To Live and Die.

This is where to post any franchises from sports not listed above.

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Soapy
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To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 07 Aug 2020, 12:17

Prelude


Everything was so big and yet there was so much space. That's all he kept saying to himself as his dark brown eyes lit up at the site of yet another set of golden arches.

"There's so many McDonalds," he said in his native tongue.

"Yeah," his cousin replied, "We can get some when you come back."

"English," his girlfriend fired back in English, "How is he supposed to learn if you don't speak English with him?"

"Relax," he dismissed her, this time in English, "They'll have plenty of time to learn, they just got here a few days ago."

......

"Chael Davis?"

"Here."

"Jean......Jaqueez? DuBois?"

"Jean-Jacques," he cleared his throat, "J.J. is okay."

"Welcome," the teacher forced a smile, a bit embarrassed by her mishap.

J.J. returned to doodling on the bottom of his notebook as she finished taking attendance. He couldn't believe that in this country, there was an entire class dedicated to doing just that.

"Ayitien?" said a voice from behind.

J.J.'s neck whipped around to face the voice. He was a rather big guy with medium brown skin and the hair to match. At the bottom of his feet were two gallons of water which immediately caught J.J.'s attention as did his accent.

......

"You don't want to eat that," Francis told J.J. as they walked past the line that had begun to form around the cafeteria, "That food is fucking disgusting."

"What do you eat?" J.J. managed to put a few words together.

"Normally," Francis pointed to a small circle of people that surrounded a cart that had a few pizza boxes on the right of it, "You got pizza, like actual pizza, everyday and fried chicken on Monday and Wednesday and on Tuesday and Thursday, you got fried rice. I'm not eating right now though."

J.J. looked at Francis with a puzzled look. He had been reading a few books and watching videos on YouTube for a few years now but the pace at which Francis was speaking completely floored him.

"It's okay," Francis laughed, "We can go back to speaking Creole. You've done enough training for today."

"No, it's okay. Why aren't you eating?"

"I wrestle so I'm cutting....I'm losing weight so that I can make weight."

"Wrestle? Like.....WWE?"

"Not quite," Francis let out a dry laugh, "Sort of like WWE but it's different. What about you, you into soccer I'm guessing?"

"No," J.J. shrugged, "Basket, I like basket."

"Basketball? Oh, okay, you're a bit on the short side and the season already started but you can talk to the coach."

......

J.J. wondered around the now mostly empty school halls, familiarizing himself with what would be his home for the next four years. His cousin had called him to let him know that his girlfriend got caught up at work and wouldn't be able to pick him until later in the afternoon.

He wasn't sure if he was even allowed to be inside the school walls as he got a few looks from the various janitors and teachers he would walk past. He ultimately decided that getting in trouble on his first day wasn't on his bucket list and instead opted to instead roam the open-area courtyard. He could hear loud shouting coming from the same cafeteria that Francis had told him to ignored. He peaked his head inside.

"Keep going! Keep going! Keep it up, don't slow down!" yelled the coach at around a dozen students as they ran around a mat.

J.J. was quickly able to spot Francis as he dragged behind the group, barely able to move one foot in front of the other. Francis went around the circle until he was now facing towards the doors and by extension, J.J. They briefly locked eyes before it was quickly disrupted.

"Hey! This is a closed fucking practice!"

J.J. was started as the same coach was now quickly walking towards him. J.J. froze as he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do as he simply shifted his gaze back and forth between Francis and the coach.

"Hey, hey, coach," Francis panted over to them, "This is my friend J.J., he's new here"

"Oh," the coach took a deep breath, "My fault, son. We have a tournament in a few days and I thought Sunset might have been on some sneaky shit, you know?"

J.J. simply nodded.

"What weight-class are you in?" the coach asked J.J., "You probably won't be able to compete this year but we can always use another body."

"I...." J.J. stammered before Francis came to his rescue again.

"His English isn't all that great yet," Francis told the coach before translating for J.J.

J.J. wasn't sure what to answer as his curiosity is what led him to this makeshift gym but yet here he was.
Last edited by Soapy on 08 Aug 2020, 17:09, edited 1 time in total.
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Captain Canada
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To Live and Die.

Post by Captain Canada » 07 Aug 2020, 16:36

Interesting story so far, I've always enjoyed your writing style.

Topic author
Soapy
Posts: 7018
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 07 Aug 2020, 16:43

Captain Canada wrote:
07 Aug 2020, 16:36
Interesting story so far, I've always enjoyed your writing style.
welcome aboard m8
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djp73
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To Live and Die.

Post by djp73 » 10 Aug 2020, 13:30

Wrestling? Hmm
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Xixak
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To Live and Die.

Post by Xixak » 11 Aug 2020, 07:13

What game/sport is this going to be? Or are you just writing a story?

Topic author
Soapy
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To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 11 Aug 2020, 08:53

djp73 wrote:
10 Aug 2020, 13:30
Wrestling? Hmm
Xixak wrote:
11 Aug 2020, 07:13
What game/sport is this going to be? Or are you just writing a story?
in due time.

Topic author
Soapy
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To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 11 Aug 2020, 09:27

"It's not there!" coach Ryan yelled from just outside the circle that had formed around the two boys, "Relax, just wait for it."

