Chapter Four: Dogs and Jackets
"Captains," the referee requested. Daine trotted up to meet at the field's center. Catching sight of the other captain, she started.
"Yolane? Yolane Dunlath?" The girl turned around to face Daine.
"Daine Sarrasri," she said, wrinkling her nose at the name. "I didn't know you acquired such talents. And you? A team captain!" Yolane's laugh was forced and cruel. "Was your team really that desperate?"
"Captains, shake hands," the ref ordered. He hadn't heard their exchange of words. Daine stuck out her hand and Yolane drew back, peering at the hand as if it was poisonous. "Call it on the toss," the ref said again, completely missing the lack of hand-shaking. He looked bored and tired, noted Daine.
"Heads," called Yolane, beating out Daine. The coin dropped with the head in the grass. Daine had won the toss and therefore took her choice of goal. She chose the one to the right, so she could get the left last. The sun would be lower and behind her second half, making it more difficult for oncoming players to see. She ran back to the sidelines to tell the team the news and hustled out with them to take positions. She stood between the two posts and a little up.
The starting whistle was blown and Becca took possession. She ran, dodging the Yellow Jackets' forwards. Yolane looked particularly angry that they had gotten past her. Becca qickly passed to Chelsea. She ran with it, but the YJ's left wing stole it and passed to their forward.
The game proceeded in such a manner for quite a time. There had been a few assists but no goals. Daine didn't know how their last game could have been their best played yet; the offense was working nonstop to find a hole and break away; the defense was like a solid wall that none could pass. Daine was able to view the field like a bystander, for the opposing team very rarely neared her territory. However, her eyes never left the ball. That was how she played; she was only vaguely aware of the players themselves, and instead followed the ball closely with her eyes. When it came down to protecting her goal, the ball seemed to beckon Daine in the sense of her muscles. She would, nine times out of ten, stray the ball from entering the net.
They struggled into fourth quarter; with roughly six minutes to go, one of the teams had to score to break the tie. If not, they would go into overtime, every competitor's trepidation. Daine was watching Becca travel up the field, one of the few times that she watched the player herself. The forward had amazing speed. She also had agility, which came into play as the right wing barred her path. Almost too quick to see, Becca found an opening and dashed off, leaving even the defenders perplexed. Then, Becca scored.
An earsplitting roar erupted from the Lady Bulldogs' sidelines. Parents, coaches, and fans were on their feet, cheering Becca on as the girl, fueled by excitement, ran down the field with her arms up. Her team didn't have time to congratulate the bubbling hero; they still had a game to play. Daine glanced quickly at Yolane and their eyes locked. A fire that could consume Daine burned within their depths. She wasn't sure what Yolane saw in her eyes, but it wasn't fear. Daine wasn't frightened of the duel commanded by that fire.
When the whistle blew, the ball left one girl's foot and fell into Yolane's possession. Yolane moved as if she were darting left but instead sped to the right. She evaded the forwards and the wings. Daine took a ready position, preparing for anything. Yolane fought the defenders with many tricky footsteps and angered speed. This was it; it was just her, Yolane, and the ball.
The outside sound of Yellow Jacket fans dimmed until Daine only heard her own breaths and the furious drumming of her heart. It pounded in her chest. Mysteriously, the oncoming girl seemed to move in slow motion. If Yolane made the goal, they would go into overtime. If she didn't, the Bulldogs had the game for sure. Yolane's yellow jersey was wrapped around her, as a result of the wind and/or her speed. Daine's two defenders fought to reach the raging Jacket. Daine focused on the spherical object dribbled between two cleated feet. This small object could turn the tables of the game, either in red or yellow favor. Just before the white border of the goalie's box, the feet changed. The left planted in the grass while the right swung from view. A moment and the left's companion returned, making contact with the sphere. The sphere flew into motion. Daine dove –
- And clutched the ball in her fingertips. She hit the ground and felt a twinge of pain in her shoulder. The ball was now tucked securely into Daine's stomach, where it did not fall out. Quick as she had fallen, Daine was on her feet again and welcoming the new sound, the sound of her side cheering. It was perhaps the hardest save she had ever made, and the best. Yolane was standing at the fringe of forbidden territory, goalie territory, looking dumbstruck.
The pain in Daine's shoulder now returned to her. She needed to punt, but grasped her shoulder momentarily. Preoccupied, she didn't see the livid Yolane coming at her. Yolane stalked up behind the goalie and with all her might hit the side of her target's face, sending the victimized head smashing into the nearby goal post. With a resonating clang bone met steel. Daine, delirious with pain and shock, felt her body crumpling to the ground. Her nose began to run, and something sharp scraped across her cheek. People were yelling, and Daine didn't know why. What happened to her? Where was all this pain coming from? Nearby there was a heavy thud, more yelling and some screaming. Fighting to sit up, the world spun. She couldn't find the strength to try again. She was tired and wanted to close her eyes…
"Daine! Daine, look at me!" I must obey, she thought. She peeled back her eyelids with extreme difficulty. Blending and swirling colors whirled into vision. Then, very slowly, a face distinguished itself from the whirlpool. A wailing siren came to her ears, and then muted into the roar that deafened Daine. Numair's terrified eyes were the last things she saw.