Page 80 of House of Pain
Valentine and Raven both moved closer, but Blaze was faster.
He ducked, almost falling on his knees on his board, and flew right out from under them. Without hesitating, without even glancing to make sure that Andro was still there, Blaze passed the ball.
There was no time to check whether Andro caught the ball because Blaze’s board went sideways as Dominic slammed into him from underneath, Valentine and Raven following soon after.
Blaze lost his balance, whirling in the air, and his legs were suddenly over his head, or his head was under his feet. He couldn’t tell.
It all happened so fast, and then Blaze was falling.
Right into the trees of the nearby forest, branches scratching his face and naked arms as he fell.
Blaze’s bones rattled as something hard hit his chest and knocked the air out of him.
When Blaze opened his eyes, he found himself draped over a branch, head and legs swinging a good ten feet away from the mossy forest floor.
Blaze groaned, his head pounding.
Fucking Hel.
Dominic seemed to be determined to actually kill Blaze.
The crowd cheered again, and Blaze only hoped that it was Andro who scored another goal.
Blaze’s rib was broken.
But he was alive.
And they had won the game.
“Don’t forget to come by tomorrow for a checkup,” the healer said as she finished bandaging Blaze’s chest.
Blaze nodded. “Thanks, Gillian.”
Gillian murmured something under her breath, her crooked bony fingers scrambling to pack away her tools. “One day, Leveau, you’re going to find yourself dead.”
Blaze chuckled.
“Is it my fault that I get hurt during the games?”
Gillian’s black pupilless eyes bore into him.
“It’s your fault you have a filthy mouth that pisses other people off.”
Andro laughed. “She’s not wrong, Blazy.”
Gillian was indeed not wrong at all.
“Great game, everyone.” The coach’s voice boomed as he entered the locker room, striding towards Blaze. “Good job, Leveau. This is what I want to see every fucking game, you hear me?”
Blaze nodded, a cigarette already resting between his lips.
Coach yanked it right out of his mouth before he could light it, crushing it in his palm.
“What did I tell you, Leveau?”
“You told me not todrink,” Blaze pointed out, sighing. “You didn’t say anything about smoking, Coach.”
Coach’s eyes narrowed as he grunted. “Don’t make me kick your ass, Leveau.”
