Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
"Maybe you should get your face smashed in a couple more times if it means you can score on it," Matt said.
"Not a fan of that strategy," Neil said.
Matt laughed and jogged to first-fourth. The last minute of first half was over in a heartbeat and the teams left the court to the screams of a rowdy crowd. Neil looked back at the scoreboard as he followed his teammates into the locker room. They were standing at six-three, an amazing start considering who they were up against, but an impossible score to come back from.
Second half was a downward tumble. The Foxes were on their second wind against an entirely new line-up and Andrew couldn't hold his ground much longer. Neil knew they were losing him the first time he saw Andrew stumble. It could have been that Andrew was just moving too fast in an effort to clear the ball away, but Neil knew better. Andrew was fast running out of steam. It was early for him to be getting this sick, but the Ravens were accelerating the process by running him into the ground.
Neil wished for a moment that Andrew had taken his drugs tonight. He dismissed that thought as quickly as it came. Andrew on his drugs would have more energy, but he'd also be infinitely more unreliable. Andrew was putting himself through this because he knew this was the only way he would actually play for them. Neil was equal parts grateful and irritated. The latter was self-directed; Neil wasn't anywhere near good enough to make that sacrifice worth it and he hated feeling incompetent. No matter how hard he pushed he couldn't make enough of a difference.
The game ended at thirteen-six: the most goals anyone had ever taken from Andrew and the worst point gap the Foxes had seen in three years. The stands' disappointed reaction was expected and understandable, but Neil barely heard it through the buzzing in his ears. Neil's heart was pounding so violently he was sure it was beating bruises into his lungs. Every breath he managed to suck in knifed his throat open. The only strength he had left he put into holding onto his racquet.
Neil wanted to cross the court to his teammates, but he didn't trust himself to move. He and Kevin had just run two full halves against the Raven defense. He thought it a miracle he was still standing. He felt his legs only in flashes. One second they were on fire; the next they were gone entirely. Neil looked down at his feet to make sure they were still there and blinked shadows out of his eyes.
The roar outside the court escalated to feverish screams high-pitched enough to break through Neil's exhaustion. He looked up, wondering what he'd missed, and stared across the court. Andrew's hands hovered empty in front of him, and his racquet was on the ground at his feet. As Neil watched Andrew leaned over to pick his racquet up. He tried, anyway. He only got it a foot off the floor before he lost his grip again.
It reminded Neil of their first practice together, when Neil almost blew his arms out playing against Andrew. He looked up at the scoreboard. The Ravens had taken an incredible hundred and fifty shots on goal; it was unbelievable Andrew had only missed thirteen of them. He looked back as Andrew tried again to get his racquet. Andrew didn't fare any better this time, so he gave up and sat down heavily beside it.
The court doors opened and the subs flooded on. Abby and Wymack stepped into the doorway to watch their team. The subs were heading for the goal, as had become tradition since Andrew started playing full halves, so Neil took a couple unsteady steps in that direction. He didn't get far before Kevin appeared at his side.
Kevin didn't say anything, but he rested his racquet against one shoulder and paced Neil all the way down the court. They were the last to the Foxes' huddle but their teammates made room for them easily. Neil answered the tired smiles sent his way with an exhausted one of his own. Kevin had eyes only for Andrew as he crouched in front of the downed goalkeeper.
"So," Kevin said, "did you have fun?"
Andrew was too tired to put any heat in his words. "You are despicable, Kevin Day. I don't know why I keep you around."
"Foxes," Riko said as the Ravens came up at their backs. All the Foxes save Kevin turned to face him. "I admit I'm at a loss as to what to do now. I cannot thank you for the night's game because I can't call this debacle a game. I thought I knew what to expect when we came here tonight, but I am still embarrassed on your behalf. You have fallen so far, Kevin. You should have stayed down and saved us the trouble of forcing you back to your knees."
"I'm satisfied," Kevin said. It was the last response any of the Foxes expected from him. They forgot about Riko in favor of gaping at Kevin. "Not with their score or performance, but with their spirit. I was right. There's more than enough here for me to work with."
"How many balls did you take to the helmet?" a Raven asked.
Kevin only smiled, slow and sure and pleased, and offered Andrew a hand. Andrew looked at it, then at Kevin, and let Kevin haul him to his feet. Renee was ready when Kevin let go and looped her arms around Andrew in a fierce hug. It had to be awkward with all the armor Andrew was still wearing, but it gave Andrew a couple seconds to find his balance. Kevin distracted the Ravens from Andrew's unsteadiness by facing them.
"Thank you for the game tonight," he said. "We will see you again at semifinals. It will be an interesting rematch, I promise."
Riko wasn't expecting that calm confidence after tonight's awful results. "One man cannot carry you that far," he said, sounding torn between incredulity and disgust. "Even you are not stupid enough to believe that. You should give up now."