Noise pounded through Jason's head. Cheering, screaming, yelling, whistling, and all different types of chants echoed over the basketball court. But he was only concerned about one sound.
The sweet, sweet swish of a basketball scoring a basket.
Except the sound was now bringing a sour taste to Jason's mouth. It was the second half of the last game of the season, and the other team was now tied with the Tigers.
Jason's eyes flickered from the ball to the clock and back to the ball again.
He did a double take.
15 seconds left?!?!?
"Noah! Pass!" he bellowed hoarsely, and was relieved when his friend nodded, then dribbled around an offending player and threw the ball to Jason.
In no time at all, he was zooming down the court, feet on fire, hair tugging in every other direction, and sweat drip, drip dripping down his forehead. In the back of his mind he registered Hannah hollering encouragments and declarations of her love for him, but her shoved them to the back of his mind.
It was just him, the ball, and the net.
5 seconds.
He passed the ball back to Noah, who dribbled down to the net.
Four seconds.
Noah tossed the ball back to Jason.
Three seconds.
Jason caught the ball, and swiveled around to face the net.
Two seconds.
He shoots...
One second.
The ball swirls through the air in slow motion. The crowd holds its breath as it soars, up, up, up, towards the net, and Jason knows in his heart that it'll make it, that they'll win...
His heart was wrong.
The ball hit the backboard and bounced off.
No. Impossible. This was a dream, a horrible nightmare, and in a few seconds he was going to wake up and everything would be okay.
Jason stared in bug-eyed disbelief at the basketball hoop. He pinched his arm. He slapped his face. But the faces of his teammates remained angry and full of grief.
They had lost.
Falling to his knees, Jason raised his tormented face to the heavens, and let out a terrible scream of wanton abandon.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
YOU ARE READING
Failures
Random~in which i give greek tragedies a run for their money. euripides, i'm coming for your brand.~ a.k.a. i set up a common plot and then ruin the happy ending!!!!
