Saul didn’t want to do it, but his older brother was relentless. Shoving the bat towards him, he accepted it without question. It was one thing to watch, but another to play. Peter was insistent; after all, practice makes perfect. Eventually he would love it and lose himself in the thrill of the game and the cheers of his friends.

He wasn’t sure though. Never having been a very strong kid, the bat felt heavy in his hands. This wasn’t the first time he’s ever held one, but it was the first time he was being forced to play. Perhaps it was the anxiety or fear of failing his brother that caused his nerves to fray. Pushing through the fear, Saul tightened his fingers around the grip, feeling the tape rub against his sweaty palms.

Peter, though demanding, was understanding. Firsts were always frightening, especially with an audience. Stepping close to his brother, Peter leaned in to give a small pep talk. He promised they wouldn’t make fun of him or give him a hard time. After all he had been part of the gang since they first started playing and now it was his turn. They all went up to bat before and each had varying levels of success, but they all did it in the end.

Saul exchanged a weak smile with Peter as butterflies bounced around his stomach as he fought the urge to throw up. However, raising up the bat, he stepped up and raised it. Like Peter told him, he kept his feet planted, gripped the handle tight, and kept his eyes on the prize. And with that he swung.

The group cheered as the bat connected and Peter was right, the feeling was indescribable. Looking to Peter, he looked so proud. It was with that Saul knew that he could actually do it. Raising the bat again he smiled down at the fear in the eyes of the man whose knee he just shattered. Now the only question was, what to hit next?