O’Dell offered a hand and pulled Cole into a sitting position. Cole coughed breath into his burning lungs and ran his fingers over the indentations in his neck. Beyond O’Dell, he saw the rest of the Jackrabbits pressing toward the front of the crowd. Their expression was uniform—childlike and aimless.

“Logan, you fuck!”

Cole turned.

O’Dell’s assault had clearly left Booker disoriented. He blinked through watery eyes. But there was still fight in those eyes. He was a bull, ready to charge.

Spittle flew from his lips as he said, “This shit ain’t over, Logan. You think that hatchet job on your hand was the end? I’m gonna hack you to goddamn pieces!” He turned to the rest of the Jackrabbits. “And I’m gonna kill every one of you fuckers, too … like I should have done the first time!”

Five sheriff’s deputies emerged from the crowd, batons clutched in their hands. As they closed in on Booker, a wall of Jackrabbits jerseys wiped away Cole’s view. His teammates had begun to move on Booker as well. Their steps were predatory. There was hunger in their groans.

Cole wanted to let them proceed. It was an ending that a part of him had hoped for all along.

But it was another part of Cole that shouted for them to stop.

The Jackrabbits did as instructed. All heads turned back toward their captain.

Cole came to his feet and for the first time realized the change in his teammates’ appearance. The deterioration was striking, even since halftime, when he’d last seen them without their helmets. Looking beyond their face masks, he saw recessed eyes, like lumps of coal sunken into the head of a melting snowman. Skin had lost what little color it still had. Postures had begun to slump. Muscles had atrophied.

It occurred to Cole that Mona’s work was finally complete. Her last wish had been granted, and now her beloved team was dying its second death.

Cole couldn’t let it happen here. Not in front of the fans, the parents … anyone who didn’t know the truth of what was about to transpire.

But there was one thing left to say before he took them away.

His teammates parted way as he stepped forward. Booker rose to meet him, bringing them face-to-face again.

“Take your last look at the district champs, Booker. In spite of everything you did to prevent it, the title is ours.”

Booker’s lips compressed with fury. “Damn you, Logan. Damn all you Jackrabbits straight to hell.”

Cole shook his head. “You already did that. You did it to us, and you did it to yourself. The difference is that we’re gonna be saved. You’re not. I hope it was worth it.”