‘You okay?’ Tommy asked Jackson, who was in the passenger seat.

‘Hm? I’m fine … why?’

‘You’re just, quieter than usual, that’s all.’

Jackson frowned. He had a lot on his mind. He was worried about the upcoming game.

The Coyotes’ home field came into view. It was a compact place, hemmed in with trees that seemed small against the back of the towering stands, the car park across the street looked full.

‘You worried about your teammates?’ Tommy asked. ‘These guys were assholes last time you played, right?’

‘Yeah, and that was before we pissed them off.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about it so much. Even jackasses like these wouldn’t do anything to get them suspended. The whole school could get fined if too many of their players do something dumb like that.’

Jackson wasn’t so sure. He thought Tommy was seriously underestimating just how stupid jackasses like the Coyotes could be.

It took them a couple minutes to find a park, and when they stepped out of the car, the air was thick with tension even without stepping foot on the field.

They crossed the street and entered the field. The stands were already almost full, and the air only became thicker and hotter as they stood in the midst of them.

As Tommy and Jackson climbed the steps to find a seat behind the Titans’ bench, they could FEEL the hostility in the air. There was such animosity in the environment, Jackson imagined only the middle of a desert could compare to the hot and oppressive presence in the air that day, like it was waiting with glee for the moment someone keeled over.

When they sat down, both teams were still down in their locker rooms, and the crowd was growing restless.

In the Titans’ room, Coach Otsen stood before his players. ‘I know you can all feel it. There’s nothing more those vultures in the stands would like to see than for you to all walk out of here defeated. Not just beaten on the field, but mentally broken too. Are you going to give them that satisfaction?’

There was a quiet but firm response from the boys: ‘No.’

‘Good. Now, if you’re going to win, I need you all to keep a cool head, at the same time, that doesn’t mean you can let those bastards walk all over you. Make sure the officials see their bullshit, anytime they’re fouling you or cheating, don’t retaliate, just make it clear. And you stick up for one another, if they’re pushing us around, we need to band together and show them that we won’t be their punching bags. But DON’T do anything stupid. Keep it clean, don’t do anything I wouldn’t.’

Some of the boys exchanged looks, wondering just how far the fearsome Coach Otsen would push things to stand against the Coyotes if HE was out there playing.

‘And most importantly, show them that Titans won’t ever break.’

Kenny looked at Freddy with a flash of worry.

Within the Coyotes’ room, they had a similarly quiet, focused atmosphere.

‘They’re more fragile than they think,’ Coach Kelly said, ‘today, we teach them that important lesson. Not just physically, but mentally too. They can’t handle the pressure of OUR house. This won’t be like the last time we faced them. Today, we CRUSH them. Remember, there is strength in numbers, everything is done for the good of the pack. Go out there and make them understand.’

He watched as the Coyotes stalked out of the room. There was no final huddle for them, no warcry that gave them a burst of adrenaline as they leapt into the fire of battle. They were going out to hunt, and they went to meet their prey with cold, calculated savagery.

The Titans emerged from their room first and were greeted with a loud drone of boos.

Tommy scoffed. ‘What a crazy atmosphere for a JV game … you’d think WE’RE the bad guys, here.’

‘Even the bad guys think they’re the heroes, right?’ Jackson looked around. ‘To them, we really are the villains.’

The boos eventually faded into that restless buzz of anticipation, which evolved into a deafening thunder as the Coyotes finally marched onto the field. The stands shook as the home crowd stamped their feet wildly. Howls blared from speakers all around the field, and even some of the more rowdy supporters joined the call.

The Titans mimicked their coaches and stood as stoic as mountains under the barrage of noise, staring down their opponents.

Kenny, Lonnie, and Pete went to centrefield for the coin toss, meeting with the Coyotes’ captains.

The Coyotes’ QB, with the spider-like eyes, and long, thin arms, sneered at Kenny. ‘Long time no see. I hope you didn’t forget our little promise.’

‘Hey, don’t worry, we’ll beat you so bad you’ll go crying home to your mama, if that puta is even around still.’

The scar-faced MLB stepped forward, grunting like a rhino. ‘Watch it, amigo. When I’m done with you, you’re gonna wish your family of rats had been deported back to where you belong.’

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‘The fuck you say? Don’t talk about my family or I’ll—’

Kenny held Pete back from attacking Scar-Face and an official stepped in.

‘That’s enough, Arcadia. That’s your last warning, don’t make me disqualify you from the toss.’

‘But he—!’

Lonnie stepped in this time, pushing Pete back. ‘We’ll take tails, sir,’ he said to the official, staring deadpan at the Coyotes.

The Coyotes snickered more like hyenas. The coin spun in the air and landed heads up.

‘We defer the opening kick,’ Spider said.

‘Fine,’ Lonnie said, already turning to walk back to the huddle, Kenny still dragging Pete away.

‘Break a leg!’ The Coyotes Safety shouted.

Kenny glared back at him, the villain’s tackle—and what he thought of as attempted murder—on Freddy replaying in his mind.

When Coach Otsen heard the results of the coin toss, he pulled Kenny aside. ‘Don’t let them start shit, they want to make a statement on this kickoff, but we can stimey them right away. Take the touchback, don’t bring the ball out.’

