Creative Writing: Running Away

Every fiber of my being was screaming left. Of course he would be going left. I thought to myself, We take penalties in practice all the time and my intuition is rarely wrong. I looked at him, and he made eye contact with me. Big mistake. You should never make eye contact with the keeper on a penalty kick. We have a way of getting in your head. I’ve got him now. I grinned, and looked him in the eyes. I’m in control now. You’re going to do what I want. His eyes darted around the goal and shook my head at each twitch. ‘Not there,’ My knowing smile said. ‘I’ve got it covered. Look here. Right at me.’ He settled again on the right corner and began his run up.

First to the right, then shuffle across to the left. Stretch to the crossbar, then stretch to be wide. Sign of the cross across the chest, and then three claps. The little ritual hadn’t been a conscious effort at first, but now I felt …show more content…
The side netting rustled as the ball sailed through it. I was right. Of course I was, I read him like a book. But I couldn’t do what was necessary. Instead of diving to left, as I knew I needed to, I locked up. I had launched myself off the line and stepped to dive, and froze, watching the ball fly into the back of the net. The adrenaline in me quickly changed into a flurry of rage and guilt and disappointment. To this day I can picture the kick. A little over my waist, just in reach if I dove; curled into the back of the side netting. It meant more than a goal. The rest of the game was a blur. With about ten minutes left their center forward held up play and slid a ball through the channel between my defenders to their right. He beat my left back a little too easily and slotted the ball in the back of the net. I did my best. I can still feel the ball tipping off my fingers. Later, I was assured that there was nothing I could have done, and it was a great shot, but as a goalie if you get your hand on it you always feel you should do better. It is impossible not