After the Eagles took back the lead, the Dons crashed hard. Heads were hung, curses were muttered, and flames dwindled. But they put on brave faces when the defence returned. Shame and guilt bore down heavily on the shoulders of every Don who'd been on the field for the touchdown.
Of course, the opposite occurred on the other side of the field. The Eagles were back where they belonged—in control—and it was all thanks to Fale.
Cheers and applause welcomed him alongside fist bumps and head taps. Coach Lipp made sure everyone knew Fale's great efforts and even greater strength were why they'd win.
Fale met his teammates with heavy slaps to the back and helmet, light punches to chest and shoulder. 'We gotta finish the job!' he shouted. 'We can't let them back in the game.'
The kickoff came next, but the Eagles' defence would be out there soon, and they weren't about to relinquish the lead.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback. Coach Hoang watched Ty closely. How had Fale beaten Ty? Why did Ty ALLOW himself to be beaten? It shouldn't have been possible. But Ty hadn't gone to that next level, hadn't tapped into his inner strength, into what made him special. A terrifying thought enveloped Coach Hoang's thoughts—maybe he couldn't.
He delved into memory, reliving their past games, past victories. Ty was usually the deciding factor, and usually his duels came down to tests of skill. Either he was a match physically, or his strengths made up for his weaknesses—Vance was stronger but Ty was faster, Marshall was taller but Ty could jump further.
The differences were in who had the better footwork, or coordination. Who could read their opponent and the ball's flight path better. In the tougher cases it came down to who had better hands.
The few times Ty truly struggled were when he was physically outmatched, without anything to counter those imbalances—Langford's speed was too much even for Ty, Kingston's combination of both speed and power allowed him to bulldoze Ty.
Fale was an overwhelming personification of strength. Ty's speed should've nullified that difference, but he wasn't getting the chance to use it. Maybe Fale's strength was too special to overcome.
"There has to be a way I can help him … what use am I if I can't?" But an extra defender to double Fale would just get in the way, and the rest of the defence was already containing the run game so Ty didn't have to worry about it. "There has to be something more."
With the offence marching onto the field, Bella slid into the seat beside Ty. Coach Hoang's expression soured. After a failure like that, giving up a touchdown, Ty needed space to cool off, it's why he hadn't engaged the boy … however, maybe Bella would be different. He waited and watched how their interaction played out.
'You holding up okay?' she asked.
Ty side-eyed her, scowl etching deeper into his face. 'What do you think?'
She looked at the scoreboard. 'It's only one touchdown. It's not a big lead.' She turned back to him. 'One score and the game's tied again.'
He grunted. 'True. But it doesn't change the fact I fucked up.'
'So you fuck up once and the game is over?' She raised a brow, eyes challenging. When he didn't rise to it, she pressed on. 'How many times do they get to fuck up? Twice already, right? They'll fuck up again, you'll FORCE them to fuck up. Just get another touchdown and then stop them one more time. That's all it takes, right?'
'That's the idea. But it's a lot easier said than done.'
She frowned, worrying over him. He was in a foul mood, growling every time he spoke. The worrying part was that he wasn't cold. He was hot. Burning hot. A fire was eating him up inside. And he was close. Too close. She could feel him right there next to her, feel the flames licking against her skin like she was walking on the surface of the sun.
Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe everything was alright. Is that how it worked? He burned so hot he burned himself out? Wasn't a star supposed to burn brightest before it died?
She sat back, sighing. There wasn't any use worrying about it while he was on the bench. The offence was out there and they still had a job to do, still had an impact on the game.
A laugh escaped her, causing Ty to glare at her and ask: 'What's funny?'
'Maybe I'm freaking out over nothing. I mean, it's not like you HAVE to get another touchdown. Maybe Jay and the others will finally get their shit together and score.'
Ty sat back, arms crossed over his chest. That'd be something. It was a possibility. Fale was still pissed, and while he might've got the best of their exchange, the offence could throw him a curveball. "How'll the wall work when you're on the other foot, preacher. Show me." If Ty was lucky, he could get some insight on how to tear down the wall himself.
Fale WAS still angry. The touchdown had done nothing to lessen his fury. He'd been transformed into a determined killing machine, with the Dons locked in his sights, and there was no going back until the job was finished. His oppressive wall closed in on the Dons' offence.
Testing the wall with a run, the Dons went absolutely nowhere. It was almost a catastrophe as Fale came screaming around the edge and slammed into Chris's side, the ball knocked loose for a moment before Chris recovered and tightened his grip. However, knowing he hadn't fumbled did nothing to ease Chris's pain.
