| |
Charlie Fry had been playing at Crickledon Rec for as long as he could remember.
He loved the park.
It felt like home.
And now it was under threat.
The thought of six weeks with no football at the Rec felt like a lifetime.
Peter and Joe would be appalled.
He wished his best friends were here to help get him out of this mess.
But they were not.
Emma may have been hot-headed when she struck the deal – but she had a point. It was their home ground and they had to try to protect it.
At least they did not have to race to the Rec every night in the hope of getting a game ahead of the Moss Green mob.
One way or another, they would know.
They still only had six players – possibly seven if Wrecka brought his cousin along.
But that was the beauty of park football.
One of the things Charlie loved most about playing at the Rec was you never really knew who you would line up with.
Moss Park may have been an unfriendly bunch but they were the exception.
Usually small groups of kids turned up with their own ball and ended up in a game with Charlie and his friends.
Others often bowled up purely on the off-chance they might be able to bag a game.
And Charlie thought that may work in their favour today.
He planned to get to the Rec early – before everyone else – and hoped someone who usually would join them could be convinced to give them a hand.
As far as plans went, it was a pretty rubbish one.
But what other choice did they have?
He had not heard anything back from Bishop. And everyone else was busy.
Either they were going to get exceptionally lucky or they would get a pasting.
Charlie arrived at the Rec at 5.15pm.
There were still 45 minutes until the game was due to kick off.
Apart from the usual dog walkers and some young kids playing on the climbing equipment at the far end of the park, there was no-one about.
The football area was empty.
Charlie grinned to himself.
He loved just looking at the grass – a place where so many stories had been made and glories shared.
He dumped his bag and booted the football into the distance. It was time for a short warm-up before the others arrived.
He raced after the ball but stopped midway and began to choke up mouthfuls of thick, green gunge.
Charlie automatically reached into his pocket for a tissue and his inhaler.
This wasn’t good.
He had done physio earlier and his cystic fibrosis had been behaving recently.
But the heat made it tough to breathe.
Charlie could feel the panic begin to rise. He needed to get his breathing under control quickly and forced himself to stay still and remain calm.
Gradually oxygen seeped back into his lungs.
Charlie knew it was a bad sign though.
He would have to be careful during the match, especially during the first half while the sun was still shining brightly and the temperature had yet to fall.
Frustrated with his lungs for continually failing him, he flicked the magic target in his head onto the tree near his bag.
The target, which was always bouncing harmlessly around Charlie’s eyesight, sprang to life immediately. It locked on the tree in a blink of an eye and flashed green.
With a delicate swing of Charlie’s boot, the chip flew directly at the tree. It clipped the trunk and dropped down beside the backpack.
“Nice shot, Boy Wonder.”
Charlie twisted round to see where the voice came from. He had been completely unaware that he was being watched.
Brian Bishop stood 10 paces behind him.
Charlie could have hugged his friend – even if he had ignored his messages all week.
Instead he settled for a high five.
Bishop looked confused: “Now what’s all this about a football match?
“Am I early or too late? I only read your countless messages an hour or so ago.”
Charlie laughed.
“You are right on time Bishop, believe me.”
Bishop looked towards the gates at the top of the park.
“Ah yes. Here comes more of the team, I see.”
Charlie followed his friend’s gaze.
He expected to see Emma. Or Wrecka. Or perhaps even Mudder.
But it was none of them.
Walking across the grass with a battered pair of ripped jeans and drinking a can of cola was football genius Ad Leeshinski.
The cavalry had truly arrived.