American Gothic Passion Play
byline: Anubis C. Soundwave
7. That's why I have to play, and I have to win.
Elgin sits on a bench in the Ravens' junior varsity locker room, staring at his feet.
Dani barges in, bringing a bloody collar with a dog tag. "Read this for me," she orders. "We can find out who owns the dog those bastards hacked apart."
"Aren't you scared!?" spits Elgin.
"Yeah, I'm scared-of what will happen if they aren't punished!" counters Dani. "At this point, we need cops to nail their asses," she continues, "and this shit qualifies!"
"Undoubtedly," says Elgin dourly, "except your fingerprints and mine are all over the evidence, which you removed from the crime scene."
"Sands, will you just read the fucking dog tag!?" fumes Dani. "I think it says 'Pedro'..."
Elgin sighs as he complies, taking a handtowel and wiping away the blood. "It says... 'Pedrita'...?" he muses. "I know I've heard that name..."
"I remember dog-sitting a loud, bite-happy chihuahua like that a few months back," says Dani, "when Zack was still in prison."
Elgin's eyes widen; he blinks at a set of light scars on his left forearm. "'Pedrita'...oh, son-of-a-beehive!" he says in shock. "They killed Paulina's puppy!"
"Paulina adored that puppy," breathes Dani.
"So we're going to tell Paulina what happened?" asks Elgin.
"First, we protect your blockhead of a cousin from whatever ritual Zack needed Pedrita's blood for," says Dani, "then we tell Paulina that we found her dog..."
Elgin stands, shaking his head in exasperation. "Danielle," he says, "you are a living conundrum."
"Now is not the time for this bullshit, Sands!" spits Dash, crammed inside his own locker in the locker room.
Outside with Grieseman, Elgin knocks on Dash's locker.
"Get me out of here!" demands Dash.
"Forgive me, Dashiell," says Elgin, a smug grin on his face. "I had checked my PDA calendar and realized that today was 'Baxter Empathy Friday'."
"We don't have that kind of Friday!" shrieks Dash.
"Oh, that's right-I just made it up," quips Elgin. "Nonetheless, this is my payback for you ruining my big game debut."
Grieseman shakes his head. "You two really are related," he says. "Anyway, let's just be glad he's chosen the 'anti-bully' concentration of bullying," Grieseman adds, "which means he's just a part-timer."
"We need to go, Rex, old chap," says Elgin.
"Seriously, Elgin," says Dash, scowling. "Let me out. You've picked the worst game to pull your asshole card."
"No, Dashiell: I know what I'm doing," says Elgin. "I'll beat Mendelsohn, and take the hits so you don't have to." Squaring his shoulders as he checks his trembling, Elgin dons his helmet as he leaves the locker room.
"I swear, Grieseman," growls Dash, "if you let Elgin play, I will murder the whole damned team."
"He's not going to play," says Grieseman, calm. "But you're not playing because the whole student body of Elmerton High will get mauled by the rest of your family. That guy who tried to sacrifice you two summers ago is here."
"Who told you that!?" fumes Dash.
"Roger and I noogied that shit out of Foley," grins Grieseman as he puts on his helmet. "Your whole family is crazy awesome, Dash: and you're their star. Gotta save you for senior year." He leaves.
Dash shakes his head, an exasperated smile on his face. "Fucking Shane..." he mutters. "Got me crammed in my own locker-by my own cousin. With family like mine," Dash scoffs, "I'm amazed that I even have enemies."
Invisible, Dani chuckles. That was evil and awesome, she says to herself. The Cheesehead would definitely approve.
Frustrated, Dash kicks the locker.
"It's for the best, champ," Dani says quietly. "Ideally, you'd just stay there until this stupid game's over, but if Danny's told me nothing else about you, he's warned me that you're very persistent."
"What in the home for infinite losers do you mean I'm not playing!?" demands Elgin, yanking off his helmet and teasing his hair.
"What I said," says Grieseman.
"Calm down, dude," adds a junior varsity Ravens running back. "JV's not playing this game at all."
"Yeah," says a tight end. "Our prayers are answered."
"I'm perfectly-capable of doing battle with the likes of Zack Mendelsohn," counters Elgin, "and as I clearly resemble my dullard of a cousin, I can take the pressure off the rest of you."
"Your resemblance to Dash is more than skin-deep, Elgin," says Shiro dourly, "if you think for a second that horrible idea resembled a good plan."
"Take it up with Coach," continues Grieseman. "Varsity huddled with her, and she's decided that JV's not playing any more games against Elmerton if Zack's on the field."
"There's only one game left in the season!" spits Elgin. "This one!"
"Yeah," says Roger, grabbing Elgin's shoulder, "and this game isn't for rookies."
"You did the right thing to save Dash," says Grieseman, "and we're going to save you and the other freshmen."
Elgin stares at Grieseman.
