The Sacrifice by Robert Whitlow

details.”
    Dustin thought a moment. “We become football players. We tape our ankles, strap on our pads, and gather together in a circle around the coach. Everybody takes a knee and puts his hand on his helmet.”
    â€œThat’s it. What’s going through your head at that moment? Are you thinking about what you’re going to do after the game? Where you’re going to eat? Who you’re going to run into?”
    â€œNo. It gets quiet. Everybody puts on his game face. You know, we all get that look. We’re different.”
    â€œA different identity?”
    Dustin nodded. From the look in his blue eyes it was clear he was in a circle of gridiron warriors in the locker room under the home stands of the football stadium.
    â€œWhat do you think about during those times?” Scott asked quietly.
    â€œHitting somebody. Making a play. Helping the team. Winning.”
    â€œIt’s not about you as an individual player, is it?”
    Dustin shook his head. “No, it’s all team.”
    Scott paused. The room was silent. “Before we’re finished, all of you are going to get that look. Male and female. No matter the role you play. You’re all going to be focused. You’re all going to take on a new identity. You’re going to become a team.”
    Scott turned to Kay and broke the spell. “Please distribute the materials, so we can give them an overview.”
    An hour later, Scott and Kay finished going over the preliminary information. Each teenager had a packet of papers similar to the one Scott had received from Dr. Lassiter.
    â€œThat’s enough for tonight,” Kay said. “The next meeting will be at the same time on Thursday. Read the fact summaries for all the witnesses. If there is a particular witness role that interests you, let me know as soon as possible. If you want to be a lawyer, you need to begin studying the rules of evidence on pages eight through sixteen. Mr. Ellis will explain that part of the materials at a later meeting.”
    While most of the students filed out of the trailer, Kay turned to Scott. “Good speech. I don’t know whether to call you ‘colonel’ or ‘coach.’”
    â€œDid it make you want to put on a helmet and hit somebody?” Scott asked.
    â€œNo, but I may tape my ankles before I come in to teach in the morning.”
    Dustin came up to them.
    â€œYou were right about what happens in the locker room before a big game,” he said. “Did you play football in high school?”
    â€œThree years as a linebacker here at Catawba,” Scott answered. “What’s your position?”
    â€œWide receiver. I’ll ask my father if he remembers you. He played linebacker, too.”
    â€œI’m not that old,” Scott responded. “You could be my little brother.”
    â€œThat’s not what I meant. My dad has been coming to the games for years and knows tons of trivia about Catawba football.”
    Scott smiled. “All the facts about my football career would qualify as trivia.”
    â€œWe have a game Friday night. You ought to come.”
    â€œI might do that,” Scott answered.
    Dustin left, and Kay gathered the papers strewn across the top of her desk.
    â€œWhat did you think of the young faces in the room tonight?”
    â€œIt was a good first meeting. I only see one problem.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œIt’s going to be hard to decide which students should play the most important roles. Most of them seemed bright and able to communicate.”
    â€œDid any of them remind you of yourself at this age?” Kay asked.
    Scott scratched his head. “Maybe Dustin, except that he’s more extroverted than I was in high school.”
    â€œThat’s true. When we first met, I doubted whether you’d ever put three sentences together in a row.”
    Scott didn’t disagree.
    Kay continued, “Also, Dustin may