Suspended by Robert Rayner

referee … calling him a … I can’t believe what he called him. I’ve never heard a referee called that before. I’ve never heard anyone called that before. The referee looks shocked — so do some of the adult spectators — and it’s a red card for the Wanderers’ coach. He’ll have to spend the rest of the game well clear of the touchline. Hawler, who seems to have made a quick recovery, prepares to take the penalty. He shoots high to the right. Flyin’ Brian launches himself across the goal and his finger tips, clawing desperately, turn the ball against the post. As he lands heavily, Hawler, following up, taps the ball into the net.
    St. Croix Middle School 3 – Cemetery Road Wanderers 1
    Shay, Julie and Magic move up the field, passing and overlapping one another as the opposing defenders challenge them. Jones smacks into Magic, leaving him sprawled on the ground. Julie loses her footing and falls as she is shoulder-charged by another defender. Shay keeps running. He rounds one defender, spins away from another, and, seeing the goalkeeper on the edge of his penalty box, chips the ball over him and into the net.
    The crowd is silent.
    St. Croix Middle School 3 – Cemetery Road Wanderers 2
    The Wanderers are pressing for an equalizer. The St. Croix goalkeeper rolls the ball out to Tiny Jones, who shapes to pass left but finds Jillian in the way. He prepares to pass right, but Flip is there. He starts forward, but seeing Julie ahead, passes back to his goalkeeper. Julie speeds past him in a whirling mass of flying hair and pumping elbows. The goalkeeper dives for the ball, but the Wanderers’ midfielder is too fast and pushes it under him into the net.
    Not a sound from the spectators.
    Wait — yes, there is.
    One spectator, standing alone far back from the field, who arrived just in time to see the Wanderers score, is applauding. She’s a tall, blonde lady, with big, round glasses …
    St. Croix Middle School 3 – Cemetery Road Wanderers 3
    With only seconds left and the teams still tied, the Wanderers keep pressing. The St. Croix goalkeeper clears from the melee of defenders and forwards jostling in his goalmouth. Shay traps it, looks quickly around … Gives some kind of signal … The St. Croix defenders swarm around the Wanderers … There’s no room for anyone to move and no chance to score. But wait ... Linh-Mai, running from deep behind the attack, is drifting toward the St. Croix goal, unnoticed by the home defenders. Shay twists clear of two defenders and passes to her. Suddenly aware of the danger, Hawler turns on Linh-Mai with a roar. She pokes the ball past him, and past the goalkeeper. She reels back as Hawler thunders towards her. At the last moment Toby throws himself between them. Hawler bounces off him. The whistle sounds as the ball trickles into the goal.
    The referee points to Toby; it’s obstruction. No goal.
    Mr. Finch strides onto the field. “Goal — and end of game!”
    The St. Croix supporters watch in dejected silence.
    The solitary Wanderers supporter, the tall blonde lady with the big round glasses, applauds and slips away.
    St. Croix Middle School 3 – Cemetery Road Wanderers 4

14
Grandad
    As we hurried back to the van, each of us still yelling and high-fiving and just hoping not to be told the game didn’t count, a voice called through the open driver’s window of a car, “Shay. Wait, please.”
    I stopped and looked around. Ms. Dugalici climbed from the car.
    â€œJust a moment,” she hissed at the others. “I know you’re anxious to leave. I’ll only keep Shay for a few seconds.”
    Ms. Dugalici folded her arms and leaned back against her car. “Miss Little’s a good friend. I hope you appreciate her.”
    I nodded. “We all like Miss Little.”
    â€œShe came to see me yesterday. She told me how you and your friends have broken all the