Her breaths came in ragged gasps. In and out, in and out, over and over again. Whack! Another blow struck out of nowhere, throwing her to the side like a rag doll. Sweat trickled into her eyes and blurred her vision. She blinked. Her head pounded with a dull ache and her heart beat faster and faster in her ears. Her feet dragged like leaden weights. Bam! She staggered, thrown to the side by the kick. Black spots appeared in her vision and the room spun around her. She hit the ground, hard. Instinct from months of training kicked in but she barely remembered to roll as she hit the ground, lessening the impact. Somehow, she dragged herself to her feet. Again, she faced her opponent. “One more match,” she told herself. “I just have to make it one more match.” Her muscles burned as she raised her hands in a fighting stance. At the sound of their sensei’s shout her opponent sprung into action, giving her no time to think. She reacted slowly, too slowly. Whack! “Keep your guard up,” her sensei shouted, “Hit him back!” A needle of pain stabbed in her side and her breath caught in her throat. Again, she staggered, falling to her knees. A hand appeared to help her up. “You can do this,” Her friend’s voice seemed very far away, “Just one more match.” And so again, her legs shaking, her arms burning, she faced her opponent. Front block, reverse punch, parry, uppercut, kick, fall, and then stand back up. When they finally called to stop, she barely heard it. She picked up her water bottle, hands shaking too badly to open it. Someone opened it for her and she gulped water like someone stranded in the desert. The room still spun around her and her vision started to turn dark in places. Her stomach churned, breakfast threatening to make a second appearance. A steadying hand rested on her shoulder and someone poured water over her head. Sweat drenched her white gi. Muscles and forming bruises ached. The ghosts of her opponents’ kicks and punches still ached. Her hands shook as they put her new belt around her, but she made it through.