A Hint of Greatness

A Story by Nathan Ashlock

This story is about a baseball player who encounters, in real life, his worst nightmare.

I wake with a start. Someone was chasing me just seconds ago, but they have disappeared, and I’m back in my bed. I’ve been having those nightmares ever since I can remember. I walk down an alley, break up a fight, and run. Forever. I never make it to what happens when I stop running, I just keep running. Sometimes, I wonder where this nightmare came from. This has never actually happened to me in real life, but it feels so intimate to the point that I have to wonder where it came from. This is what I am thinking about as a trudge down the stairs to breakfast. What could have possibly happened to me? I wonder. I hope to one day find out.

“Hey Jake, how did you sleep?” My mom calls from the kitchen.

“Fine. I don’t remember whether I dreamed or not,” I lie.

“Ah, got it.”

My parents don’t know about the nightmares I’ve been having. There is no way I would tell them. I mean come on, I’m 16. What 16 year old sits down with his parents are recites his dreams? None that I know.

I sit at my regular place at the table with drool creeping down my face, almost able to taste the pancakes my mom made. Every Monday was the deal, because we all need a little something to keep us going on Mondays. As my pancakes start disappearing from my plate �" I don’t know where to, because I’m still as hungry as I was when I got here �" I go over my homework. Algebra �" check. Chemistry �" check. Literature �" check. My homework load has been very light ever since the exams last week. I think the teachers are trying to ease us back into what it’s like being back in school. Nonetheless, my homework is done and perfect. I kiss my mom goodbye, rub my dog’s head, and set off to school in my car. When I got it, it was this ugly dirty white Volkswagen Santana with flat tires and a broken windshield from a decade ago. I painted it red, got the tires replaced, fixed the window, replaced the engine, and all of the sudden I had a nice car, which I only spent about 3,500 dollars total on. As I drive to school, I wonder which version of school I will encounter today �" Angry teachers, the bullies that constantly tease me, the empty lunch table; or the gracious teachers and a full lunch table. It goes back and forth depending on out baseball games. Last, year, our school set a sports record �" 160 games won in a row, the previous being 151. Then our current team tried out, made the cut, and lost the first game big. If we lose, we are neglected. If, we win, then we are congratulated and are the center of attention. It’s a strange school, but it’s my school.

I walk in and know immediately which version of school I’m going to get �" a teacher scowls at me, people look at me and laugh, and my locker has been littered with graffiti. I sigh. At least I had pancakes.

I go and find my best bud, Rhett, who plays baseball with me. He and I are sort of in this together, and through conversation, I find his locker in worse condition than mine. All of this means that we need to win tonight. It shouldn’t be hard �" we are, after all, playing the least ranked team in the county �" so I’m not sweating it. He and I head off to homeroom, where we avoid all the jeers and gossipy looking people around us. Tonight, is all I can think. We will win tonight.

********

I listen to Mr. Kough lecture us on the importance of correct grammar, waiting for the bell to ring. I look out the window to the baseball field. I can almost feel the triumph of victory that is sure to surround me tonight. The clock tells me that I am just 1 minute away, 30 seconds, 15 seconds. I pack up my bag and position myself to face the clock. 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 1. Ding! The bell rings and Rhett and I sprint out of the room to flee from the jeering and taunting, towards the baseball field, and most of all, toward victory.

As I suit up in the locker room, coach walks in and addresses the whole team.

“Boys, tonight is a big night. This is do or die. If you win this game, we are going to qualify for the state championship tournament. If you lose, baseball is cut short a month. I assume you all want to continue to play, so go out and show those Keller Bears that the Birdville Hawks are going to the championship!”

Everyone cheers including Rhett and I, and we all hustle out of the locker room with our baseball gear. I am the starting pitcher, and tonight is my career 25^th appearance against the bears. Out of those 25 appearances, I am 24-1, allowing a total of 3 runs over 25 games. I feel pretty confident as we walk on the field.

“Strike!” I hear the umpire say. I hear him say it again, and again, and again until I walk off the field for the final time of the evening allowing 2 hits, 0 runs, and 16 strikeouts in 6 innings of near perfection. Our team delivered on offense, and we scored 8 runs, one of those driven in by me and another scored by me. As our closer gets the final out, we run onto the field, prepared to celebrate, because this game was all that separated us from the championship. We, hopefully, will make an appearance in the finals about a month from now, preparing to take state.

********

I walk back to the school after everyone ran for our favorite restaurant, Highway 56. We ordered pizza and probably too many sodas. I pass an alley and am about to continue walking when I hear a cry. I freeze in my tracks, prepared for either of my options �" fight or flight. I walk closer to the edge of the alley, listening for more, and wish I hadn’t. Another cry rises up from at least three other voices, all screaming at one another, I don’t think, just run right into the alley to find five people, three attacking two others. The two don’t stand a chance. They are scrawny and probably need to take a trip to the gym. The three are big and muscular, and they, on the other hand, likely need to take a break from the gym. The three start walking, slowly, towards the two. I start towards them and yell, “Stop!" To my surprise, they do, and turn to look at me.

“What do you think you’re doing here, kid?” One of them asks.

“Yeah city boy, get outta here!” And suddenly I know what to do.

I barely feel my foot go numb as it makes its way into one of the three’s stomach. Then they all start towards me. It is at the point I run. For how long I don’t know. Through alleys, down avenues, crossing streets, until I make my way to Highway 56, the restaurant. My friends all see me and head towards me, and then, I realize, towards my attackers. They form a semicircle around me and tell the three gangsters to get lost. I am grateful to them, and later, I retell the story to them as we sit again in the diner. It is an unfamiliar story to me, I realize, because it is the first time I have ever gotten to see what happens after my running stops.

© 2016 Nathan Ashlock

Author's Note

feedback? I'd like to know what you guys think of this story as a whole.

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Lalita

Very nice...
At first, I thought you(baseball player) has gotten into some sort of accident and couldn't play baseball.
But as the story goes on, it is different.
Haha, I liked the last line the most 'it is the first time I have ever gotten to see what happens after my running stops'.