application of pressure, Arthur locked Jake’s arm into a brutal joint
manipulation.
Jake screamed in agony as he felt his shoulder pushed to the
absolute breaking point. Arthur forced him down, driving Jake’s face
back into the dirt, pinning him securely.
Arthur placed one knee squarely between Jake's shoulder
blades, applying just enough pressure to make it hard for the young
man to breathe, while maintaining the agonizing lock on the arm.
"Three minutes is a long time, son," Arthur whispered near
Jake's ear, his breath even and calm. "You're burning a lot of energy
fighting the river instead of swimming with it."
Jake struggled wildly, thrashing his legs, trying to buck the older
man off. But Arthur felt impossibly heavy, his weight distributed
perfectly to pin the larger man down.
Realizing he couldn't break free by force, Jake tried to roll,
hoping to catch Arthur off balance. But the moment he shifted,
Arthur released the arm lock and moved.
Before Jake could even get to all fours, Arthur was behind him.
The old man’s gnarled fingers dug into the thick muscles of Jake's
neck. Arthur found a specific point near the collarbone and pressed
his thumb in with the force of an industrial vice.
A jolt of agonizing, paralyzing pain shot down Jake’s spine and
across his chest. His vision blurred, and his limbs went slack. He felt
entirely immobilized, trapped by the pinch of a single thumb.
"You yield, son?" Arthur asked, his voice still steady, showing not
a hint of exertion.