THE GAME: SABOTAGE AND SECURITY
Birchwood Football Field was quickly filling with spectators the following morning. Todays big game was looking to be the match of the year.
Over on the home side, a notable commotion was taking place.
"OK TEAM, THIS IS IT"
Peppermint Patty was instructing the football team. "ROCHESTER MAY THINK THEIR TOUGH, and being honest they are" she admitted "BUT WE'VE GOT SOMETHING THEY HAVEN'T, AND THAT'S GRIT…err…AND DETERMINATION…what else…ah" she breathed in "AND GOOD GRADES…".
"I don't think you've seen your latest test results Sir".
"…not now Marcie".
While this was all happening, Charlie Brown was staring off to the benches. Once done talking, Patty confronted him.
"Sorry Patty" he apologised "I was paying attention, it's just…"
"Nerves?"
"No, it's just" Charlie Brown sighed "the little red haired girl always was in the crowd. Didn't know I existed, but still".
Patty suppressed a groan, but still patted him on the shoulder.
"Well, I don't know about a little red haired girl" Marcie said "but if it's any consolation, a little red shirted boy's here, and he, for one, knows you exist".
"Huh" Charlie Brown looked back to the benches, to find Linus in the front row. He was looking over and waving from next to Sally.
Nodding, Charlie Brown thanked Marcie. Leaving her to regretfully show Patty those test results, he jogged over to Linus and his sister. His best friend was wearing a bright red shirt with a zig-zag. In fact…
"…isn't that my shirt you've nicked Linus" he questioned as he walked up.
"Well, technically Sally nicked it, and then I nicked it from her" Linus cheekily replied "with permission".
Charlie Brown shook his head. Linus was either supporting him, messing with him, or both.
"Way to throw me under the bus" Sally scolded, "next time I won't bother robbing my big brother".
They all laughed. And for a moment, Linus took his mind off the impending attack on the clique, including Lucy and Rerun.
And then he got an idea. Charlie Brown, like himself, was an older brother. Maybe he could help him.
"Hey Charlie Brown" Linus said, "Could I have your advice?".
The Browns looked over. "You want my advice Linus. Usually, it's the reverse".
"Hey, he's wearing your shirt" Sally spoke up.
Linus began to explain what had gone down with Rerun. How his brother had become ashamed of him, and how he wanted him to become more normal, for both their sakes. "Older brother to older brother, Charlie Brown. What can I do to make amends?" Linus asked.
Charlie Brown put a hand on his chin, deep in thought. "Show you still care".
"Show I still care?".
"Yeah, show you still care" Charlie said, then sighed. "Sorry. I don't have much detailed advice"
"It's okay Charlie Brown" Linus said, trying to hide his disappointment.
"HEY TEAM. GET OUT HERE" they heard Patty yell from the field.
"That's my cue" Charlie Brown turned, to run back out on the field. "One last try at winning…", he suddenly stopped, as his face fell.
On a large bench behind Birchwood's goal posts, a group of people, dressed in purple shirts with letters on them, had gathered together. It was the clique, and, to Charlie Brown's indignation, they had spelled out the word, BLOCKHEAD.
"Enjoying the view".
Lucy walked up to him, with a sinister smile, sporting a purple shirt with a large L on it.
"So Charlie Brown, your last try at winning, eh. Glad to see you've got my message about you being a loser" she complimented.
"Like my brother there" Lucy gestured "who seems to have taken me calling him "Linus Brown" seriously".
"At least my messages aren't low handed insults and stunts" Linus snapped back.
Lucy clenched a fist at her brother, "I'll have you know, we are doing more contribution than that. Violet's volunteered to referee the game".
"VIOLET'S REFEREEING" Linus and Charlie Brown exclaimed.
"What about 5?" Sally inquired.
"Oh, he said he woke up sick" Lucy lied to the younger girl. In reality, they'd trapped him somewhere. She stared at Charlie Brown, and had only one thing to say.
"Good Luck, Blockhead".
She jogged back to her benches, as Linus stared, horrified. If Violet was refereeing, the gameplay was rigged, in fact, it was dangerous.
"Charlie Brown…don't go on…wait up…"
But the older boy had already left to run to the field, and a shot sounded, the game had began.
"It's exciting isn't it Linus" Sally turned to her crush, only to find him frantically looking through his phone.
"I gotta warn Edward!".
"There will be a significant reward for your services today. Join us, and your loyalty to SOJAS will be commended".
Edward stood in front of his house, flanked by Maddison, Samantha, Henrietta, Neil and Janice. He was dressed in a orange shirt under a black leather jacket with short sleeves. The jacket itself was custom, with what looked to be identical stones, sewn in. Two capes and a hood were connected to the jackets neck.
In front of him stood 5 kids, all of which looked somewhat tough.
"I ask only that you help us defeat all our enemies, and you will be paid well" Edward addressed them.
One kid stepped forward with a question, "But who's our targets?".
"Every member of the clique is a target" Edward paused. "With two exceptions. Rerun Van Pelt, is to be spared…"
He snarled "…and Lucy Van Pelt, I intend to deal with her, personally."
The kid, who's name was Molly, nodded, "Tell you what Black, keep your money. Consider this an act of charity"
"Considered. Thank you Ms Volley" Edward smirked "Ah Schroeder, good to see you".
Schroeder walked up to Edward, and Samantha joined him. The former handed Edward his phone, with a pair of headphones. The SOJAS leader put them on, and played the musical piece they'd produced.
Nodding, he then took them off.
"Your anthem for the club, is perfect" he commended them "you two have done a great job".
Schroeder and Samantha smiled. Edward gestured to some of his money, but Schroeder shook his head.
