Chapter 50: A Normal Life (final round)

It was Saturday. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. George hated it. She was being dragged on another family outing. This time, it was to Freddy's little league cricket game. The Richmond Knights were playing the Langley Lions; and Freddy's team, the lions, was losing. The adults cheered for their children as they played. George couldn't care less, and sat by herself under a tree, reading one of the books that her father had brought.

All of a sudden, the umpire called the game to a stop. One of Freddy's teammates had gotten hurt, and could no longer play. Freddy's team would have to forfeit.

"Hey George!" called Freddy, running over to her.

"Hey what?"

"Come and play for us."

"No."

"But we'll lose."

"You're losing anyway."

"Come on George. Please!" pleaded Freddy, as he tried to drag George towards the game.

"Whoa, who's she?" asked one of his teammates.

"This is my sister George." announced Freddy.

"You have another sister?" questioned a kid with buck teeth.

"Yeah, Bucky, My parents adopted her last week."

"Can she play?" asked a kid, with a piece missing from his ear.

"Of course she can, Chip. She's eight. Just like me."

"Will she play?" asked Bucky.

"No." said George, walking back to the tree.

"Oh come on George." pleaded Freddy, as he pulled George back towards the game. "Be a sister and help us out."

"She's your sister? Heh, heh, she's cute." chuckled a kid with green eyes.

"Ugh. Go away or I'll rip your guts out." threatened George, with a scowl.

"Please George, play for us and I'll leave you alone." offered Freddy.

"Promise."

"I swear."

"Fine."

"Yes!"

Freddy handed George the bat and George stepped up to the wickets.

"Is this your replacement player?" asked the umpire.

"Yes, she's going to bat for us."

"Alright, you're up."

"Come on George. Just hit it as far as you can." urged Freddy.

As George stepped up to bat, the bowler just looked at her.

"You're letting a girl bat for you. Man, are you guys desperate. I'm not gonna throw it easy just cause you're a girl." laughed the bowler.

"Just shut up and throw the ball."

The bowler threw the ball as hard as he could. George just watched it go by.

"Come on George, just swing at it!" hollered out Chip.

"All that martial arts training and she can't hit a ball." complained Freddy.

The bowler threw the ball again. This time George swung at it. Too fast, she swung too fast. George retook her stance and she eyed the bowler. The bowler threw the ball, George swung at it…and George sent that ball to Scotland.

"Hurrah!!!"

"Run, George, Run!!"

George ran, and so did the other runners. Now Freddy's team was ahead by two points. All of Freddy's team came to congratulate her; but she just passed them by, and retook her place of solitude by the tree.

"Dude, that was cold. Is she always like that?" asked Bucky.

"Yeah, always. She hates everybody. Come on, we're in the lead now and this game is ours."

"Yeah, we can beat them, let's go!"

Sarah watched as the boys retook the field. She watched as George went back to reading under the tree. She walked over to George.

"What do you want Sarah?" asked George, not even looking up from her book.

"Thank you for helping Freddy." she said, sitting in the grass, next to George.

"You're welcome."

"What are you reading?"

"The Odyssey."

"O dissee"

"The Odyssey, is an epic tale of a man's journey to go home. All he wanted to do was to go home and be with his family; but trial after trial and test after test, it seems that it was not to be. It was like the whole world was against him and never wanted to see him succeed."

"Like you?"

"Yeah, like me."

"Did he ever make it home?"

"Yes, he did. Know why?"

"Why?"

"Because he never gave up. As long as he had life left in his body, he would fight both heaven and hell to make it home."

"And you won't give up, will you?"

"Not on your life. I just have to have faith, and wait for my mother to come for me."

"She'll come. I know she will." smiled Sarah, as she snuggled next to George.

George just raised an eyebrow at her, annoyed that this kid always wanted to be near her. But she wasn't doing her any harm, and this kid, unlike the rest of her family, actually tried to understand her without trying to change her. So George accepted her company.

"Why do you think so?"

"Because she raised you, and like you said you will never give up."

"You're not like the rest of your family. How'd you like to become a soldier like me?"

"Me, training with you and your dog boy?"

"You've seen Ink?"

"I sneak out of bed to watch you, from my window."

"Keep it a secret and I'll train you too."

"Ok." she promised George, as she crawled into George's lap. "Will you read Odisses to me?"

"As you wish."

So as Freddy and his team played, as the adults cheered on their children, George read to Sarah and a bond was formed.