The boy walked onto the court.
Everywhere he had gone,
He had been the best
Every court he had stepped on,
He was the best
Every field, every gym,
He was the best.
The stadium
Expected the best.
Everyone
Expected the best.
But what if the Gods had planned something else
What if something went wrong?
What if it rattled out?
Could
It
Happen?
No.
The city rested on his shoulders.
Nothing could go wrong.
If it did,
Everything would change.
Nothing would be the same.
He stepped up to the line,
He bounced the ball twice
Spun it in his open palm
Bounced it one more time.
His muscles flexed as he tensed for liftoff.
He released the ball from his hand.
Slowly, it moved through the air.
The faint backspin twisted the ball.
An eternity it seemed to hang in the sky.
Slowly, it curved down to its destination.
And the ball swished through.
No one was there to see
But a smile erupted on his face.
No one needed to see.
It’s all in your head.