Rangers

• Ellisa Patterson, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2022

It was a plain old boring day in lockdown. I was trying to get out of bed but it’s so hard to find the mental strength when everything I loved was slowly drifting away. Soccer state cup, cancelled, school, cancelled, my family and friends are now all pixelated, I just didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. I headed downstairs with heavy feet thudding my way down every step.
“Everything alright sweetie!” my mum yelled.
“Sure,” I hollered back. I just couldn’t find the strength to be positive today.
The day was normal, I sat down at my desk and got started on the day’s work. Zoom after zoom, I just couldn’t take any more of it. I had to get out, so I grabbed my air pods and went for a jog. Jogging helps calm my nerves, it centres me, listening to rock music helps focus my thoughts. When I returned my parents greeted me at the door with the biggest smiles on their faces. It was strange, they were so happy, but I couldn’t understand why, nothing was good, life was boring, why were they smiling.
“What?” I said confused.
“We have some news,” they replied.
We went and sat down on the red lounge where all our family talks take place.
“Honey, your soccer team has been personally invited to join the Mount Druitt Town Rangers reps’ team.”
“NO WAY,” I screamed “really? Ok, so when’s trials.”
“Nope no trials you’re already in, if you want, it’s a large commitment though and will take over most of your weekends, so think about it, ok,” they replied with.
Oh my gosh my team and I were personally scouted to join a rep’s team; I couldn’t believe it.
I spent the rest of the day properly thinking it over, how I’d juggle both my schooling and soccer and I concluded that there was no way I would turn down this opportunity. We sat at dinner talking it over, I told them I wanted to join. They explained how our team is only going if 10 of our players agree. Well, we already knew that 1 player was too old, so we had 12 left. Life was back to being stressful again. What if 3 more drop out then my chance of going to a representative level was gone. I was panicking again so I went for another jog.
While I was jogging Siri said in her calming voice, “From Fam, mum said come home we have some news.”
The rest of my calming jog became a nightmare I was so nervous I couldn’t wait to hear the news.
“Honey 2 more players have dropped out, but the rest have agreed to go, you’re going to be a Ranger,” they screamed.
I couldn’t believe it, I was so excited and grateful for this opportunity; my life was finally starting to look up again.