Vancouver, British Columbia



Tuesday noon




All is lost.

Monday evening I'm the first winner  in the knockout stage  of  the international karate tournament.  By Tuesday morning,  the scandal is all over the country. From the great hight of success , I've fallen to the deepest depths of despair. Scandal, failure, assault, disrespect .

It is a huge story in the martial arts world .

What an ironic life!


The weekend was eventless . Frankly,  I had no idea of what was happening and cooked behind  my back. I have packed all what I need for this tournament.  I caught my flight Friday evening from Montreal to Vancouver with nothing but persistence for going further in the competition,  and why not; adding one last golden medal to my collection. That was going to be my last time answering the national duty call by competing for Canada. I was going to retire so I can complete my path in the MMA cage fighting. 

Yesterday night was great. I was tired but satisfied. I made a video call with Dian, they congratulated me and we chatted for few more minutes. Ian had a work in Australia, therefore he had to pack and catch his flight earlier in the morning. I ended up the call and called Nate via messenger.  We have chatted till late of the night,  though I didn't feel any pain but eventually I became so blitzed. 

The next morning which is today, I wake up way too late, nearly midday.  But I'm not sure why I am not happy about it.  I have a very disturbing feeling in my guts. My stomach is doing things that are not pleasant. I  decide to take a hot shower,  in hope that terrible feeling would go .

There is a knock on the hotel room door.  Luckily, I dress up my black hoodie with puma logo printed in front in golden and my black leggings- just something light and comfy-  within few minutes before I walk to answer the door. It must be the room service. 

In the entrance there is no room service boy neither his chariot. But it's the coach assistant instead,  standing in the hall.  She tells me that the head coach sent her to call me in order to join him as soon as I can. 

I descend to the main hall,  where the Canadian staff gather to spend their free time.  In the corner deep in the room,  I can see the head coach and two of his assistants together with the 'Karate federation vice President,  and two other faces I could recognise only one of them, a tall, blonde-haired with slim figure, who is working by the sport ministry. 

Holly cow! What's the matter?!

The  head coach allows me to step forward after I greeted them.  Everyone nods at my direction with a serious face . I frown,  the head coach Mr Addams,  answers my unspoken question

' Collect your things Selfridge , you're excluded out the team '

I frown , not sure if I heard right. I look at the other faces and all of them have that dead serious look on. I am silent for a few moments,  looking shocked. Finally I find my tongue and ask -surprisingly-  quietly

'For what ?' 

With a swirl of thoughts in my mind, that is the only and reasonable question

'You're suspended from the tournament. '

The federation vice president answers sternly.  I feel a flash of anger when he talks.

'I did nothing deserves my suspension unless if defeating that Brazilian girl from last evening is the reason '

I clinch my jaws

'Selfridge, there's someone files claims and is charging you in sex assault,  and although she's not a part of our federation or our national team,  we cannot let this incident impact on us in anyway or risk our reputation,  especially we're participants in the international tournament. I hope you understand. That will definitely blow our picture as the organiser country if you stayed . Therefore you're suspended until further notice. '

Mr Addams comments. My eyes grow wide. Is this some kind of jokes because it sounds lame and stupid. Who would believe this crap. Abusing? Sexually? For real ?!!

The coach assistant turns on the TV plasma.  My eyes are about to pop out my head. My brain stops working.  What kind of nightmare I woke up on!?

BREAKING NEWS : Maria Selfridge's sex abuse scandal rocks the Karate tournament

The gossip already reaches out to public. Of course in a world ruled by the media it's just can't wait to spread the fresh new scandal that I didn't know about till few seconds passed. Sure they won't waste such a chance for increasing the numbers of the watchers,  it won't wait long until reaching the printed press anyway. I bet they will gain a lot from this alleged scandal. You see, they don't  wait a single second to ask or doubt the news,  if they're false or real. The journalists love to rub the salt on the wounds , strike the match and keep blowing on the fire they raked. They love the drama,  it's their favourite hobby.
After all, such news can travel so far and so fast and obvious , won't shut up any soon.

I turn my head to the people standing beside me . They all seem they're believed those claims.

' That's absolutely not true! You're no believing that, are You? '

I ask shocked , no one replies.

'The federation council will investigate if these are true news or fake . The final judgment will be taken by the court of course  and until then, you're out'

The federation vice president says

I look at him  trying to control my anger . Instead of standing by me, they kick me to not share the scandal with me , leaving me to carry it only on my shoulders .

Sometimes you must trust your guts. I had that disturbing feeling in the morning for a reason,  I now realise what was that for.