Cameron was sent in as Chris was given time to rest on the sideline, and a quick checkup just to be safe. He was fine, but the Dons were still on the back foot. Coach Long hoped their new passing attack worked, 'cause the run game sure as hell wasn't.
Fale blitzed hard, timing the snap to perfection, he shot past Benny who scrambled out of the way into his Wheel route. Fale nearly even passed the Tackle without getting touched, easily shrugging off the weak push. By the time Jay had finished his quick drop back, Cameron was the only thing standing between him and destruction.
Chris should've been in that spot, should've faked the block and slipped past to offer up another target. Cameron wasn't much of a Receiver, having bricks for hands at the best of times. At least he used his bricks to delay Fale as much as he could.
Another target had to be found. Benny was the only one. Fale was bearing down on him, so Jay had to react quickly. Before Benny had even turned up to complete his Wheel, Jay let the ball go.
Benny whipped his head around just in time, getting his hands up, he bobbled the ball, but secured it on his second grab. He steadied himself and powered on, sprinting ahead. Stephen led the way, blocking his defender and escorting Benny upfield, turning the quick, panicked pass into a gain of 11, earning the Dons a first down.
The plan had worked, even if it didn't go perfectly, and Chris wasn't there, it had worked. Fale had thrown off the timing and it'd still worked. The Dons could do it. They could even the game again.
That was the sentiment shared throughout the Dons' huddle as they moved ahead for their next set of downs. Chris returned to replace Cameron, who was praised on his way back to the bench, and again when he sat back down.
The Dons were ready. They looked to the air again. Fale didn't blitz, instead he erected his wall in front of Benny, preventing him from getting a clean release off the snap. Benny put his head down, persevering and pushing through, eventually dragging Fale deep. It was slower than it should've been, but he did his job and pulled Fale into deep, uncomfortable waters.
Jay had time in the pocket. Chris chipped in to keep the O-Line steady. Stephen shot across the field on his Post. Hawk watched Jay's eyes and Stephen's route. Perfect. Nothing stood in Benny's way. He just had to go up and beat Fale in the air.
Jay launched the ball over, lobbing it high. Hawk skidded to a stop, but he wouldn't be able to fly in and disrupt the pass. It was just Benny and Fale.
Benny looked back, locating the ball amongst the dome's lights. Fale noticed the shift, raising a hand to block the ball. But Jay's pass was precise down to a centimetre. Benny didn't even need to adjust his stride as the ball dipped over Fale's hand, past Benny's shoulder, and into his waiting arms.
Even the Eagles' supporters left their seats after witnessing the picturesque completion. Ooo's and ahh's leaked out of open mouths as Benny secured the ball just before Fale shoved him out. The Dons had gained another 23 yards through the air. Their confidence only rose as the opposing chants shrank.
Hawk adjusted the next play, looking beyond Stephen's Go route, not getting suckered over by it. Benny's release was quicker that time, pushing past Fale's press easier, he flowed smoothly into his Corner, drawing Hawk's attention.
It was a mistake, but that's how the Dons had crafted it. They'd put Hawk in an unwinnable scenario. Jay hit Stephen instead, and the giant towered over his foe for another 20 yard catch.
The Dons had raced across half-field and were just outside of the red-zone. One more big play and they'd be in the end-zone, just like that, with barely two minutes gone by.
The Eagles fell back, offering Hawk more air support, blocking off their end-zone and preventing another deep shot. But that gave Cole too much space underneath, and he picked their loose zone apart. Jay fired into windows that seemed the size of a house after the dimes he had to drop to Stephen and Benny.
Another failed blitz by Fale, and consequent dump-off to Chris, brought the Dons to the goal-line. Just 4 yards from salvation. They were so close they could taste it.
The Eagles' supporters chanted louder, voices dripping with fear. They could tell the game was slipping away, falling through their fingers; the more desperately they clung to it, the faster they lost control.
But the defence was ready to make a stand. It was do or die and both teams knew it. Jay could smell the fear, unsure which side had the heavier cloud of it. He saw some of the Dons shaking in the huddle; it was all he could do to stop his own hands from trembling.
Looking out at the Eagles as both sides took their formations—JJ and Cameron in the backfield behind him—strengthened Jay's resolve. He saw young faces and old under the Eagles' helmets. How many seniors were on the Eagles' roster? How many were struggling with the fear that they could be playing their last game?
