Unliving Love

by Jason A Grimm

  *****

  “Me and Mike are captains.” A plump kid with buzzed hair said as he grabbed the football off of Mike. “You call it in the air laces or none.” He spun the ball up in the air.

  “Laces.” A much younger Mike said.

  The ball fell to the ground with a thunk, bounced, and rolled till it stopped with laces side down.

  “Ha! You suck Mike. I got first pick.”

  “I’m still gonna win.”

  “Like hell.” Scott said as he jogged over and picked up the football.

  “Five bucks says I do.” Mike said as he began to smile. “Unless you’re too chicken to bet that is.”

  Scott stood there in silence as he began looking around the crowd that had gathered to play football. He began to count the kids and it was easy to see he was putting the likeliest of teams together in his head so he could weigh his odds.

  “I’ll tell you what.” Mike pulled a five dollar bill out of his pocket and began to wave it around in the air. “I’ll even let you pick your team first then I’ll take the rest.” He walked over and snatched the football out of Scott’s hands. “Unless you’re still too chicken.” He shot him a challenging smile.

  “Oh you’re on Lachey.” Scott dug in his pocket and pulled out a folded up five dollar bill. “After I win maybe I’ll let you borrow some money to get into the pool.”

  “Dream on.”

  “Let’s see.” Scott began looking around. “Wes, you hold the money. Not like you’ll be seeing much action and lose it.”

  Some of the boys began to laugh.

  “Shut it and pick your team.” Mike said.

  “We have thirteen so someone will have to sit this game.”

  “I wonder who that’s gonna be.” One of the boys said as he laughed and shoved Wes.

  “You take seven I’ll take six I’m still going to win.”

  “In your dreams Lachey.” He said to Mike. “I’ll take Jeff, Tony, Andy, Luke, Steve, and John. You can have ball first since I’m such a nice guy.”

  “Works for me.” Mike said as he tossed the ball to Scott. “Throw the kickoffs and punt the punts. Touchdowns are past the front of the goals and are seven. Over the soccer goal is field goal. Five Mississippi out loud before you blitz. QB can’t run until the D passes the line of scrimage. Halftime is first team to twenty one and game is first team to forty two. Two hand touch is down and losers walk.”

  “Agreed.” Scott said as he and his team turned around and began to walk to their side of the field.

  Mike took his team down to their end of the field. “I’ll get kickoffs and QB. That ok?”

  There was a resounding “Yes” from all the members of the team.

  Even at that age Mike was leagues ahead of everyone else on the field. The guys on Mike’s team didn’t care how they won but winning against the tough guys of the neighborhood would bring them bragging rights for a good long while. Mike’s team spread out and waited for the kickoff.

  “Mikes the only real threat and George is half way decent but all the rest are losers. If Mike QBs then double team George he’s the only one that can really catch. If no one blitzes, Mike won’t be able to run so whoever is on him just hang back deep and go to where the ball goes and we’ll have this in the bag.”

  Scott’s team lined up and he started to take a few steps then he drew his arm back and fired the ball down the field.

  Mike ran over, got under the ball, and caught it. The rest of his team grouped up in front of him and then began to run down the field.

  Scott’s team met them about ten yards ahead of where Mike had caught the ball.

  Mike’s team began to block as best they could as he kicked it in to high gear. He ran between two of his guys who were blocking two from the other team. It was only a few more steps before two guys from the other team broke their blocks and were now a few steps away. Mike spun around and began to run towards the other side of the field leaving the two kids to chase after him. When he got to about mid field he started to make his way up the field while everyone else was running after him. A few of the guys that had hung back on Scott’s team were now a few feet from him and he only got a few steps up before one of the guys flung his hands down just touching his back.

  “You’re down right here!” The kid yelled.

  Mike slowed down and jogged towards where he had been tagged down and placed the ball on the ground, then took his team back and huddled up.

  “Ok guys I want everyone lined up on my right, George, you in the middle. Ok, now I want everyone on George’s right to run out about ten yards and then run a slant to the right. Everyone on George’s left side run long straights. George I want you to let everyone get a few steps ahead of you then book it about five yards then turn and run a hard slant to the opposite side of the field. I’ll hit ya a few steps in to the slant. Everyone got that?

  The team nodded. They all had been on Mike’s team one time or another and were used to him calling actual plays.

  “Ok, on go, ready break.” The team clapped their hands and they all made their way towards the line of scrimmage.

