Back to Part 32
Playoffs
Transcript excerpt from Mound City Bleachers Report
CYAN MEAN: PLAY OFFS TIME! And what a bracket we have this season! In the East, The Thunderbirds are up against the Weathermancers, and some are calling it the Thunder and Lightning series. And we should be seeing some fireworks!
SLICEY WEBSTER: Right you are, Cyan. Between Amylee Washington on the mound and the Matt Dream awakening, this should be an exciting series.
CYAN MEAN: And in the West, this is no surprise to anyone, the match-up we’ve all been hoping for, the Chesterfield Flood and The Clark Avenue United.
SLICEY WEBSTER: Janet Frans is a powerhouse that I would fear for anyone to go against, but her turn as a utility player has shocked all of us. She says this goes back to recreational leagues…
Voice excerpt from an interview with Janet Frans:
JANET FRANS: It goes back to when I was playing ball with my friends in the park. There was just the three of us on the team, so we had to take turns doing all the positions to keep us from getting tired. I miss those days… And I guess I wanted to live that out on the field too…
CYAN MEAN: This should be a fun series, but I’m a little worried the Flood is going to wash United out.
SLICEY WEBSTER: United didn’t get this far by being doormats, Cyan. They’re a team that’s full of surprises. Look at the addition of Agami on the mound, and with Trashcat finding his groove, United isn’t going to meet the Flood without a fight.
CYAN MEAN: Predictions?
SLICEY WEBSTER: East will be ‘Mancers in five games, and in the West will be the Flood in five.
CYAN MEAN: Flood in three? Bold choice.
SLICEY WEBSTER: Speaking of bold, we have got to talk about the latest fan poll. This question has come up six times now. “Who should be Out?”
CYAN MEAN: We still do not know what it means, but so far it’s been a player per team.
SLICEY WEBSTER: We had Trashcat from United in the first poll. Janet Frans was the second, from the Flood, which was a huge surprise. Like I said, Frans is a force.
CYAN MEAN: Reportedly, many of the fans think she’s arrogant, even if she backs up her confidence on the field.
SLICEY WEBSTER: Mystifying, if I don’t say so myself. Janet should be a Regents’ List player by any measure of the term. Who else is on the list?
CYAN MEAN: Annabella Ewing on the ‘Mancers, which wasn’t a surprise.
SLICEY WEBSTER: What’s the opposite of a fan favorite? Because it seems like that’s what these players all have in common. Ewing isn’t much on the mound, and didn’t win any fans losing the finals last year. The fans have also turned on Mariya Usha too. Ever since she was moved to the Blackhats, she’s turned her back on the fans, and the fans are turning their backs on her.
CYAN MEAN: Amylee Washington on the Thunderbirds is a huge mystery. She’s a beast, she’s got the fury, and the attitude to go with it. Whatever Out means, Washington is not it. The only thing I can think is that Washington, like Usha, did not take her trade well, and the fans are not liking that.
SLICEY WEBSTER: And today, in the last game of the regular season, the Poltergeist fans voted Dash Chardward as Out.
CYAN MEAN: Well this is no surprise. The fans thought they wanted a heel, and they got him in Chardward. Turns out, they had buyers remorse.
SLICEY WEBSTER: So that leaves the Turtles. Who are they going to choose? Do they even get a choice? Will we see a seventh choice tonight?
CYAN MEAN: We’ll find out in the post-season. Next up, we’ll cover all the trade rumors coming up at the end of the season.
Game 1
Oliver was surprised at how normal the playoffs felt. He knew it was time to play like he never had before. He knew the thing to want was to win. He knew that the Regents were watching.
Whatever that meant.
He was also so surprised at how quickly the games went. He stood on the field with his team, went through the motions of bowing to the Regents, stood at bat. He blinked, and they were in the eighth, ahead by 2. He remembered hitting a double. There was a catch in there, one where he rolled to a stop, holding the ball high in his glove for the umpire to see. The crowd ate it up, chanting ‘OK Trashcat’, cheering when he came up to bat again.
