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Back Game Changer Save as PDF
Chapters (38)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. Acknowledgments
  35. About the Author
  36. Books by Neal Shusterman
  37. Back Ad
  38. About the Publisher

“It’s okay, Ashley,” Paul said, and in spite of everything offered me a smile. “It’s all gonna be okay.”

But he didn’t know what I knew. Because high up above, waves of light began to play across the heavens. The aurora borealis was beginning to shroud the world.

28

Hail Mary

In everyone’s life there comes that moment when you have no choice but to throw caution to the wind and bet everything on a long shot. When the only chances are slim and none, and all that you have left is your will to completion. In football they call it a “Hail Mary.” A final play beyond which there can be no other. A desperate prayer without as much as a wing to carry it.

Beneath the swimming light of the aurora, I stormed to the Edwards.

“How do I stop it?” I demanded. “Are you just going to stand there and let this happen? How do I stop it?”

“I doubt you can now,” said Ed.

“If Layton had killed you, it might have stopped,” said Edd. “Now it’s too late.”

“Not much longer now,” said Eddy, looking at the sky.

“If it’s any consolation,” said Eduardo, “it will be quick and painless. Everyone will be gone in the same instant, before the real fireworks begin.”

“These things happen,” said Teddy.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t be of more help,” concluded Ned.

Then one by one they turned and disappeared into thin air, leaving me alone. Getting out before the world took its final breath.

I was not giving up. If I was to go into that darkness, I would go kicking and screaming, fighting dirty, with no excuses. I would live my death with no apologies. They had told me that I had to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. I was willing. But I wasn’t being given the chance.

And that’s when I saw the truck.

It was speeding down the street on the far side of the park. And I swear to you, and I will always believe this, and there’s no way you can change my mind, or prove me wrong. It was the same truck. The one that almost took Norris and me out the night of my first shift.

I want to believe the universe is a perfect circle.

I choose to believe that.

And it was telling me that now was the time for my Hail Mary.