  Mike picked up the ball as his team lined up to his right. “Down! Set! Green forty six! Go!”

  His team took off everyone doing what they were supposed to. Mike dropped back a few steps and flung the ball and hit George over his shoulder right in his hands. The pass was matched perfectly with his stride. George caught the ball and made it about three more yards before he was tagged down by one of the two guys he was covered by. He jogged to the middle of the field and sat the ball down and joined the team back in their huddle.

  “Nice. Listen they are going to expect George to get all the balls so the first few passes are going to go to him and then I’m gonna start hitting the rest of you. That ok?”

  The team nodded. They all were willing to do whatever he said for the chance to win and they all knew with Mike as the QB and calling the plays the chance of winning was extremely high.

  “Ok cool. This time I want George and two others on my right and the other two on my left. George you are the furthest on my right. I want you to just go deep straight to the end zone. Everyone else I want you to run out about ten yards then slant towards the middle of the field. Got it?”

  “Yeah” a few members of the team said while the rest nodded.

  “On go. Ready. Break”

  The team lined up at the line of scrimmage, Mike did his cadence, then yelled “Go!”

  The team took off as Mike took a few steps back, paused for a second, then flung the ball and hit George about twenty yards deep. Once again with a perfect pass right over his shoulder matched perfectly with his stride. This time the guys covering him tagged him as soon as he caught the ball.

  “Come on guys two of ya are covering him and he’s still putting you to shame.” Scott yelled as he was walking back from covering Wes.

  The rest of the drive continued like this. It was pass after pass to George until they were in the end zone.

  “Touchdown!” Mike yelled as George spiked the ball.

  “Get to walking losers.” George said as he was high fiving his teammates.

  Scott kicked the ground and a puff of dirt and grass rose into the air and his team walked down the field getting ready to receive the kickoff.

  Mike drew back and fired the ball as high and far as he could. His team ran down after it. They were down the field as soon as Steve caught the ball and they tagged him where he stood.

  Scott took his team back in a huddle.

  “I’ll get Luke.” Mike said. “He’s the fastest. Everyone else grab a man and do what you can to cover him.

  After a few seconds Scotts team yelled break and clapped their hands and walked to the line of scrimmage. Scott picked up the ball and yelled “Hut!” and the team took off.

  Mike let Luke get a few feet ahead of him but followed effortlessly. Just as he hoped Scott threw the ball towards them. He picked up his pace, jumpe
d up, and snatched the ball out of the air before Luke could get it. He landed, turned, and started running in the opposite direction. Only one that was even close to him was Scott but he didn’t pose much of a problem and then he was in the end zone.

  Scott kicked the dirt again and said a few choice words before his team and he began to walk to the opposite end of the field.

  “Good job everyone.” Mike said as his team made it to the end zone. “Everyone ready?”

  His team answered yes and he drew his arm back and flung the ball down the field. This time however they got a decent return.

  Scott took his team back to a huddle then brought them to the line.

  “Let’s just keep doing what we’ve been doing.” Mike hollered to his team

  “Hut!” Scott yelled and his team took off. He wasn’t dumb enough this time to throw it towards Mike, so instead he threw it to Steve who was being covered by Wes. Steve caught the ball but was tagged about ten yards after the catch. Scott huddled and brought his team to the line of scrimmage again. Once again he yelled “Hut!” and the team took off. He threw it to Tony who caught the ball and was tagged shortly after. They did the same for the next couple downs until finally they scored on a pass from Scott to Andy. “That’s right, take the walk losers.” Scott yelled to the other team.

  “We’re still up by seven.” Mike yelled back to him as he jogged down the field. His team lined up just like before. Scott tossed the ball down the field. Mike caught it and ran out about fifteen yards before he was tagged down. He took his team back in a huddle. “Ok gonna go three on the left, one on the right, and one behind me. I want the three on the left to run straights for about ten yards then you choose. George you’re on my right. I want you to do a slant cross the field. Wes I want you behind me. I’m gonna fake the handoff to you and if George has two covering him going to hit him about fifteen yards up. But if he has triple coverage I’m hitting you with the ball.”

  “Me?” Wes asked in a bit of surprise.

  “Yeah, they think you suck but I know you can catch so you’re going to be covered loosely… It’s the perfect plan.” Mike began to smile. “Got it?”

  “Yes” Wes and George said.

