Prologue

Alexander Song, 11, 6th grade, Regional Basketball Tournament

The feet of his teammates and his opponents pound on the court as loud as volatile cannonballs. Sweat rolls off his cheek, his legs burn, and the volume of the ball’s bouncing increases as the pressure begins to enclose on him like a vicious serpent. Fear and stress cloud his vision, and the only thing Alex can see is the vitriolic gaze of the defender.

"You’ve got five seconds left!" screams his teammate, as if Alex doesn’t know– as if Alex can’t hear the roaring crowd in the bleachers, counting down the time in unison, applying pressure so intense that Alex can feel himself shaking.

Alex increases his speed, plowing past the defender’s unsuccessful attempt to get in front of him. He barely even notices the burning pain in his legs– he’s too focused on getting to the hoop.

His heart rate matches the speed of the ball. Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom.This is the most important shot of the game— the final shot. If Alex doesn’t make it, his team will lose, ending their chance of winning at their regional basketball tournament.

Alex had never been that good at lay-ups. Lay-ups were the ultimate shot. For most people, lay-ups should be at an 80% accuracy. For Alex, it's more of a 30% accuracy. To be honest, he isn’t good at anything— a jack of all trades, master of none.

Today, ‘master of none’ describes him more.

After rushing himself down the court at top speed, Alex jumps too early and throws the ball too hard.

It bounces off the backboard with a thump, and erases all chances of scoring— and winning the championship.

[Marble Creek Middle School - Eliminated - Round 1]

. . .

Alexander Song, 12, 7th grade, Regional Basketball Tournament

This is the day. This is the day that we will win and take the championship, Alex tells himself. He resolves that he will win today’s game. After all, Alex is going into eighth grade next year. It will be his last year, and his final chance to reach for the victory that he always wanted.

"Stay on your man! Defense!" Alex shouts, his throat starting to feel scratchy from the shouting. It’s not enough. It won’t ever be enough. But what else can he do but grit his teeth and push himself further?

Just one step.

Just one more step. One more inch, one more centimeter closer to the victory that he’s desperately trying to grab. Maybe that one step won’t amount to anything. Maybe it’ll result in some free throws that won’t even get in the hoop. Maybe it’ll even be a shot or a three-pointer, but what then?

No matter how many shots we make.

The other team will make more.

Alex feels a whisper in his mind, slowing his adrenaline-filled legs to a walk. The crowd’s cheers die out and seem to echo around in his ear as if he is simply evaporating away.

At that moment, Alexander Song can no longer see himself with a trophy in his hand, or even a medal around his neck.

The only thing he sees is a loss.

Nothing more than a simple defeat.

[Marble Creek Middle School - Eliminated - Round 1]

. . .

Alexander Song, 13, 8th grade, Regional Basketball Tournament

There’s no way! Alex thinks to himself, watching as the ball flies up from the half-court line to the hoop.

It hits the backboard and goes through the hoop. The opponents laugh, and the audience joins in as well. Alex swallows hard as the cacophony of sounds hit him like full-blown punches. Why are they playing like this? he asks himself, and not for the first time that day. For the entire game, their opponents have only been shooting constant half-court shots. Finally, they made another one.

With only a few minutes left on the clock, Alex starts to worry.

He slowly takes a deep breath, calming himself down. It’s the last moment of the game. He can’t afford to let himself lose control. The team, Pennel Creek, has forced Marble Creek into a strangely difficult situation. 

By ‘difficult’, he means that halfway through the fourth quarter, Marble Creek is only down by nine points.

However, by ‘strangely’, he means that despite being down by nine points, Marble Creek has not scored once.

With one minute left, Marble Creek is losing 9-0.

For the entire previous part of the game, Alex had raged and fought as hard as he could, but it was hopeless against a team like Pennel Creek. They only shot half-court shots and barely took the game seriously. Even the referee looks like he wants to retire.

However, their opponents are monstrosities on defense, because individually, each player is quite talented. On the other hand, Marble Creek is an embarrassing first-round elimination school. Alex knows this, but he still can’t stand those terrible players on Pennel Creek’s team.

I will defeat them.

How can I defeat them?

What . . . what would Hunter do?

Alex suddenly grows red with fury. In the heat of the moment, he thought about the ex-captain, Hunter Thornberg, who went on to graduate middle school. Alex couldn’t stand worthless players like him, abandoning his friends like its nothing. Hunter didn’t even think when he decided to go to high school, as if he never even considered staying with his teammates. Who does that? Who just . . . leaves?

Alex clenches his fist. Forget about him. I need to win this first.

The timeout ends with no real plan created, but Alex already feels a flame within him that cannot be quenched. I will crush them! They will feel my wrath! I’ll show them why they shouldn’t mess with–

When the ball hits his hands, time stops.

It doesn’t really stop, but it feels like it stops, Alex articulates to himself.

He can feel his heartbeat thumping slowly, so slowly. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

His breathing is almost like a gust of wind. Fwoooooo . . . Shhhhhh . . . Fwooooooo . . . . Shhhhhhh.

The ball bounces slowly, so slowly, and his opponents move even slower. As he dribbles around his opponents with ease, he compares this feeling to what he would imagine playing basketball on the moon would be like.

Finally, it’s the last defender. Alex notices that he can jump considerably higher. He can do some crazy moves in the air, and maybe, just maybe . . .

Alex gasps, holding on to his teammate, Jonah, with both hands. Time has started again.

"Dude, are you okay?" asks Jonah.

Alex pushes off of him, "C’mon, we need to get back in defense."

"Are you dumb? Jonah raises an eyebrow, "The game just ended. Did that shot knock your brains out or something?"

Alex whirls around to see the scoreboard showing a score of 9-0. Then he groans. While he was off in moon-land, he had spent the final moments of the game not even making a shot? He burns with embarrassment.

Coach Miller calls them in and says some sentimental garbage about moving on to the future. Alex ignores it. He won’t abandon this team. Not now, and not ever. This story isn’t over for him yet. It doesn’t matter how many years it takes, Alex will stop at nothing to achieve his ultimate goal.

He stares at the audience, walking away with their concessions and their children. They have no idea how much this game means to him. They have no idea how much he’s invested in this.

They have no idea what measures he will go through to become the king of the court.

[Marble Creek Middle School - Eliminated - Round 1]