Fight To Live

(OLD) Chapter 16: Deal (OLD)

Damian's POV

~Pre-Apocalypse~

I was sitting on the bleachers watching my son's championship baseball game. The game was tied and there was only a few minutes left. The bases were loaded and my son, Jaylen, was up to bat. If he got this he'd win the game, and the championship, for his team.

"Come on Jaylen! You can do this!" His coach, Frank Martin, shouted.

"Come on son!" I shouted.

He smiled at me as he walked up to the square, readying himself to hit the ball. He got in position and the ball came at him.

"Strike!" The umpire shouted as Jaylen swung and missed.

Come on son. You can do this. Just do like you practiced.

The pitcher threw the ball once again.

"Strike!" The umpire shouted.

I believe in you buddy. Hit the ball. I know you can do it. Come on.

The pitcher threw again. This time Jaylen hit the ball. He ran to first base as his teammates all ran. All four of the boys ran around the bases, all four made it to home plate. They had won the game.

"Yes! There you go! That's what I'm talking about!" I shouted.

A couple of his teammates picked him up and ran around the diamond with him on their shoulders.

"You're son has a lot of potential as a ball player." Coach Martin said as we watched the boys parade around, Jaylen on their shoulders holding the championship trophy.

"Thanks to you. You thought him everything he knows, he'll, you fought me everything I know. Before Jaylen decided to play baseball I had no idea what anything meant." I said.

"Well, if he keeps playing he could have a really good career out of it, if he wanted." Martin said.

I was about to respond when Jaylen ran up to me, still holding the trophy in his hand. He was beaming happily.

"Dad! I did it!" He said as he showed me the trophy.

"I know! I'm proud of you! You did great!" I said as I picked him up and swung him around some. He was only eight so he weighed almost nothing.

"Can we go get ice cream with Erin, Isaac and Shaun? They're all going to get some to celebrate and they invited us." He said when I set him down.

"Of course we can!" I said.

I was almost always unable to say no to him, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

~Next Morning~

"Hey. I'll see you in a few days ok. Have fun with your mom." I said as I stopped the car in front of my ex-wife's house.

"Ok Dad! Bye!" He said as he jumped out of the car and ran to the door where his mom was waiting for him. I waved at them before closing the window and driving away.