Chapter 1

                                                                       1.

The atmosphere around the ground was electrifying. It was the final match of the season. Our team was taking on the engineering team. A victory here would mean that we will be crowned champions. A lot of hard work had gone into reaching this position. And it was not just me but my entire team had worked really hard to reach the finals. This was probably our best performance in a long time and we were no longer the underdogs…but were a serious threat to the current champions. The score was tied and 0-0 and the match was evenly poised. We had to win the match…a draw just wouldn’t do. It was a league and currently we were 1 point behind the engineering team. The engineering team was playing a very defensive game ever since the second half started and it was pretty evident from their game play that they were taking it easy and playing for a draw.

 The ball went out and Tinu our full back restarted the game with a throw in. The ball was passed to me and I found myself in ample space to carry it forward. The opposition defenders were marking our forwards tightly making it difficult for me to find an open pass and the constant booing by the crowd was not really helping my concentration. I found Kabir lurking unmarked on the right flank and I passed the ball to him. As soon as I passed the ball the defenders attacked him like a pack of wild wolves which left the center of the field exposed along which I made the run. Kabir did well dodging the defenders for a while but there were too many of them for him to handle. I found myself in an open territory just a few meters off the goal.

‘Pass it.’ I yelled. But my words evoked no response from Kabir who was busy trying to cut through the defenders. ‘Pass it, Pass it’ I tried once more…but it didn’t work. Kabir instead tried a shot from an impossible angle and needless to say the shot was miles off-target.

I went up to Kabir and put my arm around him.

‘Dude what’s wrong with you? Why didn’t you pass the ball? Come on man we need to win this…it was an easy pass.’ I said.

‘Go fuck off you jerk…I am done with you.’ He said and shrugged my arm off his shoulder. He called for a substitution and was replaced by Subhu…the youngest and most inexperienced guy in our team.

We did not have a lot of time left so I called Subhu over who had replaced Kabir as the center forward and told him to take a shot whenever possible. I guess that was the only thing that I could think of at that time.

The ball was flying all over the field with my team taking constant shots at the goal and opposition team making long clearances of everything we shot at them. The time was almost up and there was hardly a minute or two left. I passed the ball to Subhu who was at the edge of the penalty box. Two defenders were standing in front of him and were making it impossible for him to take a shot. I took a look at the referee…he glanced at his watch and picked up his whistle and put it on his mouth. I knew the time was up and this was the last piece of play that was left of this match.

‘Subhu…SHOOT’ I yelled out of sheer desperation. I could not think of anything else.

Subhu took the shot; the ball hit the thigh of a defender and rebounded off it to reach right in front. I steadied myself and took a brief look at the target…I was just about to go for glory when I felt someone crash into me from behind. It made me lose my balance and I took a fall. The whistle was blown. I turned to the referee and saw his point to the spot.

‘Penalty.’ He said. The opposition defenders were gathering around him to tell him that it had been a mistake but he had taken the call. It was going to be a penalty kick.

I stood up and took the ball in my hand and headed for the spot. My team came running towards me and gathered around.

‘Rahul…you are not taking that penalty.’ Said Nishant – our goal keeper.

I was shocked at his statement. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ I said. ‘No one here does this better than me.’

‘Yes, but we don’t want you to take the kick.’ He said.

‘See Nishant…I am not buying this bullshit of yours anymore. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you all today but I am going to take this kick and win us this game. You guys have fucked it up enough.’ I said getting really agitated.

‘Fine…have it your way.’ He said and walked away with the team.

I placed the ball on the penalty spot and walked back for my run up. I saw my team walk off the field as if they weren’t interested. The crowd was at its loudest now. It was the most intimidating moment of my life. These people who had loved the way I played for all these years were the ones who were booing me. Little beads of sweat dripped down from my forehead onto my cheeks. This was it…I was one kick away for becoming a hero but it did not feel like it. There was no support…only a widespread hatred all around which made me doubt my own abilities.

‘Ready?’ asked the referee.

I just looked blankly at the ball as my mind got clouded with a mixed sense of self-doubt, anxiety and a pressure which I had never felt before.

‘D’costa are you ready?’ the referee asked again and I nodded.

He blew his whistle. I took a deep breath…made that run and took the shot. For a moment everything started moving in ultra slow motion. I saw the ball heading towards the top corner…I saw the goal keeper make his jump…and then I saw the ball skimming the top corner of the goal post and go out of play. The sounds around me seemed to disappear…a feeling of heaviness overtook me…tears crept up into my eyes…right then a part of me died.