Wiccan Act Two: The Hunt

3 | Axe To The Skull

III

Cyrus 

Cyrus knew absolutely nothing about basketball except for the fact that Rowan plays and has been playing it for five years.

The school gymnasium was packed with people from both Oakwood and the next town over. A few of the more common faces around town had their Oakwood High colours either on their clothes or painted on their faces. Some even went the extra mile of painting black cats or whiskers on their faces. Jason made it a spectacle to paint the entirety of his chest. That would have been well and fine, had he not been screaming at the top of his lungs. It's as if he shows off enough school spirit, the teachers would forget how bad he is at well...everything else.

The cheerleaders were off to the side of the court, cheering and trying to get the already deafening crowd to cheer even louder. For a second Cyrus imagined Hazel up there with the other cheerleaders like she usually was. Every one seemed to have already forgotten about the bad omen of the harvest ceremony. It helped that Oakwood currently had double the next team's points. None of that however, came from Rowan, who although had been taking shot after shot, always either hit the side of the basket or back of the board. As the game went on, Cyrus watched the frown on his face grow larger and larger.

"COME ON ROWAN!" his dad shouted across the room. His loud reassurance was met with an eyeroll but the Sheriff ignored it, being his son's one and only cheerleader.

Cyrus was sat right next to the man, finding it better than sitting alone until Christian and Aiden got here. The one downside was that Rowan's dad was way too into sports. Cyrus lost track of how many times he had to cover his ears because he would start yelling obscenities at the other team whenever they scored. Not sure it was a good look for the Sheriff.

"Same thing is happening at home," the Sheriff said. This time he was quieter, making sure only Cyrus could hear him around the surrounding noise. He chose not to make eye contact, keeping his eyes focused on the game as he spoke.

"He won't tell any of you this but he gets constant nightmares every night," the Sheriff continued. "I hear him screaming himself awake then start frantically walking around his room."

Cyrus took his words in, watching Rowan closely as he moved along the court, brushing his hair back as sweat ran down his face.

Sheriff Silva immediately reverted to his cheering the moment one of the players passed Rowan the ball. The crowd all started cheering as it meant other opportunity for them to score. Cyrus wasn't sure they were watching the same game though. They're cheering like they have not watched him miss every shot he had. Sports are so weird.

Rowan dodged the opposing players, making his way towards the basket. He set up the shot, leaping into the air and throwing the ball towards the square on the basket. Cyrus focused on the ball, making it move a little to the right and into the basket. The crowd went wild. Rowan's dad's cheering somehow got ten times louder and Rowan for a moment, had a small smile on his face.

So Cyrus did it again, and again. Soon a small smile grew on his face as well. Whenever one of his teammates passed Rowan the ball and an opposing team member was trying to steal it, Cyrus would make the ball bend to Rowan with ease. Whenever Rowan shot, Cyrus would make sure it always went in. Rowan was so happy. That happiness soon faded.

During last quarter break, Rowan made his way over to where Cyrus and his dad was, going right past his dad and his congratulations and instead fixing his face in anger to come down on Cyrus.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rowan barked. Cyrus debated on lying but couldn't find the words. "What? The ball magically goes in the basket every time even if my aim's off? What? You think this is going to fix things? That we will be friends again?" HIs words fired out at rapid speed.