It was all so surreal.
When the game was over, United walking away with the win 4-2, Aston and Janet came over to say hello. The teams mingled on the field, shaking hands, patting backs. Aston hugged his remaining teammates, and Janet followed, shouting at Oliver.
“You’re doing so good now!” She said. “The bench has been talking about you.”
“What? Why?” Oliver squinted.
“You’re a wall out there,” Aston said. “Nothing gets past you.”
“Uh…” Oliver said.
“Take the compliment, nerd!” Janet said, bapping one of his ears.
Oliver laughed uncomfortably. “Alright, fine. I’m just… uh, playing?”
“Well, keep playing,” Janet said. “Maybe you’ll knock us out of the playoffs yet.”
“You good, Trashcat?” Aston asked. “You look uncomfortable.”
Oliver nodded, looking as though his bones wanted to leave his body. “Everyone is so nice…”
Janet slapped him on the back. “We can stop. Nice time over. We’re going to obliterate you tomorrow!”
Oliver laughed. “Cool. I’m looking forward to it.”
Janet and Aston hugged Oliver again, and wandered back to their locker room.
Oliver found the arena mostly empty. A few stragglers were getting autographs signed, but most of the players had left the field. But Elliot sat on the mound, her head tilted like she was listening to the ground. He sat down next to her.
“What’s going on?” He asked.
“Do you hear that?” Elliot looked at him. “Can you hear it?”
“What?” Oliver tried to listen, but could only hear the sounds of the arena.
“Down there,” she motioned to the mound. “It’s singing.” She held out her hand. Oliver took it. Slowly, the sound drifted to his ears. A voice, soft and… Oliver hesitated to think angelic, but it sounded angelic. His body tingled.
“We’ve made it very happy,” Elliot said. “We gotta keep this up, because this is going to save us.”
Oliver nodded. He thought about it all night. What was going to happen? How much did they need to do? And he was so in his head that he barely thought about it when Mariya texted him and said she didn’t know where the rest of the Blackhats were.
Game 2
Game 2 saw a pitching battle between Spencer Agami on the United, and Undue Bellamy on the Flood. Undue was consistent, which Oliver had entirely come to expect by now, but Spencer was craftier than they let on. They threw slow to good hitters, threw fast to the better ones, and let the bad hitters make easy to grab pop-flys. They went into extra innings, well into the 15th, 0-0, until Dash’s replacement, Jon Chen, hit a walk off home run, and the best of five series went into game 3.
No one really chatted after the game. They were all exhausted, all ready to collapse in bed. Mariya met Rammy in the locker room, and pulled the captain aside, talking low, but frantically, about the Blackhats. Oliver could just make out a few words: no one was at the Commons, no one was at the dorms. She tried calling the team captain, but they didn’t answer. Rammy got dressed quickly, and the two of them left without much fanfare.
Oliver started to check in with Elliot about grabbing dinner, but she got a text while they were talking — her coven wanted a meeting, and she changed her plans to head back to Belleville. And Crasher disappeared up to Alton as soon as they could, which was fair. He’d been meaning to go visit Amylee too, but things just kept happening.
Oliver walked back to the dorm by himself — he sent out a few feeler texts to see how everyone was doing, but if he was being honest with himself, he kind of wanted to disappear under his blankets and sleep. It was getting close to the end of February, and the air was still crisp and biting, and at no point did a walk sound good.
He put his bag in his room, reminding himself to do laundry the next time one of the machines opened up. He started back to the common area to scrounge for dinner when Spencer found him.
“Hey,” they said. “You’re hard to catch up with.”
Oliver turned back to them. “Yeah, sorry. Everything has been…” He didn’t finish the sentence. How could he? He knew Spencer would understand.
“Yeah, it has been,” Spencer said. “It’s been overwhelming for everyone. So, thanks for being so patient with all of us. I know it’s hard to see your team gone like this.”
Oliver blinked. “Oh, no! I’m not upset with you! It’s not your fault.”
