100 Days Posting Challenge. Day 57. Let's play ball. Fiction story

Fuente

What’s happening? Blurt people! And again, this is a new post for this challenge, post number 57. Enjoy my new short story, dear anonymous reader.

You probably don't like sports or hate baseball as I do, but after doing this story, I'm more tolerant of them.

The little boy, while walking in wonder at Grandpa's trophy shelf, stopped in front of a series of autographed baseballs. However, one in particular caught his attention.

The boy took the baseball from the shelf and was surprised to see a symbol of crossed diamonds engraved on the ball.

"Grandpa, why does this ball have these squares drawn on it?"

"It's a long story to tell. Do you want to hear it?"

The boy nodded cheerfully

"I remember it was a long time ago," Grandpa breathed quietly and drew a smile.

"It represents the symbol of the Altarians, an alien race that decided to play a baseball game against the village team."

The little boy opened his eyes in a huge way

"That's right, they really were aliens. More than fear, what we felt was curiosity"

I was 22 years old at the time. Our manager had told us to imagine that it was just another team coming to our town to play against us. But, for our luck, that was far from the truth.

Among the Altarians' team, there were people who were almost 3 meters tall and others who were only half of that, but those ones were extremely fast.

As the sixth inning closed, we lost 6 races to 2 against the aliens. That's when left-handed Billy told the coach to get him into the game.

"Only a miracle will save us now. You better start warming up"

It was starting the 7th and Billy was on the mound. Number 22 of the Altarians was at-bat, not very high, but very fast. Mike (our former pitcher) could never strike out for either of them.

Jack, our catcher, was signaling Billy to use a curveball.

Billy nodded and made his first pitch. The 22nd batted, but to his surprise, the ball went faultlessly. Making his first strike! We shouted like crazy, the crowd rose up in excitement to catch the ball.

Billy had figured out a way to deflect the direction of the ball, making it impossible for them to get off the plate. He punched three of them! A ray of hope was beginning to appear for us.

We were in the dugout and before Jimmy went to bat, Billy said a few words that ignited the fighting spirit within us:

"Let's not give up, we have always been persevering, even stubborn, so to speak. They may be stronger and faster, but they don't have the endurance to play under this sun. They will never beat us at our favorite game"

"Let's teach them why we love baseball"

"Yeah!" they all shouted as one.

It was amazing how a few words changed the fate of the game.

Jimmy got ready to bat. Number 57, set out to make the pitch. Jimmy kissed his crucifix on his chest and then closed his eyes and hit hard. The previous times he had been struck out as he concentrated on using his eyes to see the ball. But this time, for the first time, he had hit the ball, knocking it off third base.

Jimmy made it safely to first.

It was Billy's turn, so he took the bat and pointed over the center field. Making them understand that he would be hitting a home run. So the Altarians moved away to the bottom of the garden. But to their bad luck, Billy just bunted the ball. At that time Jimmy ran to second base, the enemy catcher was surprised by the play, Billy took advantage to get to first base, then the fastest one of the Altarians came to reach the ball and throw it to 2nd base but Jimmy was safe.

The heat of the afternoon and the 2 plays that surprised the Altariaron, began to take effect in their moods.

It was then that it was the turn of Little John, we call him so because he was the taller one, over 6 feet tall.

The Altarian pitcher began to sweat. It was not used to the conditions of heat and stress. The enemy catcher, seeing that pitcher doubted, made a signal to its teammate to base on balls. Little Jonh had been "walked" by the pitcher. We already had 3 men on base.

I was the next batter. After the 2nd strike, I raised the ball to the right field. Jimmy ran home base and Billy ran third base. The smallest of the Altarians climbed on top of the taller and caught the ball before falling to the ground. Then he threw the ball to second base and to everyone's surprise, Billy had reached home base safely. However, they did double play on me and little John.

They changed the pitcher who immediately struck out our next batter.

The 8th inning started, 6 to 4 runs scored. The left-handed Billy again showed off by striking out three Altarian batters in a row. He was burning.

The new pitcher of team Altarian also was not far behind. He struck out 3 of our team too, finishing the 8th in a very short time.

The 9th started, we continued losing, 6 to 4. The Altarians had their turn at-bat. They connected a hit and got to first base but they replaced the player with the faster Altarian.

Billy was sweating. He was sure that the Altarian on first base would steal the 2nd base very easily. Jack beckons him to make another "miraculous" curve. Billy nods but warned Jack, by the sign language that only the local team knew, to throw 3rd base instead of second.

Jack was confused, but Billy told him with his lips: "Trust me".

Billy made the throw with his magic curve and immediately the first base player ran and passed through 2nd base straight to third, taking it for granted that they would throw the second base as usual. However, when the umpire claimed "strike one", immediately Jack threw to third base. Capturing the fastest player on 3rd base. The scream of the public was immediate. They cheered for our team again.

The new batter at home plate. Billy made a throw again and Alterian batter hit the ball that went down the first base line. I throw myself to find the ball and leave first base alone. Billy ran to first, when I managed to take the ball, I just threw it to 1st base, unknowingly Billy had already reached first base, catching the ball and making the 2nd out of the inning.

The audience went crazy again.

Billy struck out the next batter and with this, we completed the 3rd out. Our last chance had arrived.

Before going to the plate, Billy told Jimmy: "Close your eyes again"

Jimmy prepared himself to hit and again he closed his eyes the moment the pitcher made his pitch, he heard the buzz of the ball and the "Strike One!" from the umpire

Wait for the 2nd pitch and hit with his eyes closed, immediately run to first base, the shortstop fails to take the ball in time, surprised by the hit, throws the ball but arrives too late to 1st base. Jimmy was safe on the first.

It's Billy's turn and he's given a base on balls. The Altarians feared Billy.

It was little John's turn, then, he was struck out.

It was my turn at-bat. I swang and I hear the umpire say "Strike one!", I see Jimmy and he made me sign that I must not use my eyes.

"Do not see the ball, just hear it" I say to myself.

I close my eyes and the pitcher makes the pitch and I listen again to the umpire saying "Strike two!". However, I heard when the ball was coming closer around me.

I get ready again and close my eyes and I swing again, I feel the impact of the ball against the bat and listen to the umpire saying "Foul".

I wet my lips and returned to the batting position.

The pitcher again throws and I swing as hard as I can, causing the bat to split in a half and throwing the ball out of the park!

The crowd went crazy, Jimmy and Billy had started to run around the bases, I started running towards first base, I saw all the teammates come out of the dugout, I passed by each base, I saw everything in slow motion!

Excited public, trumpets, and horns cheering our team.

It was the time of our lives.

By the end of the afternoon, I had finished last in the locker room. That's when I saw the extraterrestrial team manager approach Billy and say:

"You were right about humans. They are a very particular species. They deserve to be taken into account and be guided to a better future for them and their planet. "

"When they work together towards a common purpose. They are invincible," Billy added.

I had always thought that Billy was from another world, but this clarified everything. I promised Billy I would never reveal his secret.

The manager gave me the winning ball engraved with the official emblem of their planet.

Thank you for reading

Hopely, see you tomorrow space cowboy.