practice self defense, technique before speed and power.” Sam said watching her throw the punches but then deciding maybe the kid did deserve a little ego boost she was doing well after all. ”But I think we can get you moving forward a little bit you are doing very well.” Sam said reaching down and picking up his mitts again.

Once they were on Sam crouched down again and held the mitts accordingly, ”Alright, we are gonna use the punches I taught you so far in some combinations. Nothing fancy one to maybe three-step stuff. Only can use the front punch, reverse, and the uppercut. I’ll teach you the other ones after we do this for a bit okay?” Sam asked holding the mitts angled towards the ground.

”When the mitts are angled down, uppercut.” Sam angled them back up so they were completely vertical ”these are for front and reverse. Sound good?” Sam asked again taking a few steps towards her and then started rocking back and forth like he would do when he was sparring. Sam made a slow attempt to swing a mitt where her head was then brought it back into a vertical position while his back hand was angled down slightly.

A giddy giggle and more smiling followed her teacher’s appraisal. It made her feel good that she was doing what she was being taught. Her parents had always told her that she was a quick learner. Like when her mother taught her to play the piano, or to sing while playing an instrument.

Attention back to the lesson at hand Victoria nodded as she listened to the new instructions. Watching the examples of the mitt positions she connected them with mental images of which punch to throw. All the while Victoria kept her hands up and made slight motions for each punch to remember how they went.

A quick look at her feet placement and then back up she barely ducked down from Sam’s slow swing at her head. Don’t be there she remembered. Spotting the vertical mitt first as it had been the one in motion she threw a front punch. She immediately saw the other mitt wasn’t vertical. It was angled. Angled mitt was for an uppercut and thus she fired one at the second mitt. All power pushing up through her legs and hips as he had instructed earlier.

The kid was good he’d give her that to much appraisal however and her head would swell from her ego. However some things didn’t need to be said, she ducked out of the way of the slow punch he threw at her then she followed it up with a front punch, which once again was more than Sam was anticipating. He should have used harder mitts, when she hit with the first strike Sam started to get pushed back a bit and trying to compensate for his own weight shift Sam leaned just a little two far forward.

Sam saw it all in slow motion as the girl crouched down and started to bring her fist up to where the mitt was. She was strong very strong. Sam felt his rib crack as her punch landed just missing his rib and crushing him in one of his middle ribs. Sam fell backwards and the wind was knocked out of him. ”Damn.” Sam exhaled the rest of the air in his body as he rolled over onto his knees and slammed one of his mitted hands on the ground letting out an even louder crack than Victoria produced when she punched him.

”…. Wow.” was all Sam could muster before he started to draw his breath and fill his lungs, ”Keep forgetting how strong you are.” Sam winched as he felt a sharp pain in his rib. Broken was putting it mildly he had his ribs cracked, broken and shattered and often bruised so he could tell when what was what and he knew by the way it hurt to breath that it was broken. Sam slowly got up and shook off both mitts as he continued to draw his breath then exhale slowly trying to get enough oxygen circulating his body while ice quickly formed under his shirt and above it where the young girl had struck in hopes to reduce swelling and pain.

Everything seemed to slow down as Victoria saw and felt her fist graze the back mitt and collide with Sam’s side. She even felt the crack of a bone. Had she really done that? Had she broken one of his bones with a punch?

Hearing the man spout out a word with very little breath was a little unnerving. It was a sound she would never forget. The girl jumped a bit as Sam slammed the ground and another crack was heard. Immediately her hands were up covering her mouth. She felt so aweful. She didn’t mean to hurt him. Was he not ready for her punch, or had she punched when she shouldn’t have?

“I’m soo sorry!!! Please be ok! I’m sorry!!” She couldn’t say sorry enough times to out balance her guilt.

Trying to take a deep breath he looked up to Victoria’s reaction as she jumped back and showed genuine concern. He liked that reaction, too many kids now were desensitized and didn’t care that they had the power to hurt others not her though. It was clear this little girl wasn’t like the rest. It was also clear that Sam was going to like teaching her. ”Nope.” Sam said shaking his head as he winced exhaling quickly no longer trying to take a deep breath.

Sam let out a few quick short breaths in a laughing matter filled with pain, ”All good.” Sam said waving his hand in her direction. ”Again, forgot how strong you were.” Sam said shaking his head and doubling over slightly, ”Doc is gonna be pissed--- Sam realizied she was a young girl who could get in trouble for having some of the vocabulary he had. ”irritated, Doc is going to be irritated with me. Hates it when I wake him up for a healing session…” Sam gave it a second then pointed to the girl, ”Don’t cuss till you’re older right?” Sam asked shaking his head to himself his breathing still staggered.

Sam tried standing up fully again and breathing in then shook his head again, ”Yup, think that’s good for today’s lesson...” Sam said to the girl. ”You did good kid, but remember control and technique before speed and power. Prime example.” Sam said pointing his finger to his wrist. ”Come with me to the infirmary?” Sam said asking but not really giving her a chance to say more before he started to the exit and waved her to follow.