“I know,” Spencer said. “I miss my team too. But you’ve been extra nice about it. Rammy’s been a good team captain about it, and she treats us like any captain would. But Crasher…”
“Crasher has been through a lot too,” Oliver said. “They took Amylee away from them.”
“I took her away,” Spencer said.
“That’s not true.”
Spencer shrugged. “I understand that I’m in her spot. I also understand that I’m a reminder that she’s not here anymore, and that Crasher is understandably upset by that. I would be too.”
Oliver sighed. He didn’t know what to say, because it was true. And that was nobody’s fault.
“But you’ve been nice about it,” Spencer said. “Kind, even. And I really appreciate it.”
Oliver shrugged. “We all need to be nice to each other. This is all scary and intense and, I don’t know, lonely? It can be so lonely. We have to help each other.”
Spencer smiled softly, as though they had expected exactly that answer. “So… I know the rest of the team was going to go find dinner, and you’re welcome to come. But I think you should come out with me instead.”
Oliver’s ears perked. Oh. OH! “Uh… yeah, that sounds nice…” He turned, hoping that Spencer didn’t see him blushing. “Where do you want to go?”
Spencer shifted, smiling a little easier now. “I figured we just head over to Delmar and walk till we find something.”
Oliver nodded. “Yeah… that sounds good. I’ll, uh, I’ll get ready.” He all but ran to his room, changing into something nicer, and made sure he had the right keys and cards for the night. And then they hit the town, staying out until the sun started to come up.
Game 3
The series moved to the Levee for game 3, to the suitably rowdy crowd and strip mall atmosphere of the arena. Oliver watched with no small joy as the fans introduced Aston to raucous applause, and it felt like the house would have fallen down when Janet ran out to the field. The two of them had entered, in the regular season, into a home run race. Janet lead comfortably, but Aston was catching up, and the crowd loved every moment of it.
United’s fans had come in respectable numbers, waving their blue flags, singing proudly, jumping up and down, much to the chagrin of the Flood fans around them. United waved out to their fans, encouraging them to make more noise. The fans sang,
WHEN IT’S US
VERSUS THEM
YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ME
WHEN IT’S US
VERSUS THEM
FOR AN AV’NUE UNITY
Oliver had learned to love the songs, as long as they weren’t singing about him. He took to the dugout to get ready to bat as spotlights swept over the field. Distantly, he could hear a boat horn, one, two, three, and then a pause, and it started all over again. They Flood fans were deeply into it, their cheers starting to rise.
The spotlight swept up to an empty spot in the stands. The boat horn sounded again, and the stadium began to shake. The horn grew louder, and right before Oliver had to cover his ears, a tugboat burst through the wall, blasting its horn. The crowd went ballistic as the boat captain came out onto the deck and encouraged the fans on.
“This is new!” Crasher said, enjoying themself.
“Okay, Dash was right,” Elliot said. “When do we get a gimmick?”
Rammy watched, holding her clipboard. “Our gimmick is that we win championships,” she said.
“Now batting for the Clark Avenue United, Silk Steelman.”
Silk, Razija’s replacement, jogged out to the plate, and they began the game.
Forever Landry shook off a few signs, found one they liked, and pitched a solid slider over the plate. Silk caught a piece of it, and knocked it into the midfield, right into Janet’s glove. Janet caught the ball with practiced nonchalance. She said a joke Oliver couldn’t hear to Forever, and they both laughed as she tossed the ball back. One out.
Of course it was Janet that drew first blood, bringing in three runs in the bottom of the first. Rammy threw a four seam fastball inside, and Janet clocked it just right, smashing the ball along the right side safety glass, and over the outfield wall. She flipped her bat away, holding her arms up to the crowd. The tugboat captain pulled the horn, one, two, three, and the crowd counted with it.
Oliver did his best to help catch up. He hit a single in the third, bringing in a run, another single in the fourth, but they were left stranded on base as Jon Chen popped a fly right to Aston in the outfield. He brought home a run in the fifth with a double, and reveled in the small victory of it.