  “On Go, ready break!” The team clapped their hands and lined up accordingly. Sure enough George had three guys in front of him. “Green seventy two! Green seventy two! Go!”

  His team took off Wes ran up beside Mike and they faked the handoff. Mike dropped back a few more steps and sure enough Wes was barely covered. He drew back and threw it right to him. Wes caught the ball, turned, and ran. He made it about thirty yards before they tagged him down. Mike’s team went back to the huddle.

  “Everyone line up where ever and do what ya want. Try to get open. Let’s just confuse them for a bit. I’ll hit whoever is open. Let’s go no huddle always on go.” His team lined up all over the place. There were three on the line and two in the back field. “Go!” Mike yelled and his team took off. He dropped back and surveyed the field. He saw Ritchie was open so he threw it towards him. He caught it and was tagged right away. The team lined up again. This time it was Adam who was open and he threw him the ball but it was tipped and no one caught it.

  “Second and ten.” Scott yelled.

  Mikes team once again lined up this time all on the line to his left. “Go!” he yelled. His team took off and once again Adam was open. He threw him the ball, this time he caught it and ran for about fifteen yards before being tagged down. They continued passing it to open man after open man. They were now about fifteen yards from the end zone. They lined up again going no huddle.

  “Time!” Scott yelled breathing heavily.

  Mike’s team went back in to a huddle. “Anyone have any plays or just keep doing what we’ve been doing?”

  Wes was the one who spoke up. “Well I can line up in the backfield and have everyone line up in front of me so their team lines up with us. They have been leaving you open all game, you toss it to me and then run out and I throw you the ball.”

  “I like it.” Mike said. “Everyone good with that?”

  The team nodded.

  “On go then.”

  The team broke the huddle and they lined up accordingly. Just as predicted Mike was left open. “Go!” He yelled. The team ran out taking the other team with them. Mike tossed it to Wes and then took off to the end zone. Wes dropped back a few steps and with all his might threw the ball over to Mike who jumped up and caught the ball landing in the end zone.

  “Touchdown!” He yelled as he spiked the ball. “That’s halftime.”

  Mikes team ran over to him and gave him high fives as Scott’s team sulked away.

  All the kids made their way through the small patch of trees to one of the houses that their back yard started at the tree line. They owners didn’t mind if they got a drink from the hose as long as they didn’t drown the yard and they shut off the water when they were done. Everyone lined up and they turned it on. They let it run for a bit till it got cold and then one by one they all filled up on water. When everyone was done they turned off the water and walked back to the field.

  “Our ball.” Scott said as his team began to walk to the other end of the field.

  “You guys ready?” Mike asked his team. When everyone nodded he drew his arm back and launched the ball down the field. Scott caught the ball and began to run but got tagged quickly after.

  Scott took his team back in to a huddle. A few seconds passed and he brought them out. He sent his team down the field and threw it to one of his open guys. They repeated this till finally Scott hit Andy in the end zone for a touchdown. Scott began to cheer. “Fourteen twenty one!” He yelled and he jogged to the end zone.

  Mikes team began to jog to the other side of the field. They barely got there before Scott threw the ball in a line drive to the ground making it bounce. The first person to the ball was George. He scooped up the ball just in time before he was tagged down by the opposing team.

  “That was cheap!” Mike yelled down to Scott.

  “Not my fault you guys took your sweet time turning around. You were down by your end zone before I threw it so it was legal.”

  Mike took his team in a huddle. “Ok let’s just keep doing what we were doing but it looks like they are gonna start playing dirty so heads up.”

  His team lined up and on go ran out trying to get open. The first one open was Wes so he threw the ball, and sure enough Scott who was covering Wes shoved him out of the way and caught the ball himself. He was on the other side of the field so he easily made it in the end zone before anyone could get to him.

  “What the hell Scott!” Mike yelled. “That’s bull man. You can’t shove him like that.”

  “I can’t help it if he’s a sissy and goes flying with a little tap. It’s a tie game crybaby. Get to walking or are you going to cry more?”

  Mike took his team down to the other side and once again Scott hurried the kickoff and threw it into the ground. This time Mike got to it first, snatched it up, and took off running. He made it about twenty yards before he was tagged.

  “Just do the same.” Mike said to his team. They lined up and once again on go took off.

  Scott’s team was giving cheap shot after cheap shot making it hard for anyone to get open. Mike sat back for as long as he needed to and then found George open as he cut back in towards him. He threw it and he caught it. They tagged him as hard as they could and he went tumbling to the ground.