He knew how many were struggling with that same fear on his side. There was no room for compassion on the gridiron. The coliseum demanded blood, and Jay was willing to sacrifice another family if it meant his got to see one more game.
The ball was snapped, and Jay handed it off to Cameron who surged ahead. JJ led the way like a bulldozer, knocking Elias aside and holding him at bay. Cameron was through, could go all the way, just a little bit further.
But Fale collapsed the right side of the Line and stopped Cameron short, knocking him on his ass at the 2-yard line. Fale stood tall, breathing heavier as he beat his chest.
'You won't take another step!' he yelled. The Eagles rallied behind his war cry.
The Dons were so close, another run just like that, just two more yards and they'd make it. But the morale boost the Eagles received from Fale's last stand, it was like a physical presence, and Coach Long could feel it even on the sideline.
'We'll have a better chance of running through a brick wall head first than getting in the end-zone on the ground,' Coach Long said.
But the field had changed. Their long range strategy would be useless in such a small area. And without Stephen and Benny stretching the Eagles defence, Cole didn't have any space underneath. They had to go back to the bootleg.
Cameron and JJ were kept in to better sell the Play-Action. Jay faked the hand-off and wheeled around, heart quickening as he ran into the open field, nothing between him and Fale. Trying something for the second time, was never gonna be as effective as the first, and Fale wasn't as panicked. He sat halfway between Benny and Jay, ready to pounce on either one depending on if Jay tried to run or pass.
Jay was the one who hesitated then. He cocked back to throw on the run, and Fale shifted over. Jay could tuck and run, but movement caught the corner of his eye. Hawk had sprinted down to attack him, swooping in for the kill. Bracing himself, Jay threw the ball just before Hawk smashed him. The ball floated through the air, and Fale stretched out to intercept. Benny lunged, the two running into each other, both getting a hand to the ball, but neither securing it.
The pass was incomplete, and the Dons were pushed to third down. It looked like they were running out of options, too.
In the huddle, Benny pulled Jay close and said: 'I think we can do it. If we run the bootleg, I can trick him. I'll run an Out like normal, then whip back across the middle.'
Jay winced. The middle of the field was tight. He could maybe squeeze a pass in, but it'd have to be up high from that angle. Something that'd leave Benny exposed to all kinds of trouble from the defence—a hospital pass.
Benny saw the concern on Jay's face, and grasped his shoulder. 'I'll catch it if you put it somewhere only I can reach it, Jay.'
Jay sighed. 'Alright … I trust you, dude … just … don't get hurt … you're gonna get hit … real hard.'
Benny smiled. 'I can take it.'
They returned to their positions. Jay had to wait a few heartbeats longer to steady his hands before calling for the snap.
He whirled around, faking the hand-off again, then wheeled out into the open. Benny was still drifting towards the sideline, but as soon as Jay turned front on, he whipped around.
The sudden shift wrong-footed Fale, but he recovered quickly, still posing a formidable wall in front of Benny. Jay had to lob the ball high, putting a lot of faith in Benny, AND the football gods. "Please don't let him get hurt."
Even with the lobbed pass, the ball only just flew over Fale's extended hand as he and Benny jumped to make the catch. Benny reeled the ball in, landing in the end-zone.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Elias speared into him, halting his momentum in an instant. Fale kept moving forward, crunching Benny between the two hulking slabs of muscle. It was like a car crash, and just like a car crash, one couldn't look away.
'BEN!' Jay screamed. A gasp came from the crowd as Benny crumpled. Jay didn't hear it, didn't hear anything as he rushed forward. He shoved both Fale and Elias aside as they stood over Benny. 'Ben! You okay?!'
Benny groaned, face twisted in pain. He looked up at Jay with one eye, grinning through the pain. 'Told you … I'd catch it.'
He pushed the ball into Jay's chest, and only then—clutching the ball against himself—did Jay hear the whistles and the announcement of a touchdown.
Other Dons stepped in, pushing Elias and Fale further away, taking offence to how close the Eagles were standing. Of course, the Eagles took offence to the shoving and started pushing back. The scuffle didn't evolve beyond such jostling, thankfully, and the Dons kept their wall strong in front of Benny, protecting him.
JJ helped Jay pull Benny to his feet, each boy laying one of Benny's arms over their shoulders, they helped him to the back. He wouldn't see any more playing time that game, but the consolation was watching the extra point sail through the uprights, and seeing the score tick over to 21 a piece.
Once more, the game was tied. And as time dwindled in the last quarter, it looked as if the next score would decide the winner.