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The two musketeers from the bar, Blondie and Shorty, appeared from out of nowhere, effectively cutting me off from my getaway.
“What business do you have with Russell?” asked Blondie insistently, obviously the mouthpiece for the two.
I turned to keep the circling pair in full view. “You know that saying about how I could tell you but then I’d have to shoot you?”
They guffawed in unison. “Bullshit,” Blondie threw in, then worked a gob of phlegm from deep in his throat and lobbed it in my direction where it fell short of my foot. The thick smell of bourbon coming from the two would make their movements sluggish and awkward. Never underestimate angry drunks, however, especially when there are two of them and only one of you.
Even in the unlit alley, their darkening expressions were evident. I was purposefully taunting two feral dogs. My best option was to strike hard and fast and not stop until they were down.
“You’ve got a pretty smart mouth for a woman standing by herself in a dark parking lot,” Blondie egged. “Bad things could happen in a place like this.”
“Oh,” I smirked, “guaranteed.” I threw the first punch, a powerful jab that exploded the center of Shorty’s face. His look of shock was to be expected. He went to the ground and stayed there.
I knew Blondie was going to be a whole different ball game. He came at me with fire in his eyes. He telegraphed his first blow weeks in advance. I deflected the punch with a sweep of
my left arm while taking a step closer and accompanying the block with a counter jab to his jaw using the side of my elbow. The blonde behemoth swayed for a second, and I thought he was going to go down. I thought wrong. His rage made him quicker, and he grabbed me up in a bear hug. My hands were free, but of no use. There was no space for attack. Blondie’s face was snugged up to my shoulder, so I brought the meaty part of my palms up to his cheekbones to mask his face and put my thumbs in his philtrum—that indent beneath the nose and above the lip—pushing back and up in one move until I knocked him off his center of gravity and exposed his neck. My counterattack continued with a solid punch to his esophagus followed by a knee to the groin. I didn’t want to kill him, but I needed him down.
Shorty regained consciousness and picked himself up off the pavement. The moon glinted off the knife in his hand. One glance at Blondie assured me that he was going to stay where I put him for the moment, but he was rallying quickly. Whether he’d have any fight left in him when he got vertical was another story.
Shorty sneered at me as he circled. I kept one eye on Blondie and the other on the knife in Shorty’s hand. We orbited the same spot on the parking lot three times before Shorty made his
move. He pounced and slashed the knife out in a wide arc aimed at my belly. I deflected the attack with my arm and jutted my hips back, taking his target out of his reach. Had he connected, Shorty would have gutted me like a pig, which wasn’t a good way to go.
Instead of sliding Shorty’s arm away and attempting to disarm him with a classic defense move, I brought my body to his. From this stance, I was able to force his hand up and back so
that his arm was hyperextended in the wrong position, forcing him to double over at the waist or dislocate his shoulder. A series of rapid knee blows to the stomach drove the air from his lungs. His fight gone, the knife clattered to the ground, and I kicked it under a car parked nearby. When I released Shorty’s arm, he crumpled to the ground a second time, but he needed to stay there once and for all. I struck out with the side of my hand in a pseudo karate-chop and connected with the side of his neck, a strategic pressure point. He fell back, alive—but dead to the world.
Jesusmaryandjoseph! Blondie was on his feet again. What was in the water around here? Was he stupid or just…stupid? I didn’t give him a chance to gather his gusto for another attack. I drew the HK and leveled it at the space between his eyes.
“Get down. Now!” I screamed when understanding didn’t seem to register on his face.
Air whistled through Blondie’s mangled nose when he breathed, and he spit a bloody tooth onto the ground. He knew he was beaten and lowered himself to his knees.
“I’m going over and getting into my rig. If you move, I will shoot you, understand?”
Blondie nodded. Defeated, he began to sob, which almost made me feel bad. I said almost. Alcohol giveth courage, Heckler and Koch taketh away
-Pulled from Death by Association
Action scenes are a crucial component to fiction writing. At their core, action sequences propel your narrative, heighten the stakes and compel your reader to keep turning the pages. However, crafting engaging and believable action sequences is no easy feat. There’s a balance that must be struck to ensure your scenes feel dynamic and immersive, without them becoming overly choreographed or disconnected from your characters. Furthermore, you don’t want them bogging down the flow of your story.
Your acrtion sequences should intertwine with plot and character development, requiring a mastery of pacing, sensory details, and the depiction of physical movements to truly engage your readers. The action should reflect the protagonist’s desires and personality. In my above example, the reader gets a taste of my character’s grit, sarcasm, and tenacity.
All of my novels and short stories have huge fight scenes. To craft them with visceral and technical accuracy, I focus on specific body mechanics like leverage points and vital targets rather than generic strikes. It’s important to understand the mechanics of physical movement. I draw on my deep understanding of anatomy and physiology, and of human kinesiology. My research for fight scenes includes extensive viewing of Krav Maga training sessions and competitions.
For gunfights it’s important to understand firearms operation, ballistics, tactical maneuvers, and the traumatic effects that different ammunition types will have on a body. Collaboration with a former Special Forces tactical advisor has deepened my understanding of gunshot physics, including the mechanisms of injury and fatality; how a bullet wounds on one end, and kills on the other.
A .45 caliber bullet is relatively slow, traveling at approximately 850 feet per second. Fired point-blank, the gas and energy of the bullet gets spent inside the chest wall, creating extreme internal damage and pulverizing the soft tissue there, effectively turning my attacker into a slushy in his own meat suit.
In fiction, it’s common to use real-world brand names and trademarks such as Glock, Heckler and Koch USP, or KA-BAR to add realism and precision to your story. Incorporate specific weapon brands and models into your narrative for realism, but be sure their use is descriptive and avoids potential brand misrepresentation or infringement.
Engaging your reader’s senses beyond visual descriptions will enhance the realism of your action scenes. Use sensory details to heighten your reader’s experience. Incorporate sounds, smells, textures, and physical sensations of these action sequence in your writing and you’ll create a more vivid and realistic portrayal of the scene: the sharp crack of gunfire, the acrid scent of gun powder, or the coppery aroma of spilled blood can bring a scene to life (no pun intended).
Read your scenes out loud to yourself and revise them as many times as you need to ensure they’re impactful and coherent. Focus on consistency throughout the scene, and maintain the flow and intensity of the action while avoiding discrepancies or confusion. Seek feedback from others and be open to making necessary adjustments based on their input to further enhance the clarity and effectiveness of your scene.
Using explosive techniques to elevate your action scenes without blowing up your story is an art form that demands a nuanced understanding of various elements, from character development to the intricacies of physical combat. By incorporating sensory descriptions, maintaining the momentum of the narrative, and ensuring that each scene reflects the unique traits and objectives of your characters, you will create action sequences that aren’t only thrilling but deepen your readers’ engagement.
Remember, the key to compelling action writing lies in the balance between authenticity and creativity. With practice, feedback, and keen attention to detail, you will elevate your action scenes from merely functional, to unforgettable. Keep honing your skills, and let every fight, chase, or showdown captivate your readers with its intensity and emotional depth.
~Dani
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