  “You ok George?” Mike asked as he ran over to him. “Come on guys!” He yelled at the other team while he helped him to his feet.

  The possession continued like that. Mike got the ball to his players for short gains and they paid every time they touched the ball. Wes seamed to get the worst of it though. They must not have taken kindly to him throwing a touchdown on them. Thirteen plays later they made it into the end zone, the score now twenty eight to twenty one. Mike took a play out of Scott’s book and as soon as they made it to the
ir end zone he beamed it as hard as he could towards the ground and it began to bounce down the field. They ran around trying to scoop it up then they finally did but were downed as soon as they got it.

  While Scott’s team was in a huddle Mike gathered his up. “Listen if you want to get a little dirty then do it, fair is fair.”

  Scott’s team was making its way to the line of scrimmage so they had to break the huddle before anyone could really respond. They got the message though. They all decided to give the other team a dose of their own medicine. There was pushing and shoving from both teams now and everyone was tagging so hard they might as well have been playing tackle. Scott’s team had made their way down to about ten yards from the end zone. They lined up again and Scott hit Andy about a yard out of the end zone. Wes ran over and kicked his legs out from underneath him and he fell into the end zone.

  “That’s a touchdown!” Scott yelled.

  Andy got up and ran towards Wes and shoved him as hard as he could.

  Mike ran over and got in between them. “Come on Andy don’t be a sissy. That’s no worse than you guys have been doing to us.”

  Andy glared at Wes then turned and walked back to his team that had formed a huddle on the other end of the end zone.

  Mike went over to Wes and helped him off the ground. “Well don’t you have a big brass set?”

  Wes laughed. “This is getting fun.”

  Mike and his team jogged down the field but about three quarters of the way down he turned around and started jogging backwards so he would be able to see when Scott was going to throw the ball and the rest of his team followed suit.

  Scott chucked the ball high in the air after seeing he wasn’t going to be able to catch them off guard.

  Mike caught the ball and ran and was tagged down about mid field.

  The game continued like this till it was tied thirty five to thirty five with Scott’s team having the ball at mid field.

  Scott brought his team to the line of scrimmage and sent them out in their routes. Scott saw Andy open and he threw it deep in the air. Mike was a few yards away and began running towards him. Wes bumped Andy out of the way and jumped up to grab the ball but just touching it with his fingertips. It bounced off and went straight in to Mikes hands. He took the ball and began to run back the way he came. He dodged two members of Scott’s team before Scott himself tagged him down about ten yards outside of the end zone.

  “Time out!” Mike yelled. He sat the ball down at the line of scrimmage, jogged back and called his team to huddle up. “Ok we score, we win and can talk smack for many days to come. Wes, remember that play you called earlier? Well we are going to do that but in reverse. You are going to start off with the ball and then toss it to me then I’m gonna hit you in the end zone.”

  The team began to nod and smile.

  “On your go.” Mike said. The team clapped their hands and the huddle broke. They lined up at the line of scrimmage. Wes picked up the ball. This caught the other team by surprise but they quickly adjusted.

  “Three on Mike!” Scott yelled from the other side of the field.

  “Green forty four!.. Green forty four!.. Scott’s momma’s a whore! Go!” Wes yelled the team ran out and he tossed the ball to Mike then ran out. Scott was caught in the middle of the field and he started to run back to cover Wes. It was too late though. Mike had thrown the ball and Wes caught it at the one yard line.

  Scott made it there just in time for Wes to step into the end zone. He didn’t stop. He ran up and shoved him as hard as he could knocking him face first in to the back metal post of the soccer goal.

  Wes hit the post with a sickening thud and then collapsed to the ground.

  “What the hell man!” Mike yelled as he began to run across the field. He got to Scott and whipped him around. “That was bull shit man.”

  “Whatev...”

  That was all he could get out before Mike cocked his arm back and swung with all his might connecting square on Scott’s nose. There was a loud crack as blood began to flow from it.

  Scott grabbed his nose and ran off yelling.

  Mike walked over to Wes. “You ok man?”

  “Yeah, I probably deserved that.”

  “Yeah you kinda did.” He reached his hand out and helped Wes up to his feet. He already had a huge bump on his forehead and it was bright red. “However… It was hilarious and besides, he’s an ass anyways.” He turned to the rest of the team “Pools on me guys.”

  All the guys on the team cheered as they turned to follow Mike to the pool across the street.