27

INSPIRE OUR PEOPLE

Nanna’s in her bedroom with the door closed. She’s on her laptop, Skyping Mum. Justice and I are in the lounge room. It’s been a long night and my muscles are killing me. I can’t wait to change back to normal. Coach Bennett is outside on his phone. He’s talking about me to the Broncos’ management.

I hear Nanna’s bedroom door click open and she yells out, ‘Get down here, son! Your mother wants a word!’

When I walk into her room, she sneaks a look at my biceps. Nanna can’t believe what I’ve turned into, but she still wants me to know that she’s the boss, no matter how big I am.

‘Those muscles don’t mean anything here son — unless you want to use them for drying the dishes!’ she says.

When I see Mum on the screen, I can tell that she’s been crying. Nanna must have told her everything.

‘Look at you, Dylan!’ she says. ‘I thought your curse was gone forever!’

Nanna’s bed creaks under my big Deadly D butt when I sit down. ‘Me too, but I had this dream — it was so real — ’

‘Dylan,’ Mum interrupts.

‘Yeah?’ I say.

‘Nanna reckons that Coach Bennett wants Deadly D back.’

‘I know. That’s why he came up here — to find me.’

Mum wipes away a tear with a tissue. The screen freezes for a second until the Skype feed comes back.

‘This isn’t easy for me to say,’ Mum announces. It sounds like she’s going to drop a bombshell.

‘You know it’s not just Coach Bennett who wants you to play footy.’

‘Who else?’ I ask.

‘Um, everybody!’ Mum laughs.

‘What do you mean?’ I ask.

‘Haven’t you seen the news, boy? Every school is a madhouse since the kids lost their hero. They need Deadly D back.’

I scratch my scruffy hair and rub my fingers through the whiskers on my chin. ‘What are you trying to say?’

‘Be Deadly D again. Inspire our people! Always remember who you are and where you come from.’

That’s the second time today I’ve heard that advice. I’d better tell Coach Bennett that Deadly D will need his locker back.