Doc Savage Wild 23: Valley of Eternity by Kenneth Robeson

Author:Kenneth Robeson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

X II - CONTEST

The ball court was one that was common among the Mayans and Aztecs in the days before the Conquistadors.

It consisted of a narrow stone-flagged courtyard. At either side stood sloping walls topped by a stone ring set high up and hung at a 90-degree angle from the playing field. The game was one played throughout Central America in the pre-Columbian era. To the Aztecs, it was known as tlaxtli. The Maya called it pokolpok.

The purpose of the bruising game was similar to that of basketball. The players would roughhouse in the center trying to get control of a ball made of hard rubber weighing about 8 pounds. Unlike modern-day soccer or basketball, it was forbidden to use hands or feet. However, padded hips, shoulders, and elbows were allowed.

Knocking the ball through a hole in one of the stone rings was the object of the game. That goal was made devilishly difficult by the stonecutter who deliberately fashioned the aperture to be only inches wider than the weighty 5" diameter ball which ---- in addition to its right-angle placement --0 made scoring a goal a rare event.

Centuries in the past, it was believed that the losing team was sacrificed to the gods. Doc was not quite sure if that was the case. He doubted it was true among this peaceful -dwelling Ma an colony.

But he also knew that pokolpok was a team sport. So he was a little nonplussed when King Chaac brought him face-to-face with Hun Balaam in the center of the court.

A runner brought up 2 pairs of impressively large conch shells. When Doc saw them, he understood the nature of the contest. It was to be a kind of boxing match. But instead of boxing gloves, hard spiral shells were to be used. With their ridged protuberances and horny spire tips, they resembled fist maces.

Princess Monja was given the honor of tying them into place. She tied Hun Balaam's shells over his hands with tapir-hide thongs. Then she did for Doc Savage.

Her face was impassive. She had control of emotions now and was trying not to show favoritism. The matter would be settled between the 2 men.

She withdrew. Doc Savage and Hun Balaam squared off.

The bronze giant naturally towered over the short stocky Mayan man whose name in English was "One Jaguar".

While they were squaring off, someone blew a conch shell horn. Its long low note brought other Mayans from the buildings that comprised the city squatting in the shadow of the sacred Pyramid.

Soon there was a sizable crowd ---- perhaps 300 people -- standing at either end of the court.

Old King Chaac lifted his hands over his head and clapped them twice. That was the signal to commence.

Hun Balaam wasted no time. He shot his right fist toward Doc Savage's chin. Doc wavered on his feet and the spiral conch point missed.

Doc drove his right-hand shell into the man's paunch. Hun Balaam let out the contents of his lungs - not to mention any air that was in his stomach - and flew backward.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.