Page 169 of Chasing Headlines
“Coop. The winning baserunner. He just came off concussion protocol and took a pretty solid blow to his head.”
“Yeah, of course. Let me grab?—”
“Oh. Maybe he’s ok. Did he hurt his ankle?” Coop moved with a mild limp. Eberhardt and Antonio flanked him. The coach paused to take a clipboard from the ump.
Coop and Antonio continued toward the dugout. The team spilled out of the box and into foul territory on the field. Jumping and hollering.
Arizona had exited the field in a rush. Grounds crew members raked at dirt and pulled up bases.
I took my eyes off Coop for that long: long enough to register the other team had left, the groundskeepers had taken over. The rapid exit by fans seated on the lower level.
That long.
When I glanced back, it was too late. To move, to shout!
Coop folded and dropped to the ground like lightning had struck and turned him into a lifeless rag doll.
I screamed.
Breslin POV
Light blared as someone pointed the sun directly in my eyes. I winced and tried to block it out. Something wouldn't let me push it away.
Fingers pressed at my right eye. “Can you tell me your name?” A woman’s voice spoke. Cold pressed against the left side of my face.
Livvie?A name, but . . .
“Yo, come on, Coop. Snap out of it.”
“You’re not supposed to tell him his name.” Another voice spoke. Everything was blurry. I didn't want to open my eyes. Ice shifted over my jaw. “Defeats the purpose.”
“Who the hell’s this guy?”
“I’m helping Remi.”
I tried to see . . . what was going on.
“Can you focus?” The woman's voice again. “Look at me.”
I tried to open my mouth and speak, but my face felt like it was stuffed with cotton. My body drooped from my bones. I just needed to lay down and?—
“Hey, nope, you’ve got to stay upright.” The ice disappeared and a blurry face I didn’t know hazed across my vision.
“Want to sleep.”
“No way, 'mano. Soccer-man, don’t let him fall. I've got his stuff. Coach’s bringing the car.”
“Where am I?” My head whirled. It wanted to lay down. My eyelids weighed at least fifty pounds.
“You tell me.” That female voice spoke again. I dragged my lead-filled head up and found myself staring into the v of a woman’s low cut shirt. Smooth, round breasts stared back. They were nice. I wondered if I could use them as a pillow.
“Eyes up or I’ll dropkick you into the next county.”
I tilted my head to glare at Soccer-man. The leaden thing was too heavy for my neck. And her chest looked so comforting . . . Comfortable. Something . . .
“Let’s try this again.”
A sharp odor burned my nose. I jerked away. But it was too late. The stuff stung my brain, buzzing and aching. Ugh. That light again. I growled. “Turn that off.”