THEY WERE ALL STANDING IN A CIRCLE IN THE TREATMENT ROOM. Willie had never been inside before, and it was interesting to see. They all stood with items in hand because Ted had an idea that if the entire team sacrificed something that meant a lot to them, the spirits or whatever that was haunting the room would leave them alone. So, that was how the Carlisle woman ended up standing there with a silver necklace in hand.

"Gentlemen, I am, by nature, a believer. Ghosts, spirit guides, aliens. Still, I can't actually tell you what lives beyond our physical world and what doesn't. What I can tell you, is that with the exception of the wit and wisdom of Calvin and Hobbes, not much lasts forever," Ted explained, and they all turned when the door opened. The brunette girl was surprised when she saw Rebecca enter the room. "Hey, boss. Glad you could join us."

She nodded back in greeting. "Hello."

"Yeah. Roy, why don't you get things started for us?" Ted asked the team captain, who then stepped forward into the middle of the circle with a small and thin blanket in his hand, ready for the sacrifice.

"I was nine when I got scouted by Sunderland, and I'd never left London before. My granddad drove me all the way there, and it was freezing, and I was terrified," Roy told them, and there were a couple of scattered chuckled around the room. "I was fucking nine. Say something. When I got there, he gave me this old blanket. He said it was to keep me warm and to remind me of home. And that was the last time I saw him. 'Cause he'd passed away by the time I got back for Christmas, so... That is why blankie means so much to me."

Isaac snickered, finding it insane that the man that was so cold and angry all of the time had once been scared of something and been a kid. "Did you just say 'blankie'?"

"No, I said 'blanket.' Conversation over. Sam, go," the man ordered, tossing his blanket into the pot thing where they were putting everything. It honestly looked like a keg, and it probably was.

"This is a picture of the 1994 Nigerian World Cup team," Sam told them, holding up a frame that had a picture of a bunch of footballers on a pitch. "I pledged I wouldn't take this down until I made the team myself... and I still intend to do that."

Richard went next. "This sand is from a beach in St. Barts. This is the first beach where I ever... It's the first beach where I ever slept with a supermodel."

"Sam and Richard coming at you from both ends of the spectrum there. Appreciate that," Ted replied with a nod. Nate threw in some sunglasses because a girl once said that he looked like Clive Owen in them, and Rebecca tossed today's paper in because it had something about her and Rupert and his new girlfriend, Bex. Colin did the keys to his Lamborghini, and it was probably a good thing because he really should not be licensed to drive. However, Willie had to get home somehow, so she made sure to bring his extra pair. It was the thought that counter.

Finally, it was her turn, but right before she stepped forward, the door opened. They all turned to see Jamie step inside, and she was shocked that he even showed up. "Keep goin'. Don't mind me."

"Um, this is a necklace that my best friend in California gave me in high school. He was the first boy to tell me I was beautiful, and he gave me this necklace a week before he tried to kill himself," she explained as everyone fell silent. She shook her head. "He was in the hospital for months, and this necklace was the only thing that helped me get through those times without him. It also helped me when I first moved here, made me feel like I had a little piece of him with me. Now, we call every week, and he and my brother claim that they're coming to visit at some point. So, I figured it was time to let go."

"Thank you, Willie," Ted told her, and she3 stepped back to stand next to Colin, who wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side comfortingly.

Roy looked over at their new arrival who was holding a pair of boots. "Jamie, do you wanna go." He nodded and stepped into the circle, holding up the shoes.

"These aren't my first boots or anything. My mum gave 'em me. She was the one who got me into football in the first place. Her and me dad split up when I was just a sexy little baby. She's the reason I work so hard. Just wanted to make her proud. She doesn't even care if I'm any good. Just wants me to be happy. Be a good lad." He was smiling, and he glanced over at the brunette woman who was offering a soft smile as well. "Once I got good though, me old man started showing up, didn't he? You know, bragging to all his mates every time I scored a goal. Calling me 'soft' if I didn't... dominate, you know. And I hated that. I actually fucking hated that. So, I made a vow to be so tough that he could never call me 'soft' again. I wonder if sometimes... I forget about making her proud. I don't think that she would be lately."

"Well, gentlemen, what do you say we burn this crap?" Ted asked once the Tartt man was done with his little speech. Everyone cheered, but Willie was still staring at the Tartt man. She had never known any of that about his parents, and she found it admirable that he did everything for his mom.

They went outside to burn it, and they all laughed around the fire until Ted shouted over to them. "Hey, fellas. I think the only way to know if the curse has been lifted or not, we need to ask the spirits for a sign. Spirits... speak to us."

"Dani Rojas! Rojas! Dani Rojas," they heard, and they all cheered loudly when Dani came running onto the field excitedly, looking as good as new. He held up a bottle of liquor when he arrived. "I brought a bottle of mezcal to throw into the curse fire."

"Hey, hey, hey. Rojas, look. Whatever ghosts it were that made you trip over, they're gone now, I promise, yeah. crack that bastard open," Jamie told him, and they all shouted in agreement.

Roy surprisingly nodded as well. Of course, it was not a very controversial topic, but Willie half-expected him to disagree just so that he could start problems with Jamie. "Yeah. Jamie's not wrong. Ghosts prefer empty bottles that we've all drunk. Fact."

"Let's celebrate, amigos!" Dani announced, and they all passed the bottle around as Jamie started the cheer that the Carlisle woman had not heard in quite a while.

"Richmond till we die. We're Richmond till we die. We know we are, we're sure we are. We're Richmond till we die," they all chanted, jumping up and down and celebrating. Ted and Beard and Higgins joined them as well.
"We're Richmond till we die. We're Richmond till we die."

Little did they know that Jamie Tartt would be gone by the next day.