"With Mendelsohn on the field, the Dire Wolves won't be playing anything resembling football," continues Grieseman.
"We've already had a teammate die once," adds Kwan. "Coach Tetslaff doesn't want that to happen again...and neither do we."
The Ravens' main locker room is silent; the players all note a photo of Grady in uniform, holding a trophy.
Elgin scowls as he sits on a bench.
"One way or another," says Grieseman, "we end this nightmare tonight."
"Daddy," says Emily, tugging on Shane's arm, "that play ain't legal."
"I know, Emily," says Shane, tense as he stands to his feet.
Helen grabs Shane's arm. "What are you going to do?" she demands.
"Rex is gettin' mauled!" fumes Shane. "Football ain't supposed to be that violent!"
"Shouldn't we be glad that Dash isn't out there?" says Kathleen to Sam, scratching her hair.
"Zack should be glad," snorts Sam. "Your entire clan is here," she continues, "and if that were Dash instead of Rex playing, Zack wouldn't leave here alive."
Miles briefly pulls out a pistol, along with several other Baxter men from Germany; they all check their weapons.
"Damned Baxter logic," mutters Sam. "I meant it literally, but still..."
"Is Dash okay?" Emily asks Elgin.
"He's fine," says Elgin. "I just made sure that he sits this game out."
"You crammed his ass in a locker?" asks Shane in a whisper.
Elgin nods.
"That's how you can tell he's family," grins Kathleen.
Sam chuckles. Pamela touches her shoulder.
Dash-after freeing himself from his locker-barges into Coach Tetslaff's office.
Tetslaff blinks at Dash, calm. "Not to worry, Baxter," she says. "Fenton and Sands told me everything. And while normally, I'd nail Sands' nuts to my wall..." she continues, levelling a hard glare at Elgin.
Elgin winces; Dani squeezes his hand.
"...under the circumstances, I'll just chalk it up to overprotectiveness," continues Tetslaff.
Dash sighs. "So...I'm clear to play...?" he asks.
"I don't have a choice in that, either," grunts Tetslaff, "unless I throw in the towel."
"Why would you do that!?" balks Dash. "We worked our asses off all season for this!"
"You want to know why, you insufferable dunderhead!?" spits Elgin, opening the door to Tetslaff's office, then pointing to the crowd of worried varsity Ravens near a stretcher.
Dash blinks. "Grieseman...?" he breathes.
"Yes!" continues Elgin. "That's why! Rex might never be able to play football-or even walk-again!"
Dash squares his shoulders, then walks out of Tetslaff's office, stepping out of the locker room towards the football field; Tetslaff, Dani, and Elgin follow him out.
"Dash, no! You can't play!" warns Dani.
"I have to play," says Dash, his expression stony.
"That moron out there wants you dead," shrieks Elgin, "and will stop at nothing to make it happen!"
"I know you care," says Dash, placing a hand on Elgin's shoulder, "but the fact is: I've survived every hit Mendelsohn's ever thrown at me."
"Mendelsohn was human before," mutters Dani.
"He still looks human to me, Fenton-ette," scoffs Dash.
Dani fumes. "Ignore my last comment, you lummox! Look at him!" she spits, pointing at Zack. "Look at what he did to Rex!"
"That's why I have to play, and I have to win," says Dash. He dons his helmet and leaves for the Ravens bench outside.
"Call the game off!" demands Dani.
Danny, as the Phantom, appears. "No," he says. "If the Ravens cave, Coach Tetslaff," Danny continues, "this will never stop."
Dani stares at Danny in shock.
"The Ravens have fought hard for every point, like they're all at the gates of hell," continues Danny. "Don't piss it all away."
"Phantom," says Tetslaff tersely, "as much as I love sports-especially football-I'm a teacher first, and the Ravens are students. There's more to life than a game, and I can't risk their lives for a game."
Danny sighs.
"Unlike that weaselly shit Eisinger," spits Tetslaff, "I will not throw away the lives of Dash Baxter or anyone on my team just to win a damned trophy!"
"This isn't for a trophy," says Danny quietly. "Out on that field of dreams," he continues, "is the closing act of a passion play."
"'Sports is theater...'" whispers Tetslaff.
"Good or evil: one shall stand, and one shall fall," continues Danny. "Which will it be?"
The other Ravens join Tetslaff, Elgin, Dani, and Danny.
Tetslaff sighs. "How's Grieseman?" she asks.
"The doc's looking at him," says Shiro, "and the ambulance crew's about to take him to the hospital right now."
"I take it that you guys want to play?" says Tetslaff.
"Coach," grins Kwan, "if Urlacher were here, he'd have already tackled you over so we could play."
"We want to see this through to the end," says Roger.
Tetslaff snorts, then stands aside to let the Ravens, including Elgin, out to the field to join Dash.
Dani glares at Danny.
