Grear 334

Chapter 1 - Welcome To Ellis

"Hey batter, batter, batter!"

"Come on! Throw that ball down the middle!" I yelled, my voice cracking. I'd been screaming all night. When I played softball, buddy, I didn't joke around.

I punched the leather glove in my left hand, spitting in it a little and rubbing it in. The ball was coming to me, I could feel it.

"Be ready outfield!" Called Coach Underwood. Oh, I was ready all right, I watched as our pitcher turned and looked back out over the field, bases loaded. I had to catch it, or the game was over.

Everyone was on defense, the infielders crouched low, outfielders bobbing on their heels. The pitchers arm swung, the ball was thrown, a white blur.

CRACK!

The ball was up, man what a hit. The other team erupted into cheers, the parents and fans on the bleachers stomping the metal, it was the perfect hit, for the perfect situation. The ball flew over towards left field, Cindy, and I bolted. I was a mid-fielder, so it was my job to back her up.

I tore across the field, my cleats tearing holes in the perfect grass and sending clods of dirt flying behind me.

"I got it, I got it!" Cindy screamed planting her feet in position and holding her glove up. The ball was sinking from its arc and from my position I could see that my teammate was positioned too far up, it was going to sail right over her.

"Back, back, back!" I screamed putting on another burst of speed, Cindy took a step back, but it wasn't enough, the ball tipped the top of her glove and bounced up, just enough for me to dive forward.

I went flying through the air at high speed, I probably looked like Super Girl, my arms outstretched, and the ball falling right into my glove. It hit my palm and I squeezed tight, holding tight as my body hit the grass and I went sliding.

I jumped right back up, the front of my shirt smeared green and I waved the ball above my head. That was that, Game over, we had won.

I liked softball, I really did, it was all about that one moment that's been building up the entire game. There always is one, and if you aren't ready for it, then you lose. Simple as that. That lesson I had learned from a sport also applied to my life.

Opportunities present themselves and sometimes, well, most times, they don't always show up how we expect them to. Sometimes because of this, we ignore, or even fight against what could be a life changing opportunity.

Sometimes, one opportunity led to another. One even bigger and even more important. I'd been given the opportunity to back up Cindy, and because of that, I'd been given the opportunity to catch the ball and win the game. That night, it wouldn't be the pitcher, it wouldn't be Cindy, it would be me, it would be my name people remembered for the victory.

No sooner had the game been one than we ran in from the field to have a quick pep talk from the coach. He told us what a good job we had done, and then sent us on a final lap around the field. Finally finishing and cleaning up the dug out, I was free to head on home.

"Great game kiddo," Dad said showing up with a grin on his face, my dad was a simple fellow. Despite being the owner of the only pharmacist in town he wore only a pale green polo, some khaki shorts and his granddad's silver wristwatch. His tanned features showed a man who was doing well in life and been on one too many beach trips. I'd gotten my brown eyes from him, but the short black hair was all his.

"Oh, my goodness, Ally that was an amazing catch," Mom said making motions with her hands. Her clothes showed a little bit more of a complex person than my dad. Despite being middle aged she kept fit and in good health, going several months out of each year to go vegan, it was never a permanent thing. She just liked keeping up every now and then. Considering she was in season for workouts, she wore some black yoga pants, and a long purple shirt, the headband and sweat around the top of her forehead told me she'd been walking around the track and watching while I played. It was from her that I got my long brown hair. It was almost ginger, but just a shade or too darker, a rich syrup color.