“Wrong answer.”

The white slipper drove into my side.

“We had a deal. Everybody dives.”
“Everybody but you.” Another kick, a soft snap inside me.
“We voted. Didn’t we vote, Buckley?” Buckley nodded, his shaved head bobbing slowly up in down.
“I didn’t.”

Aaron flashed his perfect smile at me, his eyes distant and cold. He kicked me again, I managed to take most of it with my arm. “You don’t count.”

“I’m sorry, okay? It was too easy, I thought there would be more.”
“Easy? You know what’s easy?” There was no answer I could give that wouldn’t bring another blow. “Getting from second to first.” He looked around before placing his knee on my windpipe, and Buckley took a half step towards him before thinking better of it.

“You’re heading out allright. Today. That’s what you want, right? That’s what we all want, right?” I slapped at his leg, but he took no mind, pressing down even harder. “All you had to do was slip a little.”

“Aaron, h-he’s fading, man.”

“So? We’re all fading. He’s just going first.”