"Don't give the Phantom that look," says Tetslaff. "Those boys don't have much sense," she adds, a brief smile of pride on her face, "but they've got balls." She leaves Danny alone with Dani.
Dani folds her arms.
"I know it doesn't make sense yet," says Danny, "but just by stepping onto the field, the Ravens have already won."
"Yeah," sighs Dani, "but a moral victory won't save their lives."
"Fortune favors the bold," says Danny.
"Power down and let's watch the game," says Dani, elbowing Danny. She leaves for the bleachers.
"Paulina's never cheered so hard before," says Valerie.
"Casper High hasn't had a shot at the regional title for the past twenty-five years," says Damon.
"Maybe," says Valerie, "but...wait. Our cheerleaders are cheering about her dog!?"
"...don't cry for me, oh Pedrita..." continues Paulina, to the tune of "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina". "...we'll keep our promise...!"
"Ravens, get vengeance...!" cry the Ravens' cheer squad in unison.
"Ooh! Our team name's in it after all," quips Valerie. "But it sounds like she wants the team to avenge her puppy."
Zack hits Dash hard for a sack, stopping a first down play from the Ravens.
Loud boos echo throughout the crowd.
"Wait," says Jamal as he starts to step onto the field, as the sack caused a turnover to the Dire Wolves' offense. "Are we being booed...by our own school?"
Zack studies the crowd, glowering at the main group. "It's our shitty animal-loving freak clique," he spits. "They're stirring up shit with the rest of the school."
"We gotta stop that shit, man," says Jamal as he heads toward the crowd of Elmerton High students.
Zack nods and follows.
"Did you do it!?" sputters Eisinger, staring at Zack. "Did you and those other fuckwits really kill that girl's chihuahua!?"
Zack scowls.
"Couldn't you jackasses have just found a mutt somewhere?" spits Eisinger.
"We needed a clean animal, without spot or blemish," says Zack stonily.
Eisinger blinks at Zack.
Covington approaches Zack and Eisinger; Eisinger beckons to Fred. Covington hands Eisinger an envelope.
"What's the matter?" asks Fred.
Eisinger opens the envelope, reads it, seethes, then levels a glare at Fred. "Go home, Fred," he says. "The Elmerton High athletic department doesn't need you; you're fired."
"That shouldn't stop me from watching the game," says Fred, perturbed.
"I don't want you anywhere near my last game with Elmerton," spits Eisinger, "or coaching with any team once that asshole is done blacklisting me from organized sports," he continues, jerking his head towards Covington.
"Frankly, Doug," says Covington, "you brought this on yourself some time ago. And don't think that you're dragging me down with you, either," he continues, "because my resignation from Elmerton High School will be effective tomorrow."
Fred studies Covington and Eisinger quizzically. "Fine," he says. "There was less insanity with Circus Gothika anyway." He leaves the football field.
Covington walks away.
Zack stares at Eisinger, in shock. "Did Covington just fire you...?" he asks.
"Yes," says Eisinger. "Just go back and play, Zack." He walks away from Zack.
Zack turns to the football field, then glares at Dash. "Baxter!" he bellows. "I will feast on your heart!"
Dash blinks at Zack. "Mendelsohn: I know you're really going all-out to strike fear in me and all," he says, "but killing Pedrita was one of those 'beyond the pale' things. Not cool, dude."
Zack heads to his bench to join the Dire Wolves defense.
"Okay," says Dash, calm inside the huddle with the other Ravens. "We've got about eight minutes of play clock left, and we've got possession thanks to our boys in the D-line."
"Urlacher just sent us a text message," grins Shiro. "He predictably orders us not to piss his hard work away."
"Fuck him-he's not even in our state anymore, dude," laughs Dash.
"He's with us in spirit," says Kwan. "Our D-line wouldn't have been as strong as it is if we didn't have to step up to fill the hole he left."
"How is Urlacher even following our shit!?" balks Dash.
"Our A/V geeks posted a play-by-play of our insane game on Facebook," says Shiro.
Dash shakes his head. "Look: we've got to break this huddle soon," he says, his tone becoming serious. "We're tied thanks to the safety our D-line forced on Dickerson."
"'Frogger'," says Roger.
"Mendelsohn will run 'Frogger' over, Vinatiori," counters Dash, "We'll be stuck in sudden-death OT if we do that, and that gives the Wolves the advantage."
"Yeah, especially since these bastards seem to actually want us dead," adds Shiro, grim.
"Look, we've got one good play in us," grins Dash, "so let's do it!"
"Break!" bark the Ravens in unison with Dash as the team breaks huddle and enters formation.
The Ravens form up at the line of scrimmage.
Dash looks for Zack on the other side; their eyes briefly meet.
Zack's eyes narrow with hate.
Is it just me, wonders Dash silently, or did his eyes glow red?
"Baxter..." grunts Zack.
