Collision Course by Hinton Nigel

Author:Hinton, Nigel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press 1976
Published: 2013-03-07T00:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

He opened the door and called out "Bye!' His mother didn't answer, perhaps she hadn't heard him, but his father shouted, 'Good luck! Play well!'

'If I play. 'Bye.' He closed the door and started walking fast along the road. It had taken him ages to get going this morning, probably because he'd slept so soundly, and even though he'd gulped down his breakfast, there was only a quarter of an hour to get to school before the team left. It was another bright day, although there was still a trace of haze in the sky which the sun hadn't yet burned off. It would be perfect for football — fine yet crisp, and not a breath of wind. He mentally checked that he had put all the kit into his shoulder-bag and had a momentary jerk of panic as he wondered if he had forgotten his boots, but a quick squeeze of the canvas told him that he hadn't.

When he reached the school road, he trotted along it just to make sure, and he felt a sense of relief when he turned into the playground and saw the waiting vehicle. Mr Raines was ticking off people's names as they got on to it. Ray looked along the aisle and saw that Dave wasn't there yet, so he waved and smiled at the others and sat down in the front next to a window and looked across the playground to the school gates. No one. He glanced at his watch, nearly nine. He wondered if Dave would make it.

Someone called out, 'Hey, you'll be playing as captain if Dave doesn't turn up, Ray!'

He turned round and knelt on the seat. 'Has anyone seen him?'

'No!'

'Oh, he'll make it — he always cuts it fine,' said Ian Turner.

'You're a fine one to talk,' called Mr Raines from the entrance step. Then he said to the driver, 'Give it a couple of minutes more.'

'OK,' mumbled the driver, 'but it'll take a good half hour.'

Ray looked out of the window again and wouldn't allow himself to think what he knew was lurking at the back of his mind.

'Why don't we drive along the road and pick him up on the way?' suggested Chris Gilligan.

'No, it's all right — here he is,' Ray shouted with relief. Dave had just turned the corner and was running across towards them.

'Sorry I'm late,' he panted as he climbed up, and was greeted by jeers and catcalls. He smiled at the noise and bowed. 'Come on,' he said, 'I'm doing you a favour. It's our lucky charm — if I'm one minute late, we'll win the match. It's happened every time so far.'

'Yes, we'd noticed.' Mr Raines' voice tried to sound hard, but he could never manage to talk to Dave without a smile. 'Right, let's go.'

The mini-bus started forward, and Dave crashed down next to Ray. 'Hi!'

'Hi yourself. That was pretty close — I thought you weren't going to make it.'

'No chance — I'd have to be dead before I missed a game.

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