Incinerate

Chapter 14 - High School Football Hero

"There's someone outside the house."

Cujo stands guard, stiff and watchful, at the living room window. Beyond the pane in the dwindling light, a car is parked next to our mailbox. The headlights shut off, but a small light glows within the vehicle. It isn't long before my phone buzzes in my pocket.

Elliot: Hey Ash! I'm here. Do you want me to come knock on your door or wait for you out here?

Me: I'll be right out

"Hey Mom, I'm heading out to the football game," I call out from the front door.

"Okay, have fun!" she calls back from somewhere. "Love you!"

"Love you too!"

"Be safe." Cujo trots over to the door and sits, looking up at me with his begging brown eyes. "Must give pats for safety."

"Of course," I oblige, even kissing him on the top of his furry head.

Out in the cooling gentle breeze, I make my way down the drive. Elliot hops out of her car and meets me at the road. We exchange simple hellos and start down the street.

"Sorry I'm a little late," she says. "I got caught up in some stuff my mom was wanting me to do this weekend. Almost had to sneak out just to make it."

"It's all good, no worries," I tell her.

To be honest, while part of me had figured she had been running behind, another part of me worried that she had decided against going to the game with me. I diddled around on my phone just before six, waiting for Elliot to text me. A few minutes after the toll of the hour didn't make me too anxious; after all, no one has perfect punctuality. But when quarter-past came and went, it brought with it those disappointing concepts. By 6:25, I had all but given up hope.

"At least the gates will already be open by the time we get there," I offer as a consolation. "Less time waiting in line!"

"That's a good way of looking at it," she agrees. "We'll still find good seats, I'm sure."

"So what kept you?" I ask as we turn onto Sullivan. "If it's nothing too personal, of course. Don't wanna overstep boundaries or anything."

"Just family stuff," she explains with a hint of hesitance. "She wanted to take me on a trip, but I didn't wanna go. So she had me get stuff together for her and whatnot."

"Oh, okay. What kind of trip is she going on?"

"Some retreat or something, I think," she shrugs. "Not too sure, honestly. But it felt like a good weekend to stay in town, ya know?"

The stadium lights shine bright in the distance. Cars pass us by as we near, most pulling into the parking lot while others find a spot along the curb. The excited babble grows as we follow the crowd along the outer edge of the parking lot and down to the entrance. A chain link fence separates the asphalt of the road from the clay of the track field surrounding the lush green gridiron.

A table sits to one side of the open gate where two women take cash and hand out tickets. Beyond them is the bustling mob of football fans.

"There sure are a lot of people here," I say.

"Yeah, most of the town is pretty supportive of our sports teams," she tells me. "Mostly football, but basketball gets a good sized crowd too."

"Elliot!" one of the women cheers. Decked out in an oversized football jersey in the school's colors, a baseball cap with the Knights' logo, and "66" painted on her pink cheeks, she looks so small yet more than excited. "What you got here?"

"Hi, Ms. Beauregard!" Elliot gives her a little wave. "This is my friend Ash. He's new this year."

"Is that right?" her inquisitive gaze moves to me. "Well, welcome to Heritage Grove, Ash. Entry is two bucks."