Dash glances at the bleachers: noting his family, Sam, and Pamela in the stands, then returns his focus to Zack. Fuck it-he's probably wearing glow-in-the-dark contacts, he mentally scoffs.
"You won't win," chants Zack. "I'll end you here and now."
"Speak for yourself, loser," smirks Dash to Zack. I beat Mendelsohn once before, he says to himself, by running a play he didn't expect.
"You can win this shit, Dash!" bellows Grady's grandfather.
Since Mendelsohn has a warped, bloodthirsty man-crush on me, Dash continues, all I have to do to kick Mendelsohn's ass once and for all is run another unexpected play. Dash sighs. I think that's the best memorial I can give: to Grady, to Petersen, and even to Perdie-that stupid bite-happy bitch who I hope gave Mendelsohn fleas.
Zack growls at Dash.
Dash settles into position. "Red ninety-six, blue sixty-nine, red fourteen! Hut!" he barks.
Baxter, you idiot, grins Zack, licking his lips. I won't let you run that shit again. You'll either try to move your asses into field goal range for that idiot-savant kicker fuck you've got, he continues as he struggles to move past Shiro, or pull that handoff bullshit with your sidekick.
Dash continues to run the play.
Those are your only two options, Zack continues as he breaks past Shiro to tackle Kwan as Dash starts to hand off the ball, and I'm shutting them both down now!
Dash breaks away from Kwan as Zack dives into Kwan, knocking the tight end flat.
With that, I've won, says Zack as he stands. The game heads to sudden death, which I'll make sure is literal for Baxter, he continues, grinning at Sam, and she'll be mine as soon as the ref blows the whistle...if the ref ever blows the damn thing. "The play's over!" he spits inaudibly.
"Hey!" shrieks Eisinger, rushing up to the referee. "Blow the whistle!"
"There's no reason for me to do that, Eisinger," counters the referee curtly.
Zack and two defensive ends approach the referee.
Zack grabs the referee by the neck. "Either you blow that fucking whistle," he glowers, "or I'll snap your neck and do it myself."
"If you do that, Mendelsohn," says the referee, frightened but trying to remain calm, "you'll forfeit the game."
"Then blow it!" roars Zack.
"The play's not over!" spits the referee. "The ball's still live!"
"I flattened the guy who had the ball!" bellows Zack.
"Naw, Zack!" cries Jamal. "Quit fuckin' around, man!"
"What are you saying to me!?" Zack demands of Jamal.
"Baxter's got the ball, man!" says Jamal. "He snuck your stupid ass and he's running to the end zone now!"
Zack hurls the referee into the bleachers, then bolts after Dash.
"Run, Dash: run!" shrieks Elgin. "For the love of holy Baby Jesus, please run!"
Dani, as Dani Phantom, renders Elgin and the rest of the Ravens junior varsity team intangible as several Ravens varsity players are hurled towards them by the Dire Wolves.
Gabe sighs.
"Look: what I did isn't game-related, Gabby!" spits Dani. "Don't give me any shit!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," says Gabe.
Dash approaches the end zone, only for Zack to appear suddenly in front of him. "Mendelsohn was behind me!" he hisses.
"What kind of racehorse steroids is Mendelsohn on to pull that kind of Dragon Ball Z bullshit on my son!?" demands Drew.
"As mad as my grandson may be," bellows Ephraim hotly, "Zachary is not on steroids, Mr. Baxter!"
Lindsay looks towards Jack and Maddie.
"Only one ghost, Lin," says Maddie, noting Dani with the Ravens junior varsity players.
"Baxter!" howls Zack as he hurtles toward Dash with lethal intent.
No time to break left or right, says Dash to himself, so just go straight ahead!
Zack leaps into the air to tackle Dash; Dash ducks underneath Zack as the latter descends, then shrugs off Zack and runs into the end zone.
The referee, still able to officiate, blows the whistle. "Touchdown!" he cries.
The entire field is completely silent...
...until Emily begins clapping. The other Baxters follow suit, and the rest of the spectators join them; the field soon fills with applause and cheers.
Zack stands, disoriented by the cheering; he notes Dash in the end zone, looking around in awe. Trembling with rage, Zack approaches Dash.
Dash grins, a friendly expression on his face. "You're a sick bastard who needs serious help," he says, sticking out his hand to shake hands with Zack, "but great game, Mendelsohn: great game."
"You...stupid motherfucker," hisses Zack, slapping away Dash's hand. "Die."
"What...?" wonders Dash, rubbing his hand as he stares at Zack in confusion.
"I am going to kill y-*" Zack begins: his words abruptly silenced by two shotgun wounds to the head and chest.
Dash blinks in disbelief at Zack as the latter collapses to the ground. "What...in the fuck is going on!?" he cries.
Zack's body moves, writhing in agony.
NEXT: A thin line...