Regeneration

Chapter 4 - Something's Happening

I passed through the motions of the last few days slightly withdrawn and distracted. My mom consoled me on days I missed Amara most.

Her and Caleb's picture were now on the news along with previous missing persons.

It had been almost a week since their disappearance.

A few more weeks and the attention would shift to something new and they would be forgotten.

Just another tragic thing that happened.

I struggled with that thought for a while. However, I couldn't stay engulfed  in a cloud of sorrow til I heard something new about their disappearance. It was starting to feel unhealthy, the uncertainty toying with my mind. I needed to distract myself  for a while.

What better way, than to surround myself with thousands of bellowing football fans cheering my brother on.

Crawling off my bed, I started getting ready for Nathan's match.

My family was worried about me, but today I wanted them to feel free to have a good time.

Football had been my favorite sport for as long as I could remember. The adrenaline that fueled you from just looking at the players was overwhelming. The pressing desire for your team to score. A deafening silence that creeps up as anticipation grips you when the opportunity is created by calculated swift movements. It's exhilarating.

Even before Nathan signed his contract, going to matches would be a huge deal for us. It was also one of the few times Nylah would actually bond with us instead of looking at something more interesting on her phone.

We never went often but that made the few times we did special, particularly to Nathan this was his dream. A fantasy he is now living.

I am so proud of him.

A gentle reminiscent smile painted itself on my lips at the thoughts.

As I finished pulling on my jeans and Nathan's club jersey with his name and number, Nylah strolled into my room. She was dressed in similar attire, holding two small containers of face paint.

"Hey can you help me with this?" she smiled at me, "Only if you promise to help me with mine." "Fine," she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

I took the red and blue paints from her and painted two horizontal lines on each cheek; she did the same for me.

"Perfect, now we're ready."

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, charged with excitement. The football club's song was being belted out loudly by the fans, as they waved different sizes of flags that bore their team's crest. A loud percussion drum was beating down near the field.

I heard my Mom scream for Nathan to run faster as the defenders were gaining on him. Beside me, Nylah was saying, "Come on, come on, come on." I bit my lip as I nervously watch Nathan near the goal.

He swiftly pulled back leaving the two defenders to run ahead of him, before they realized what he did, Nathan took the shot.

The ball soared through the air before it landed... in the palm of the opposing team's goalkeeper.

"Damn it," I swore at the keeper's expert dive.

I looked down on the pitch and saw Nathan holding the back of his neck as he shook his head, undoubtedly disappointed with himself.

As the game carried on Nathan's extra effort to get on the score sheet was visible. The score was one - nil after one of our players scored. The atmosphere was tense as the opposing team was working hard for a goal.