"True music is an art alone, that's something Samantha and I agree on".
Edward nodded respectfully, and then, his phone started ringing. He answered.
"Hello Linus".
"Edward, Violets refereeing the game".
"SHES WHAT".
"I don't know where they left 5" Linus quickly explained.
"But I bet your sister and Violet do" Edward declared "I'm storming the field now".
"I still need to get Rerun out, or he'll be caught in the crossfire".
"I can give you 10 minutes Linus" Edward hung up. His eyes were now a fiery pit of rage.
"All your targets will be wearing purple" he told his allies "the situation is now dire. Now get to the Football Grounds, and Fast!".
The 11 people filed out of the manor.
"Lucy has damaged us for the last time" Edward told Maddison "now, they play my game".
It didn't take long for Linus to find his brother. Rerun was wandering around the side of the field with his friend Katie.
She seemed to be politely telling him, that he wasn't doing himself justice. "Joining cliques, plotting, slugging Jacob. Sure, he's obnoxious, but you're being hurtful Rerun" Katie explained.
Rerun mockingly pretended to be hurt, but he was looking conflicted.
"Rerun!" Linus called out.
His brother looked over, "Oh…hey Linus".
Katie nudged her friend, "Hear him out, Rerun" she reminded, before leaving the brothers to themselves.
Linus got straight to the point. "Rerun, you need to head home".
"Home?, the game just started".
Linus sighed "Please, at least put this jacket over that shirt of yours".
Rerun looked disgruntled "My purple shirt is meant to symbolise our friendship groups unity, an idea you" he poked Linus's zigzag shirt "seem to have copied".
But he stopped, as his older brother shook his head, and the puzzle pieces began clicking together. This idea had been from Edward Black, the same guy in league with Linus, who himself was affiliated with SOJAS.
And then Rerun understood, Black was their leader. He was the famed and dangerous bully hunter Kingmaker.
"These shirts, they aren't a symbol, are they" he realised. "They're a target, so SOJAS know exactly who to hunt".
"Rerun I".
"You're planning to destroy the clique!" Rerun exclaimed, and he took off.
"Wait" Linus gave chase.
Being older and fitter, he was quickly catching up to the younger boy. But Rerun ran into the nearby amenities building. He headed into the locker room, and locked the door as Linus ran up.
"Lucy" Rerun whispered into a walkie talkie "There's a trap. I repeat, a trap…".
Linus looked at the door, and walked over, sitting next to it. "Rylan" he said "I know that your upset with me".
"No kidding" Rerun replied, turning off the walkie talkie "Just leave me alone Linus".
Linus shook his head "You're better than this Rylan, don't join Lucy".
"How do you know I'm better than this" Rerun snapped at him "Show you care".
Show you care!. That was Charlie Browns advice.
But how, Linus thought.
And then he understood, the answer was in his hand, it was his security blanket.
He'd had it for years, holding onto it. But, as he'd trained, self reflected, and grown stronger, he'd depended on it for security less and less.
And besides, his true security had shown themselves last night. It hadn't been a blanket that threatened if anything was happening to him, that there would be consequences.
No noise was heard from outside, and Rerun thought Linus had left. But before he opened the door, the blanket was slid underneath.
"If it'll stop you being ashamed of me" Linus said quietly "you can keep it".
"Keep it?" he heard Rerun say.
"Rerun, it's just a piece of cloth" Linus leant against the door "Unlike with you, I…can give up on it…"
There was a pause, and then the door flung open, and Linus fell back on the floor. "Ow".
And then he gasped for air as Rerun landed on top of him after colliding.
The two boys slowly got up.
"Sorry" Rerun apologised, "I was trying to embrace you".
Linus chuckled, "well, that moment got spoiled".
Rerun smiled, "Did you really mean…"
Linus held his hand out, "Shake on it little brother" he reassured "I don't need the blanket anymore".
Rerun accepted the handshake.
The first quarter of the game was thankfully over, but for Birchwood, it had been nothing short of catastrophic. With Violet doing nothing to referee, Rochester, the opposing team, had predictably been aggressive, at Birchwood's players expense.
Linus and Rerun found Charlie Brown tending to some injuries with Sally.
"Charlie Brown, are you alright?".
His best friend looked up at him, "Do I look like it Linus?, Where were you…".
Then, as he saw Rerun, for the first time in a while, Charlie Brown faintly smiled.
"Ah, you made amends" he complimented "Good job".
Linus smiled, "Hey, I had a good example" he lightly punched Charlie's shoulder.
But Rerun, on the other hand, had gone quite pale. Now looking at Charlie Brown, he saw exactly what the clique, him included, had caused.
"C-Charlie Brown" he stammered "I'm so sorry".
"Sorry?" Charlie Brown questioned.
Rerun began to cry, and Linus comforted him, realising what was wrong.
"Rerun, its okay" he reassured.
"No, it's not" Rerun explained "Lucy's sabotaged the game, she's going to ruin it for everyone." He pointed to Charlie Brown "all to disgrace him".
"Disgrace me?". Charlie Brown then realised, "she's going to pull the football away. She's going to make me fail".
Rerun nodded, and began crying again. Linus bent down to his brother.
"I know things seem bad" he told him "but we going to make it better, okay. I know about the plot as well".
"You do!" Charlie Brown looked mortified "You mean, you joined Lucy…".
"No I didn't…why does everyone suddenly think I've sided with Lucy" Linus exclaimed, "don't worry Charlie Brown, I've made sure her plot will fail…".
"IS THAT SO LINUS?", a loud voice suddenly yelled out.
Linus turned around, to see a furious Lucy, fists clenched and teeth bared.
He was busted.