Kenny nodded. He had full intentions to follow Coach Otsen’s advice, but when the kickoff happened, the ball was 10 yards short of the end zone, and Kenny was forced to take off running.

He brought it back out to the 31-yard line before he was taken down, but then, when he was already on the ground, another Coyotes player jumped on top of him to “finish the tackle”.

The crowd cheered like the bloodthirsty mob they were, and no flag was thrown on the play. Tommy glared around at his and Jackson’s neighbours.

Kenny was eventually helped up from under the pile of Coyotes, his teammates dusting him off. ‘You good, Kenny?’

‘Ngh, yeah, I’m fine.’ He gave the Coyotes a dirty look. ‘Fucking assholes.’

‘Let’s show those motherfuckers who they’re messing with,’ Isaac said.

Before the Coyotes’ defence took the field, Coach Kelly pulled the captains aside. He looked at The MLB first. ‘Trent.’ His eyes turned to the CB who looked as ghoulish as ever. ‘Edgar,’ and finally he looked at the sadistic Safety. ‘Tyreek. You all know your mission; you know who their weak links are. Do you want them to embarrass you, AGAIN, in front of your families this time?’

‘No!’ the three captains snarled.

‘Then go break them!’

‘Break them!’ Trent echoed as the three turned away and prowled onto the field.

The Titans broke away from their huddle and Kenny once again found himself standing opposite the most punchable face he’d ever seen.

‘Hello~’ Edgar said. His was the kind of grin that would’ve been more appropriate on a Halloween mask.

‘You fuckers are gonna regret ever messing with us,’ Kenny said.

The Titans snapped the ball.

Kenny thrust aside Edgar’s hands and burst to the outside of the field, streaking down the sideline. He had the step, punishing Edgar’s overaggressiveness. He was open, just like the Titans had expected him to be. Pete flung the ball over.

Kenny leapt and stretched out towards the ball, but as he did so, Edgar latched onto the collar of his pads and kept him chained to the ground. Edgar jumped into the air, using Kenny to propel himself higher, he swatted the ball away and the two fell to the ground, Edgar making sure to yank Kenny down further so he crashed hard.

Kenny rolled to a stop then pushed himself up, looking around for a flag, but there was none. His eyes locked on the nearest official. ‘What the fuck was that? Are you even looking?!’

The official acted as if he hadn’t heard Kenny.

‘Stop bitching and play, pussy,’ Edgar said, shoving Kenny in the back.

Kenny whirled around and ran up to Edgar, shoving him in retaliation. Edgar laughed as he fell on his ass. He looked up at the official, spreading his arms in a silent plea.

A whistle blew and a yellow flag fluttered to the ground between the two boys. Kenny stared at the official in disbelief.

‘Unsportsmanlike conduct! Offence: number 13.’

The crowd hollered as if they’d just scored when the head official addressed them and announced the personal foul which pushed the Titans back 15 yards.

‘Is this game rigged or what?’ Jackson whispered to Tommy.

‘Maybe … talk about a home-field advantage. They aren’t good enough to win on their own so they have to cheat,’ Tommy said, a little too loudly for Jackson’s liking.

Another whistle blew, this time from the sideline as an official signalled a timeout for the Titans.

Kenny sighed heavily, shoulders sagging as he trudged back to the bench, wilting under Coach Otsen’s intense glare.

When the whole team stood around the bench, there was over ten seconds of silence before Coach Otsen finally addressed them. ‘Why am I upset?’ he asked.

‘Because I got dragged into their shit and stooped to their level, but they fouled me! Anyone with eyes could see that, and the umpire didn’t do a damn thing even though he was standing right there. They even pushed me first!’ Kenny said.

‘I don’t want to hear any excuses. Are you going to let them win by getting under your skin so easily? So what they pushed you? So what they missed one foul call? Are you going to throw a fit every time you don’t get a flag you want? You’re better off hanging up your cleats right now if that’s the case.’

Kenny looked away, biting his tongue.

‘Stay here,’ Coach Otsen said before he stormed off to the huddle of officials. Though that didn’t let the boys off the hook, they were still under the disappointed—and harsher—gaze of Coach Knight.

The officials turned their attention to Coach Otsen as he stood beside them. ‘Well, are we going to have a fair game? Or should my players and I go home right now if you’re just going to hand the Coyotes the win?’

‘Now now, Coach Otsen. It’s YOUR boys, who are the only ones breaking the rules at this point.’

‘Cut the shit,’ Coach Otsen snapped. ‘I just need you old boys to do your jobs and keep things safe and fair for EVERYONE involved. Besides, I’d hate to have to tell the board about this game and have them investigate the officiating.’

The officials looked at one another and then gave Coach Otsen some rather forced smiles.

Satisfied, Coach Otsen turned away and returned to the sideline. ‘One last thing before you guys head onto the field. If any of you lay a hand on a Coyote when the play’s already dead, you’ll be doing ten push-ups at the next practice. … with JUST that hand.’

The Titans jogged onto the field with revived focus. ‘Sorry for the fuck up, guys,’ Kenny said.

‘Don’t worry about it, amigo. We’ve got your back, let’s show these motherless pendajos why they can’t fuck with us.’

Even though it was 2nd down with 25 yards to go for another first, the Titans were as determined as ever while they stared their opponents down.