Janet and Aston traded hits, but Oliver and Jon were able to keep them at bay. Janet hit a solid triple right at Oliver in the sixth, and Oliver dove for the catch, nabbing it right out of the air. He caught Janet watching, and she pointed at him, smiling. He got up and pointed back. She threw her head back, laughing, and left the field. Wait, were they having fun? Oliver threw the ball back to Rammy. That was okay, right?
By the seventh, United had caught up, 5-5, and by the bottom of the ninth, they had taken the lead 6-5. Crasher and Rammy had a timeout at the mound, the two of them talking out quick strategy. Janet waited on deck, completely unbothered by the gravitas of the situation. There were two outs, a runner on second, and a double would keep them in the game. A home run would let them play another day.
Crasher returned to the plate, taking their position. Rammy shook her arm out as Janet stepped in to the batters box. Janet looked right at Oliver, beaming, as if to say, this ends right now. Oliver stepped up closer to the double line, just in case.
Rammy wound up, and painted the outside of the strike zone. Janet saw the hit before it happened, called the shot. She stepped into the swing, and sent it soaring directly over Rammy’s head, right down the middle of the field. That was gone. That would go right over the wall.
Oliver took off running to the outfield wall. He didn’t watch over his shoulder, that would have slowed him down. The Flood fans were standing, screaming as the ball got closer and closer to the wall. Oliver jumped, planting his foot, and he pushed up, grabbing for the top of the wall, and held his glove up, turning just in time…
Oliver dropped down, collapsing in a heap on the ground. And the Levee fell silent, the Sandbaggers leaning forward.
Oliver held up his glove, holding the ball.
“OUT.” The umpire bellowed.
United screamed in triumph, running out to Oliver. Oliver sat up, still holding the ball above his head, shouting back in joy at his team. And when they all collided with him, the United fans cheered, “When it’s us, versus them, you can always count on me!”
Oliver had only wanted to join a rec league and meet people and get exercise. He had never cared about a championship, not ever. But now, he could feel it in his reach, and he wanted nothing more than to win it, for his team, and for him.
Oliver tried to get up, but his team had piled on, some of them jumping around him, singing along with the fans. When there was an opening, Elliot helped him up and threw her arms around him, hugging him until he couldn’t breathe.
“Proud of you, donut,” she said.
Oliver laughed. He didn’t know what else to do, it just felt right.
The Flood slowly approached United, shaking hands and hugging them, offering polite congratulations. Janet and Aston found Oliver and shouted at him.
“You absolute legend!” Aston said, clasping hands with Oliver and hugging him close. “You’re a wall out there!”
Oliver just shouted back wordlessly. Janet laughed at him.
“I didn’t see it coming, but I’m glad we lost to you,” she said, hugging him. “Next year, though, you watch your back. Me and Aston gonna tear it up!”
Oliver just smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Fans of Ultimate League Corkball,” the announce said.
“Oh gods, what now?” Elliot asked.
“You voted in the last two fan polls for the Western Conference. We asked you, Who should be swapped? You, the fans, chose Rees Carter on the Hill Basement Turtles, for Rammy Montev-“
Rammy’s face dropped. She looked around, panicked, and then balled her hands into fists, and screamed. “NO! NO! THIS IS MY TEAM! UNITED IS MY TEAM! HAVEN’T YOU TAKEN ENOUGH FROM ME-“
There was a bright flash in the arena, and a confused Rees Carter stood in Rammy’s place. They looked around, looked up to the stands and the scoreboard, and finally fell to their knees. A few players rushed to help them.
“And,” the announcer continued. “We asked you, who should be Out? And you, the fans, voted for… Rammy Montevideo!”
The lights dropped. The fur stood up on the back of Oliver’s neck. He knew this feeling, and frantically tried to remember from where. The ground rumbled. A piercing whine rang out through the PA. There was a flash, if it could be called that, the opposite of bright. And when the world returned to normal, a figure stood on the pitchers mound. Oliver tried to look, but he winced. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t look directly at the figure, couldn’t perceive it.