I walk back to my room in order to collect my things. Funny how setting my plan to announce my retirement after the final game has somehow realised earlier than I expected. I wanted to walk out with clean sheet and a new record to add it to my legacy with the national team,  but instead,  I am excluded due to a scandal I've never planned to attempt,  even in my craziest dreams. That's simply not me.

I open the door of my room and step inside closing it quietly behind as if I'm  closing the door on my future. I can accept the failure,  I can accept anything but I can't understand what has happened!? Sexual assault claims!? How!? That's simply not my thing! All of these years. All of these efforts turn in matter of seconds to dust.

I raise my hands to my head and hold it tight . Anything to cease this awful, incessant, unrelenting drumbeat of impending doom.

I storm out the hotel pushing my way the small crowd of the journalists that start gathering  outside, trying to take chances and be first writing my statements . I won't give a shit!

I fly back home not talking with anyone. Luckily , Debby  arrives earlier and awaits for me near the gates of the airport,  as soon as my eyes catch the red shining  Opel , I walk toward it and hop in inside after I throw my luggage in the backseat, not willing to waste time and put them in the malet  so the nosy reporters won't be able to catch me . Debby drives quickly. In the road she asks

' What happened sweetheart ?'

'You haven't seen the news feed?'

I ask back

'I have.'

She answers.

'I want to know what all of that is about '

'Then it's a big scandal brewing. I'm suspended. But everything is going to be fine '

I pause

'Actually that's awful '

I burst out

'Can you imagine being involved in something you didn't do'

I stop midsentence and laugh , shocked

'Torn away from your life by being banned permanently and sent to jail for absolutely nothing! '

I sound like I'm ready to cry. Well, I am ready to cry but I stop myself.

'Wait, who said you'll be permanently banned?'

Debby asks

' The federation vice president told me they will take it to the court and if those news are true, then I will have to face the consequences of a possibility of terminating  my career for good'

I answer , his words are still echoing in my ears

'But you didn't do it, or did you?'

'I didn't!  But they seemed they already believe that'

' We will figure out how to walk out of this hun. Nothing will touch my baby for something she didn't attempt '

Debby says , her voice full of fury

She takes her phone and dials a number,  doesn't give a fly fuck if they will catch her in traffic,  she's waiting on the line , biting the inside of her cheek

' Hey Thomas , busy?'

I hear her asking , then nods looking at her watch which points at 5.30

' Then reach me at my house at Six'

'Thanks , Thomas . I will be forever grateful '

she says and hangs up the call . Her cheerful face turns to a dead serious one . She then turns at my direction,  smiling warmly at me

'You will see how I will deal with those bunch of  fucked up bastards and teach them a hard lesson to not fuck with my family ever again '

Wow! Debby is swearing!  That's beyond interesting! I laugh , she looks at me back questioning , I shake my head . She must be  understood ,  because she originally hates swearing

I don't know how I even find that hilarious  in this wicked situation I'm trapped in,  but sometimes we find humour in the tiniest things only to clear up our gloomy sky. We need humour

'Ian left to Brisbane? ' I ask

'Yes , at 4 in the morning,  he won't arrive till evening of tomorrow'

'So he doesn't know '

'He will , such news can't be hidden . The media already babling from the early morning '

'Wait you said early morning? '

'At 8'

'Oh my .. how do they know about it in that early hour while the head coach call me after midday , saying they just received those claims? '

' What do you mean?'

'I don't know,  I'm confused. The claimant must be gone to media first to set a fire and  make the scandal publicly.  Otherwise the federation  won't interfere and exclude me unless if it  conflics with their public picture, of course which they fear to ruin it. She apparently knows what she is doing. She is after me to destroy my image'

'Do you know her already? '

'Nope. Not personally.  I've seen her in just two occasions inside the cage'

'So it seems like  it's a revenge thing '

'Revenge for defeating her? Maybe?! But she could call for a rematch or something more professional . But  accusing me that I  abused her that by far the most ridiculous thing. I'm not gay to sex abuse any woman in the club '

'Sex abuse not only homosexual can be involved in. But pointing at this particular note , maybe she's gay and she will try to get the sympathy of the lgbt community using  their rights'

' We will  discuss this point with Thomas.  But don't worry he is the best in his job!'

Debby assures me winking  at me,  but she somehow  awakens something deep inside and throws to me the main thought. This LGBT rights thing, if that bitch will use it , if I prove I'm not into women then it will be another case. An Homophobia case. Shit!