Page 111 of Best Served Cold

“That makes sense! Anything else?”

“Did you ever play softball or baseball?”

“Does PE count?”

I smiled at her bewildered expression. “Did you ever learn how to swing a bat properly?”

She shook her head.

“It’s counterintuitive, but if your first swing doesn’t hit or they get the sock off it and come at you, don’t swing again.”

“I’m not following.”

“Your instincts will tell you to swing again. To keep as much space between you and an attacker, right?”

She nodded.

“That doesn’t work for everyone. Can I?” I pointed to the bat.

She nodded again.

“If you hold it here”—I gripped the base, like I would if I were about to swing it, and extended it in front of me—“it might feel like you have control, but you’re actually making yourself more vulnerable.”

“How so?”

“Say you swing, right?” I moved the bat in a slow arc to demonstrate. “And they get a hand on the end.” I flipped the bat so the handle was facing her. “Go ahead, grab it.” She did. “Try to pull it from me.”

She yanked, but I held tight and her hands slipped right off the bat.

“Now your attacker has your only weapon. And anyone who has any sort of training or experience with fighting will probably be able to get a hand on a bat that’s swung at them. Even if you hit them, they’ll probably get it away from you unless you get them on the ground.”

“So what do I do instead?”

I held the bat in the middle, my hands shoulder-width apart. “Hold it this way and use it like a battering ram.” I demonstrated but slowed it down so she could see how I was positioned. “Keep your feet staggered, one in front of the other. Stay on the balls of your feet and keep your knees soft. When you attack, don’t think about swinging or hitting, think about pushing. And don’t just push into them. You want to push through them. Put all your weight behind it, lean into it, and go as hard as you can on the first shot. And keep pushing even after you’ve made contact. See the difference?”

She watched as I demonstrated.

“Yeah, wow. That does make sense.”

“And forget any bullshit you were taught about fighting fair or being a good girl and not standing up for yourself or not hurting people. You have one, maybe two, chances to get the advantage. Make sure you aim between the Cs.”

“The Cs?”

“Crotch and crown.”

She giggled, which made me smile.

“Anything between the nuts and the top of their head is where you want to hit. Center mass, like the chest and stomach, is easier because they’re bigger targets, but the balls, solar plexus, throat, face, or head are your takedown shots. If you need to go for center mass, aim for the rib cage. If you can only aim low, go for the knees. And don’t be afraid to give them a few insurance shots when they’re down to make sure they stay down.”

“Geez, I never thought of any of that.” She took the bat from me and stared at it like it was a snake that might bite her. “I really hope I never have to use this.”

“Me, too. And the odds are in your favor that you won’t. Not that that helps at all.”

“It does, actually. Thanks for taking care of him—and for the tips.” She wiggled the bat.

“No biggie.”

No biggie? Why was it that I had no trouble talking to Becca while I’d been explaining how to hurt someone, but I couldn’t answer like a human when she thanked me?

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