It was the bottom of the ninth. Our team was losing by four score downs. A young Fox walked up to the plate. His smirk showed confidence as he carried the whack bat over his shoulder. This Fox was me, Fantastic Frank Fox. I lined myself up with the plate and raised the whack bat over my head in preparation.
Across from me was a large rat. He was carrying a pinecone in one hand. With the other he snapped his fingers, it was his signature. Afterward, he pulled a match out of his pocket and lit it. The tensions rose. I could almost feel the anticipation of the twig runners.
I stared intently at this rat. He stared back, but his stare was blank. It was almost intimidating, almost. I was able to shake it off, being one of the best whack bat players that my school had ever seen was a big responsibility. I couldn't falter.
The rat raised his match to the pinecone and used it's flame to lite the pinecone. He looked at me menacingly. Silence overtook the players and the crowd. The rat then put the match out on his own tongue. He exhaled, breathing out residual smoke from the match. He winded up his arm for a throw and let the pinecone loose.
My anticipation rose as the pinecone flew towards me. Everything started moving slowly. I raised the whack bat slightly. Then at just the right moment swung the bat in a slightly upward motion. The pinecone went flying, just over the head of this rat. I needed to give the pinecone speed, rather than distance so it would be able to burn longer. I began running. The cedar stick was straight passed the pitchers plate. The rat was fast, but I was faster. He lunged at me shortly after my whack bat made contact with the pinecone. I ducked right, evading the rats advance, and then continued running.
I didn't think, I was focused on one thing. After I ducked the cedar stick and touched the far post I began running back. I saw a player place the twig basket onto the cross rock but the rat was waiting for me in front of it. I needed to create an opening. I feigned dodging right. The rat went for it. Once I saw his body move I quickly changed my direction. I ducked and started sliding on the ground. I slid right between the rat's legs and past the cross rock. He didn't have a chance to react. As I slid I raised the whack bat I was still holding and knocked the cedar stick off of the cross rock. It was a successful run.
I knew once I finished that we had won. My run alone would give us the score downs we needed. I stood up, smugly raised the whack bat over my shoulder and walked off the field.