CHAPTER 8

DODGE BALL

Once every season, Coach Jennifer took her team of Locomotives to Maximum Dodge Ball. The players, coaches, and parents would hurl dodge balls at each other and then go eat pizza.

On the dodge ball court, Dad ran for his life. Dad’s team was down to just Dad. Everyone else had been eliminated.

Ethan’s team was down to just Gavin and Ethan. Gavin ran up to the line and hurled the ball.

Dad tried to duck but got nailed on the head. Game over. Ethan and Gavin had a pretty good laugh. After Dad recovered, so did he.

As the guys exited their court, Ethan heard Christian growl from the next court over. He sounded like an angry bear.

Ethan said to Gavin, “I think that Christian takes this game too seriously.”

Gavin nodded.

Through the netted wall on one of the courts, Ethan saw Christian hurl a ball at a lineman’s head. The ball smacked off the kid’s ear—he was out. Now both dodge ball teams were down to one player. It was Christian against the punter.

The punter grabbed the ball and ran up to the line. He fired it at Christian’s knees. Christian jumped over the throw, retrieved the ball, and moved in on the punter. The punter retreated.

Christian growled. He reared back, took two mighty steps, and heaved the ball at the punter’s chest.

The punter tried to make the catch, but the ball smacked off his chest, ricocheted into his face, and flew up in the air about ten feet. The punter stumbled backward. The ball landed.

Christian won. He looked toward the waiting area and growled at everyone who had watched his victory.

Ethan said to Dad, “I bet Christian thinks he can go pro in dodge ball.”

“Yeah,” said Dad. “So does QB3000.”

“Maybe they’re the same person,” said Ethan.

“They could be,” said Dad. “You know, we’ve never seen QB3000.”

“We’re up,” Gavin said to Ethan.

Ethan asked, “Against Christian’s team?

“Yes,” Gavin said, “against Christian’s team.”

Ethan high-fived Dad. Then Ethan and Gavin gathered with Mason and Matt, the other guys on their team. Mason played linebacker for the Locomotives. Matt played safety. They agreed their odds of winning would be best if they both went after Christian first.

Gavin started with the ball. He walked up to the line. Most of the other team was lined up near the back out-of-bounds line. Christian stood in front of the other guys. He had his hands on his hips and a big smile on his face. Gavin chucked the ball at Christian’s feet.

Christian backed up and fielded the ball off the hop. He growled and charged toward Gavin. Then, right as Christian came up to the line, he changed direction. He reared back and pitched the ball at Ethan’s head.

Ethan saw it coming. He positioned his hands to catch the ball but at the last second slid out of the way. He was afraid he would have dropped it.

Christian growled. “I told you,” he said. “You can block better than you can catch.”

Mason grabbed the ball and flung it at Christian’s knees. Christian moved his leg out of the way, but the ball hit one of his teammates to knock him out.

Ethan high-fived Mason for getting an out.

“Right,” Christian said to Ethan. “Now you congratulate him. Too bad we never see that on the football field.”

Ethan and Mason couldn’t celebrate for long. One of their opponents had chased down the ball and was rushing toward the line. He fired the ball at Ethan. Ethan took a step backward but caught the ball for an out.

“Ethan caught the ball!” said Christian. “Wow!”

Ethan was upset at Christian’s mocking tone. He charged toward Christian but then changed directions to fake him. He hurled a rocket at Christian’s remaining teammate and got him out. Now it was three-on-one: Mason, Gavin, and Ethan against Christian. All the balls were on Christian’s side, though.

Christian growled. “This is how I like it,” he said. “Plenty of ammo. Plenty of room to move.” He walked over and picked up two balls. He stood with it and took a deep breath. Then he growled and charged toward the line.

Ethan prepared to catch a bullet, but Christian threw high over his head. He threw the other ball at Mason. The ball nailed Mason in the chest and bounced back over on Christian’s side of the court.

Mason was out.

Christian and Ethan retrieved balls.

“The two hot shots on the team,” said Christian. “The quarterback and his main target.” Christian paused for effect. “One for the money,” he said. “Two for show. Three to get ready, and four to . . . ” Christian wound up, yelled, “Go!” and threw the ball at Ethan.

The ball came in fast but off-target. Ethan stepped out of the way and watched as Gavin chased down the ball. Gavin, in turn, sprinted at Christian and fired the ball at his head.

Christian ducked the throw, went and grabbed the ball, and charged at Gavin.

Ethan got ready. He figured Christian would fake at Gavin and throw at him.

But Christian didn’t fake—he threw the ball at Gavin. When Gavin tried to catch it between his arms and chest, the ball bounced out of his grasp and rolled over near Ethan.

Now it was down to Christian and Ethan. Ethan held the ball.

Christian retreated to the middle of his side of the court. He didn’t grab a ball. He just waited. “Let’s see who has better hands,” Christian said. “Is it the receiver or the lineman?”

Ethan took a few steps to build momentum. He gunned the ball at Christian. The throw went off to the side.

Christian growled running down the ball. He growled as he charged the line. He growled as he threw.

Ethan saw the ball coming right at his chest. He stuck out his hands to catch it, and . . .

He dropped it.

Ethan was out.

Walking off the court, he saw Dad hanging out in the waiting area.

Dad broke into a big smile. “You want to go home and hit the dummy?” he asked.