'The Try' (5-Minute Freewrite)

Here is my submission for today’s freewrite challenge by @mariannewest. The prompt word today was ‘players.’ I have only done one freewrite on Steemit before, but as soon as I saw the prompt word today, I just had to laugh. One part of the Derek-and-Emma story I’ve been piecing together on Steemit involves Derek (an international rugby player for Ireland) scoring a very important try for the team. I have been putting off writing that part – or even thinking about how to write it – because I’m no expert when it comes to sports and I worried that anything I wrote wouldn’t feel ‘right’ or ‘authentic’ enough. Yesterday, in the wonderful You Got Snekked Discord group (incidentally, join that group and follow @poeticsnake on Steemit for some truly fabulous content 😝🐍) I had admitted to @mariannewest that freewrites challenge me because I’m the kind of person who has to obsessively edit, re-edit and triple/quadruple/quintuple edit my work before I think it’s anywhere near good enough to be posted online.

When the ‘players’ prompt word came up on my feed, though, I knew it was my opportunity to bite the bullet and write freely about Derek’s try – just saying whatever the hell came into my head without worrying about how technically accurate it was or whether it would be good enough. Anyway … leaving that big ramble to one side, here is my freewrite!

The Try

UNJU Radio

Time seems to slow down as Derek approaches the try line. The air itself feels different: like he is swimming through thick mud. The throb of his heartbeat, the blood rushing in his ears…

All he is aware of, now, is the ball tucked securely in the crook of his elbow, and the try line just beyond his reach: frustratingly beyond his reach. If he could only move that little bit faster…

Distant shouts – his teammates, the fans – register only vaguely in his mind. He glimpses a couple of Italian players rushing forward to tackle him, and he swerves out of their way with an ease that surprises even him.

Fitzy! Fitzy! Fitzy!

‘Can he do it? Will he do it?’ the excitable commentator bellows into his microphone. ‘Can Fitzy pull off his magic again?’

A tug on his leg. Derek hears a roar from the Italians. Benedizio has caught him, but he will not let that slow him down. He is still running. He can still do it…

Oh shit, now Russo is bearing down on him, with great determination in his stride. With an enormous burst of energy - just inches away from the line - Derek launches himself forward. He closes his eyes as the ground draws nearer, braces himself for the impact to come...

‘AAAAHHH! I don’t believe it, ladies and gentlemen! Fitzy has pulled it off!’

The Irish fans erupt. As Derek slowly pushes himself off the ground - still dazed from the impact of his landing - and rises to his feet, he is aware of flags being waved with great enthusiasm, people jumping up and down on their seats, and the commentator roaring himself hoarse, screaming that victory is theirs…

'Ireland has done it! Fitzy has done it!'

In the next moment, his teammates have piled on top of him, yelling their congratulations and setting up that old chant, so familiar to him:

Fitzy! Fitzy! Fitzy!