WHAT A GAME.
All of the players stood motionless on the field. Elliot sent out a text immediately. She started making signs in the air, neon sparks flying from her fingers.
SUCH A GOOD FIGHT. IT’S TOO BAD YOU BOTH CAN’T MOVE ON.
Oliver felt it in the pit of his stomach. He had to run. He had to get out of there, but the only way out went right past… that thing… He grabbed for Elliot’s hand. She took it, and pulled him behind her.
THE FLOOD. YOU HAVE PLAYED VALIANTLY. BUT YOU HAVE FAILED.
The Flood players began to ask questions, looking at each other, and then shouting in panic.
THE FLOOD, YOU ARE ELIMINATED.
One by one, the Flood players disappeared, evaporating into a black mist. Undue Bellamy ran for the dugout, but dissipated halfway across the field.
The fans in the stands screamed, and rushed for the exits.
The figure rippled in pleasure, a laugh rumbling across the field.
THE FINALS SHOULD BE A SPECTACLE. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
The being disappeared from the mound.
SEE YOU SOON.
The lights came back up, revealing an empty arena, and just eleven players — United, Kel Falkner, the Flood’s witch, and Janet.
Oliver ran for the locker room, and didn’t stop until he found a toilet to vomit in. He collapsed on the floor, his mind running too fast for him to keep up. I didn’t want this I didn’t mean for this this wasn’t my fault I killed them oh god I killed them I shouldn’t have been there I shouldn’t have made the catch I-
Someone put a hand on his shoulder. He screamed, trying to back into the corner, throwing fists out. The world was too loud, the lights too bright. The hands grabbed his wrists, and he heard a voice, muffled at first, and then clearer and clearer.
“Oliver…” the voice said. “Hey… donut, I’m here. It’s okay.”
“They’re dead,” Oliver said, his eyes unfocused, his voice shaking. “I killed them, they’re dead and I killed them-“
“No no no… shhhh. You didn’t do anything. They did this. They used us.” Elliot stroked his ears until his shaking slowed. “You’re okay. We’re okay.”
Oliver slowly hugged her, weeping on her shoulder until he ran out of tears. When he was able to stand again, Elliot helped him up. “Come on, Crasher wants to talk.” She took his hand and led him to the lockers where the team and Kel had gathered. Elliot sat Oliver down. Janet put her arm around him and hugged.
Crasher thought a moment. “Rammy’s gone. I don’t know if she’s gone gone, but I’m taking over as captain.” They thought again. “We have a few days before the finals start. I don’t know how the East are doing, but I think they should hear about what happened here soon.” They paused again, stifling a sob. “We’re going to fight them. We’re going to destroy them. Elliot, I want to meet with the witches.”
“I can’t promise that,” Elliot said.
“This isn’t about secrets or pride,” Crasher said. “We’re in danger, and we’re going to need to figure out how to stop this before any more of us go.”
Elliot nodded. She looked across the room at Kel, who nodded back.
“I know this is hard. I know this gets worse and worse. We’re going to fight the Regents, and we’re going to figure out a way to win.” They took off their hat and dropped it to the ground, and scrubbed their face with their hands. “We have a few days. I’d advise you to go relax. Go have fun.” They turned and began to pack their game bag.
Oliver sank to the floor and laid down.
Elliot tugged on his arm, trying to get him upright again. “Come on, we’ll get you back to the dorm, and you can lay on the floor there all you want.”
The team began to wander away. Janet approached about staying in the United dorm. Crasher didn’t hesitate to say yes, and Janet went to her own dorm to pack.
Crasher stayed behind to make sure everyone got on the bus. And just as they did their phone buzzed. They swiped open the message, and stared at it wide eyed. “Elliot, change of plans.”
Elliot leaned over to look at the message.
“We’re going to go talk to Management…”
-g
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