“Little while back, around eight thirty, I had to drive over to Elmwood to pick up a new fan belt for the truck. Let’s just say there’s no question the folks over there have heard Cole Logan’s challenge loud and clear. Every house window in town has messages written in shoe polish, wishing the Badgers good luck against the Jackrabbits, that kind of thing.”

“Didn’t take long, did it?” Don Paul muttered.

“I can’t believe it,” Bernice said. “Word really spread that quick?”

“It’s all over the radio, too,” said Don Paul.

“Out of curiosity, I made a pass by Elmwood Heights,” Kip continued. “The marquee outside the schoolhouse already has a printed message meant for us Jackrabbits fans, which I won’t bother to repeat in your company, Bernice.”

“I think I get the idea.”

“And when I circled around to the Elmwood ball field, I saw a full-scale rally going on there. They had a bonfire blazin’ right on the fifty-yard line, kids standing all around it, carrying on, holding up signs that said Free our Badgers! and Let Them Play! One of them even said, Kill Killington … Drown the Fuckers Again!”

“And tell her about the scarecrow.”

“Oh, yeah. There was a scarecrow-looking figure hanging by a noose from one of the goalposts. They’d dressed it in a Jackrabbits jersey and novelty bunny ears. ’Bout thirty kids were beating the hell out of it with baseball bats while the band, the cheerleaders, and near enough the whole student body cheered on.”

“Bastards, everyone of them,” said Don Paul.

“Oh, stop now, D. P. . . .”

“Well, it’s true, Bernice. I for one hope to hell this game does happen tomorrow night. Teach those Elmwood sumbitches that our Jackrabbits won’t be treated like the redheaded stepchildren of this district anymore. Hell, I’d break those Badgers out of the slammer myself if I could.”

“But what about our boys?” Bernice asked. “Weren’t they reported to be in pretty bad shape?”

“Like death warmed over is what I’ve heard.” Kip took a thoughtful drag off his cigarette. “I don’t know where the hell Savannah and the Logan kid found that team, but rumor is they look like they’ve come straight out of the morgue.”

“Well, where did they find them?” Bernice asked. “I sat right here yesterday morning, listening to y’all’s tale about how they found that bus at the bottom of that river Friday night … with the boys still on it. So what gives?”

“It’s a good question,” Kip said. “And one I’d like answered, too.”