Scarlett’s heartbeat raced as she tightened her grip on the bat. Squeezing her eyes shut, she swung the bat after the bowler launched the ball in the air.

“Strike three! Bullstang wins, HovenBee loses!”

Team Hovenbee groaned and surrounded Scarlett, cursing and blaming her that she made their team lose. You see Scarlett was the worst player in the whole school and she only got picked when there was no other option and all hope was lost. Not that she would ever make the team win.

Sighing, Scarlett took off her helmet and brushed the dirt off her skinny frame. Many spectators had lost hope as soon as Scarlett entered the field and had left already. Ignoring everybody, Scarlett grabbed her backpack and began to walk home. The day’s events kept on replaying in her head and without realising it, she ended up taking the wrong route home.

The red-haired girl was brought back to reality by the roaring of clouds and large drops of rain pelting on her face. Scarlett sighed when she realised she was lost and frantically began to look for shelter, shivering violently in the cold rain. A toy shop caught her eye and she dashed towards it. She opened the door and entered it.

It was warm and dark inside the shop. Scarlett wrung out her red hair and scrutinised the shop, suddenly noticing a small, queer man behind the cash counter. She greeted him and delved further into the small, dusty shop, looking at all the toys with great interest. Her gaze landed on a shiny wooden baseball bat and she went closer, picking it up and examining it.

The bat had a peculiar aura around it and Scarlett instantly realised that she wanted it. Patting her pocket, she smiled, satisfied as she felt her wallet in it and went up to the counter to purchase it. The shopkeeper’s eyes widened as he saw the bat and refused to sell it, but Scarlett insisted, offering more money than any bat costs. The shopkeeper knew the bat was priceless, but he needed the money too, so he gave in, selling the bat to the girl.

However, he warned her, “Remember, you can use that bat in only three matches. If you use it more than thrice, you will regret it your whole life.”

Nodding excitedly, Scarlett left the shop and walked home cheerfully, not minding the rain one bit.

The next baseball match took place a week later. Scarlett’s hopes were low. She knew she wouldn’t be able to do well, no matter how good her bat was. The match started and both teams played really well. After an hour both teams ended up with the same scores, both needing one point to win.

Scarlett was up next and she tried to calm her nerves as she walked into the field. Her fingers wrapped around the bat handle and, taking a deep breath, she swung as she saw the ball flying towards her.

Whack! Everyone gasped as the ball went sailing through the air. Immediately dropping the bat, Scarlett ran, making a home run.

No one could believe it. The team won and all because of Scarlett! And just like that Scarlett won two more games with her amazing bat! However, as she entered the stadium for her fourth match, the shopkeeper’s warning entered her mind, but she ignored it.

Taking her position she cracked her knuckles and gripped the bat. The ball was released and as soon as she swung the wooden piece in her hand, she froze. Literally, she could not move her limbs at all. She was paralysed. Fear ran through her veins. Her heartbeat nearly stopped and suddenly everything went black.

To this day, Scarlett lays paralysed in bed, not able to move any of her limbs. No doctor could cure her and she still regrets the day when she ignored the man’s warning and it ruined her life forever.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 15th, 2018