Page 208 (1/2)

More people are jogging out onto the field now Everybody in the stands is rising to their feet I can hear whispers as I rush at the railing The announcer’s saying so!

And then I hear, "MILLER!"

He's still lying on his side, with a whole swar Surely he’s not actually yelling

But I hear it again: "MILLER!"

Fuck, that’s Ezra! That’s hiround beside him

I'm not even consciously aware of the decision One second I' over it, not realizing there's shrubs on the other side until I'h my clothes

I fall off the shrubs onto the hard grass of the sideline, and a few Ba as I scra my eyes on Ezra, who’s now on his back with EMTs by his head I think I can hear hi, but there’s too much crowd noise to be sure Then his back arches and he yells, “MILLER!”

Fuck! He's maybe twenty yards out I think that I can make it if I run hard My stomach drops into my quads, but it’s not even a decision Ezra needs me—I’m there

My face and chest burn and my heart pounds so hard I feel dizzy as I dart out onto the field Once I start, some of the nerves fall away, and I run faster, harder I'uy breaks fro his arms out I run around that fucker, drop to my knees, and bump a referee who’s crouched by Ezra

I hear myself say, "I'm Miller!"

I feel thousands of eyes on me, but all I see is Ezra with his pale face and his clenched teeth His eyes are glassy, and I realize his teeth are chattering He’s shaking all over Fuck

I reach for his arel"

As soon as his gaze findsdown his cheeks He reaches for rabbed from behind “Sir, you can’t be here!”

I look over my shoulder—it’s one of the refs I feel panicked as I try to break free of his grip "I'm his next of kin!”

“Stay back, or I’ll have you hauled off,” the o, and when I turn back to Ez, he’s being moved onto the stretcher