- You should be skilled enough to survive fights, even if you're at a disadvantage.

  - The goal isn't to win—it's to get away breathing.

  - Not everyone is born a badass. But everyone can learn the basics.

  ---

  There’s a special kind of awkward that comes from holding a broken broomstick and telling someone, “Now pretend I’m a flesh-hungry corpse.”

  Alex blinked at me. “I... should I growl or something?”

  I laughed. Not because it was funny—okay, maybe a little—but because it felt like something normal. Like goofing off in a gym class instead of prepping for a real-life horror show.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Still, I held my stance. “Just try to push me back. Step one: don’t die.”

  She was hesitant, clumsy, and a little apologetic every time she swung the stick. But she didn’t stop. She asked questions. Took mental notes. Eventually, I caught her scribbling in her own notebook after each session.

  “Note: Lead with the shoulder. Don’t aim for the head unless you’re sure. Wind-ups are bad. Fast pokes are better.”

  She even drew diagrams. They weren’t good, but they were thorough.

  I wasn’t expecting to teach anyone anything. Hell, I barely had my own routine nailed down. But there was something grounding about it. About watching someone learn how to stay alive because of you. Even if it meant saying, “No, you stab with the screwdriver, you don’t swipe.”

  And truth be told... I think I needed the practice too.

  Training isn’t just about getting stronger. It’s about turning panic into instinct. And panic doesn’t care how sweet you are or how much you hate violence. It just wants you gone.

  So yeah—learn to fight. Even if you're scared. Especially if you're scared.

  And if you’re teaching someone? Be patient. Be kind. Be ready to get poked in the ribs by a very embarrassed, apologizing engineer with a broomstick.