“Listen, in this game things zig when you think they’ll zag; it can be just as unpredictable outside of the cage as it is inside.”

Derrick saw Coach Ray’s mouth moving, though nothing registered. All the sounds of the gym had been muted. 

“I gotta go,” was Derrick’s response, which fit the scene like a glove.

Since turning pro, Derrick imagined his path to the top; however, the sport’s climate—cancelled fights, injuries, and every other road block along the way—turned his perceptions into a hinterland.

Word Count: 87

Prompted from the Weekend Writing Prompt at: https://sammiscribbles.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/weekend-writing-prompt-166-hinterland/.