The factory was buzzing with excitement. It wasn't even halftime and my team was holding a thirty point lead.

I sat on the bench in the middle if the track and watched as my fellow teammates played for points. It was getting pretty heated between the two jammers. My friend Noel was pulling through the pack but was then elbowed in face and fell to the floor.

The crowd screamed at the sight of her blood but Noel just smiled and waved. By the time Noel arrived at the bench, I was laughing my ass off.

"I'm glad that I amuse you" Noel laughed as she sat next to me and tried to stop the bleeding.

"Here" I said as I handed her a towel. "Tilt your head back."

She took the towel and pinched her nose with it. "Thanks."

"Anytime" I said as I watch as a new round started.

"So" Noel said as she tilted her head back. "Did you hear anything from that college yet?"

I shook my head. "Not yet but maybe soon."

"I don't want to be mean or anything" she said as she finally stopped her nose from bleeding. "Half of me wants you to get in and explore, but the other half wants me to lock you in my basement and only let you out for derby meets."

I snorted. "I could see you do that, but I would probably break your noes and let you drown in your own blood."

"Awe, really" she said as she placed both her hands over her chest. "That's the way I want to go."

I smiled. "See, I know you so well."

"You know what" Noel said as she smacked her knees. "You need to get yourself a man."

"Ha" I shouted. "Have you seen the guys at my school?"

"No because I graduated fifteen years ago" Noel stated.

"Well it's a jock farm" I told her. "Besides, I hate them and they hate me. Its like the circle of life."

The buzzer rang for halftime and the rest of the girls swarmed into the locker room.

"Man the other team knows how to throw a punch" said Marge as she rubbed her abdomen.

"Well, at least we're in the lead" I said.

"Yeah, we have something they don't have" said Noel.

"Crabs?" asked Wanda.

"No, that's just you. We have-" Noel was cut off by the door opening.

"You better say an awesome coach" Gary said as he walked in.

"No, not that" Noel shook her head.

"Well it's the truth" he said. "Gather around me, I have a surprise."

"What is it did you finally lose your virginity?" asked Sasha.

"Yeah to you mom in the bathroom" he said as he reached for his playbook.

"My moms a lesbian" said Sasha as she leaned closer to him. "She was probably faking it."

"Let's focus" he quickly changed the subject.

"Okay, what's the surprise?" I asked.

Gary opened his playbook and looked at all of us. "A new play."

"NOW" we all asked simontaniously.

"It's easy" he reassured them. "It's called the 'Grab and Hook'. Jane, since your our smallest fastest player, pay attention.

___________________________Jane prayed that this play worked. She stood by the railing, ready to go and scared as hell.

The first whistle went off and I jumped, that was something I haven't done since my first game.

"Scared little girl?" Asked the other jammer next to me.

"I'm not" I said as I fixed my mouth guard. "But you should be."

The second whistle went off and I took off. Not to brag or anything, but I hold the fastest speed record the factory has ever seen.

I raced though the pack with ease and soon neared them again. As I was right behind them, my teammates hooked their arms around the other girls waists and pushed them into the railing.

I pushed off and flew past them and gained the four points. The other team looked at us with hateful glares.

We rushed to our benches in shock that the play actually worked. To be honest, I thought it would backfire on us.

"I think I crapped my pants" Sasha said.

"I didn't think that it would work" Noel admitted.

"Practice makes perfect" Gary told us. "Now are you girls ready to win this?"

"Hell yeah we are" we all said together.

And we did. The score was 86-47.

___________________________
Everyone was cheering in the locker room over are victory. We were ten and zero just as halfway for our season.

"Are you going to come out with us?" Noel asked me as we left the factory.

"I can't" I told them. "I've got a long drive home and its already late."

"Okay" Noel said as she gave a quick hug. "Drive safe."

"I will" I said as I walked to my car.

There was still a large crowd of people hanging outside of the factory. A lot of them were drinking and others were hanging out. When I got in the car I slipped the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.

I took my time getting out of the parking lot. I enjoyed looking at the people that I'll never see again.

As I pulled onto the highway, it was like a river full of brake lights. I wasn't on the highway for long before I pulled of onto a road that went straight through the desert towards my town.

My radio was blaring as I sang the lyrics. The heater was turned all the way up to keep the night chill out. Even though I lived in the desert, it was hot in the day and cold at night.

When I was about ten miles from town when the car started to make noises that did not sound good. I pulled over just in time to see smoke rising from the hood.

"Uh oh" I said as the car came to a halt. I popped the hood and stepped out the car. Hot smoke blew past my face as I lifted the top off. "Great."

I slipped back in the car and pulled my thin jacket closer to me. Reaching next to me I grabbed my phone one swore under my breath. It was dead.

With dread, I looked around to see if I had another coat somewhere. I didn't.
I then remembered there was a phone booth about a quarter mile down the road.

I sighed and stepped out into the cool night air. I grabbed my purse and duffel back with my skating equipment.

Just as I started walking, I realized I could put my skates on and get there in a matter of minutes. I was right.

When I got to the phone I put it to my ear and there was no dial tone. I pulled the cord and saw it was cut.

I screamed and threw the phone at the glass wall. It didn't break like I wanted it to, but it did scratch.

Slowly I stepped out and slowly started to skate again. My body was shaking from the cold.

I was about to head back to my car until morning when I heard a roar of an engine roaring behind me.