Shadowball

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“They’re not going to let you play, Leon, ” Aidan said. “You’re a lantern, dude. Nobody wants you on their team.”

Undeterred, Leon continued through the door in the chain-link fence that surrounded the school’s stadium.

“Remember last time? I mean, just look at you. You’re barely 12, you’ve got chicken legs, and when you run, your head looks like a red mop flopping around.”

“I’m not listening, Aidan,” said Leon. “I’m going to try again. You start work on Monday, and then we’ll never get to play together.”

“It’s only a summer job. We can play when school starts again. Maybe you’ll be bigger by then. Look, this is for your own good. I don’t want you to end up eating grass again.”

“I’m gonna play today. I can feel it.”

“All right, whatever,” Aidan sighed. “Let me go talk to them first.” Aidan teleported to the crowd of players in the middle of the field. He apparated just on the outskirts of the group and edged his way in.

Leon exhaled nervously, straightened his gym shorts and adjusted his blue t-shirt. Everyone else looks so … athletic. I just look scrawny.

Tired of waiting, Leon bolstered his courage and jogged over to the group of kids in the middle of the field. It was almost dark and the stadium lights were already on. He passed the small phone-charging stations next to the bleachers. A mess of cables and phones were piled all around them.

Some of the kids in the crowd were bent over, breathing heavily, sweating. Tommy, a senior, stood in the middle negotiating who was going to play next and who would be on what team. He was large and rugged. His sweaty, white A-shirt was almost ripping from the muscles in his chest. All the kids were much older and bigger than Leon, but this one was a giant.

Last time Leon tried to play, Tommy only needed one finger to push Leon to the ground. Leon rubbed that spot on his chest, remembering the pain. He wished he had cool superpowers like the rest of them. He just wanted to be able to play shadowball like Aidan could, but Aidan was right; he was only a lantern. He couldn’t fly or teleport. No one wanted a lantern on their team.

Leon fought his way to the inner ring of the circle. Aidan noticed him and shook his head. His chances of playing didn’t look good.

“Hey, Tommy.” Aidan got Tommy’s attention and then pointed at Leon.

“Him? He’s your little brother?”

There was silence. Aidan didn’t say a thing, but his glare said, “I told you so.”

“He’s serious?” Tommy laughed. “Didn’t you get the hint last time, flashlight? We don’t let lanterns play.”

“I’m more than just a lantern,” Leon squeaked.

Tommy sneered. “Let me see what you can do then.”

Leon flushed bright red. He was sure his freckles were hidden by the deep embarrassment. Why did I say that? Think of something, quick.

Leon walked over to the kid with the ball, another senior who was tall and lanky. He held out his palms to the senior’s face and shone a bright light into his eyes. The boy was blinded and dropped the ball to shield his eyes. Leon quickly snatched it and presented it to Tommy with a smirk.

The crowd burst into laughter. Tommy laughed and Aidan chuckled nervously.

“Not a bad trick, flashlight,” snorted Tommy, “but you ain’t gonna play. Maybe you should go talk to Kaz Warwick. He’ll give you a real power.”

The crowd roared again. Tommy was bent over in laughter. “Yeah, he’s a genetic malfunction,” someone in the crowd shouted. More laughter. Everyone pointed and laughed at Leon.

“I’ll be better than you someday. Just you wait. I’m gonna have all the powers and then we’ll see who’s laughing!” Leon started walking towards Tommy. His face was scowling, his fists clenched. Aidan’s arm stopped him and pushed him back towards the bleachers. “Let go of me. I can handle him.”

“Stop it! They said no. You can’t play. Let’s go.”

“Listen to your brother, little guy,” said Tommy between fits of laughter.

“No. I’m going to play.”

Everyone laughed, but before Leon could push closer to Tommy, Aidan wrapped his arms around him. There was a sudden whooshing sound and they apparated near the bleachers at the base of the stadium. Leon took a step towards the laughing crowd of kids, but Aidan’s tight grip told him not to try again. He turned around and walked towards the chain-link fence. He had failed again.

They walked along a quiet street that ran the length of their small town named Bethel. Leon was playing games on his phone, as was Aidan. Street lamps lit their way. They passed no one, but high above their heads they heard an aeronaut fly by. Large pine trees filled the groomed yards of the houses along the street. The one-story homes had electric candles in their windows but lights from within shone brightly to the street. At one intersection Leon looked down to the main street a few blocks away and saw just one car. A speeder ran by it and it blasted its horn and swerved.

Leon wasn’t doing very well in the game. He was distracted, brooding on his failure and his destiny of being consigned to bullying, depression, and self-loathing for the rest of his life.

What’s a lantern good for? Nothing. That’s me: good for nothing.

“It’s all right, man. You’re still young.” Aidan hadn’t looked up from his phone. “You have plenty of time to get bigger and stronger. Then maybe get really good without any power.”

Leon snorted. “Yeah right. You know only people with cool powers can play.”

“Well, playing shadowball isn’t everything, you know,” said Aidan.

“Dude, it’s not about playing shadowball. I just …”

“You want a cool power. Yeah, I know.”

Silence, except for the sounds of the games on their phones.

“Do you think Tommy was right?” Leon looked hopefully at Aidan. Aidan was tall for his age with dark hair like Father’s. Sometimes Leon thought that people wouldn’t even think they were brothers, except for the small patch of light freckles on the bridge of his nose. Leon’s whole face was covered with dark freckles, but it was the only thing that linked them together.

“About what?”

“About getting powers from Kaz Warwick?”

Aidan sighed. “You’re green. Not even Warwick with his millions can change that. It’s who you are.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re a splincher.”

Aidan playfully shoved Leon. “I told you not to call me that. I’m a dumbledore.”

“Same thing,” Leon punched back. “But seriously, I’ve heard that Kaz Warwick uses dark energy and that gives him all nine powers.”

“I don’t know about that dark energy mumbo jumbo. Warwick invented the technology. He has to know how it works. He just gave himself all the powers.”

“How about the Firebolts? They have more than one power. Why can’t I?”

“They’re his team, duh.”

“Well, I’m going to find out, Aidan. I’m going to learn to use dark energy, so that I can have all the super powers.”

Aidan laughed. Leon wasn’t laughing.

Aidan rubbed his short hair. “You’re not kidding? Man, that dark power stuff scares me. I’d stay away from it.”

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