February 2024 Flash Lit 10 (Second Version) - Home

Jamie flicked her ponytail back over her shoulder and touched the bat to the far side of the plate like the big kids did.  Aluminum on rubber made a hollow clunk.  She remembered Daddy’s instructions:  bend your knees, elbow back, choke up on the bat, watch the ball.

The pitcher was staring at the infield dirt.  She was taller than Jamie, maybe closer to 8 than 7, with curls spilling out from under her cap.  “Lucy!” the other coach called.  “Pay attention!”

 

The bright yellow sun of the softball arced toward Jamie.  She swung, missed, and heard the sad thump of the ball into the catcher’s mitt.  “Strike one,” said the umpire.

 

Jamie narrowed her eyes.  The second pitch went wide.  She got a piece of the third one, popping it up over the head of the bewildered catcher.  The outfielders fidgeted.  Jamie heard somebody’s little brother in the bleachers demand an Otter Pop.

 

On the next pitch, she connected.  The ball sprang back straight at the pitcher and through her legs.  Jamie ran.  Jenny’s dad, the first base coach, sent her on to second as the other team’s shortstop overthrew the first base player.  That girl was still running after the ball when Jamie rounded second.

 

Jamie heard the ball thunk into the dirt somewhere behind her as she got close to Daddy and the girl of third base, who was blowing a bubble with her gum.  “Go, Jamie!” Daddy yelled.  “Go home!”

 

Gasping for breath, Jamie pounded the dust of the baseline with her sneakers.  The shortstop, having given up on the idea that any of her teammates could catch, pursued her.  Somewhere Jamie found enough energy to propel herself to the house-shaped plate ahead of her.

 

Everyone cheered for her and Daddy picked her up and whirled her around.  “Home run!”

 

Jamie liked coming home.