J.J. took a deep breath as he tried to keep his head leveled, pressing his forehead as hard as he could into his opponent's. He made another attempt at grabbing his opponent's legs but lost his balance, causing him to stumble. It didn't take long for his opponent to take advantage and try to get a hold of his back. J.J. scrambled around for a few seconds but his faith was already decided.

"Goddamn it," coach Ryan sighed as J.J. picked himself off the map and took off his headgear in frustration.

"Fuck," J.J. muttered to himself as he retired himself to now being the outside of the circle while another pair got inside.

"You need to be patient," coach Ryan walked up to him, "This isn't freshman year anymore, you're going to be actually competing this year and I need you to be ready."

"Yes, sir."

.......

"Anyone interesting this year?" Kirk asked as he took another sip of his beer before slowly taking out his phone and opening the notes app.

"I've got a few 220s that can move some guys around but they're football guys," coach Ryan lamented, "Jason Ward is pretty good, kids been wrestling since he was in diapers. He's had a few little injuries here and there but I think if he's health, we're looking at a guy that can make a run for the district."

"132?"

"He's moving up to 138," coach Ryan explained to his former high school teammate, "The cut at 132 was brutal, off the record obviously, and his dad is a big motherfucker so he's probably going to end up competing at 145 as a senior."

"What about Francis, any chance at state this year?"

"If the fat fuck can get his weight under control," coach Ryan scoffed, "He's 250 right now and he can't compete at 285, he'll get bludgeoned. Shit, I don't even have a 285 to throw at him for him to roll with in practice so he'll be going in there blind."

"I'm looking at 285 motherfucker right now," Kirk teased as he finished off his drink.

"Fuck you," coach Ryan couldn't help but laugh, "I thought this kid was going to be the one man, finally get us a state championship and get me out of this place."

"They need another weight class," Kirk's comment drew a groan from Ryan who had heard his spiel one too many times and had read it far too many times, "Listen, until they add another weight class between 220 and 285, I'll write that story every fucking year about a high school player collapsing in the locker room. Don't let it be yours, my friend."

"I'll bury the body before you can report on it."

"Anybody else?" What about that sophomore from last season, I keep forgetting his name."

A smile crept up on coach Ryan's face as he was sitting on the name since the conversation started, "You're talking about my project."

"Project?"

"Jean-Jacques DuBois."

"Yeah," Kirk scrambled through his notes from last season, "Yup, 138...actually won a few invitationals last season. What you got for me on him?"

"Strictly background here," coach Ryan's tone changed, "I don't want to be reading about this."

"Fine," Kirk adjusted himself on the chair, "Who we got here?"

"A future all-american, Olympian, you fucking name it."

"Fuck out of here," Kirk scoffed, he had heard this sort of hyping up from his friend almost every three years.

"I'm telling you," coach Ryan insisted, "The kid never lifted any weights, never fucking wrestled and in one year, he's winning tournaments. He's going to compete at 145 this year and 152 next year probably but guess what?"

"What, Ryan?"

"I don't even have him wrestle guys his weight," coach Ryan said with pride, "He's rolling with the big boys, even a few of the 220s that I was telling you about, the football players?"

"Interesting approach," Kirk admitted.

"I fucked up with Francis by allowing him to dominate everyone on the team in practice and expect him to stay hungry," coach Ryan explained, "I'm throwing this kid in there with as many killers as I can think and he's holding his fucking ground."

"We'll see," Kirk laughed.

"I'm telling you, he's going to be special."
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djp73
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To Live and Die.

Post by djp73 » 11 Aug 2020, 10:30

UFC?

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Soapy
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To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 12 Aug 2020, 07:39

djp73 wrote:
11 Aug 2020, 10:30
UFC?
:curtain:

Topic author
Soapy
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To Live and Die.

Post by Soapy » 12 Aug 2020, 08:46

J.J. took a swig of the lukewarm water, rinsed it in his mouth and spat it out onto the grass. He took a few deep breathes as he walked back towards the sidewalk.

"Ready? On your mark.....get set....go!"

They obliged to her commands and started sprinting down the sidewalk with J.J. getting an early lead on Francis and then expanded the lead as they made it to the bottom of the 100 meters that they had measured.

Francis keeled over once more, gasping for air as J.J. calmly started the trek back to Marge.

"Come on," Marge pleaded at her boyfriend, "I don't want to be here all day."

"He's done for," J.J. said with a confident smile as he looked back at a ragged Francis, "He's not used to that Miami heat anymore."

"Fuck you," Francis said as he finally caught up to J.J. who had taken a seat next to Marge.

"That's going to be you next year," Marge teased J.J., "Y'all are just going to all leave me."

Francis shot her a stare, not appreciating her joke as much as she or J.J. did. J.J. fixed his smile as he put his focus back towards getting re-hydrated and calming his heart rate down after a morning of intense cardio under the summer sun.

"You going to Richard's thing tonight?" Francis asked J.J. as he helped him and Marge back up to their feet.

"Probably not," J.J. shook his head, "I'm training with Jose and the guys later today, probably going to be gassed after that."

"You work too hard, my friend. Trust me, when you get up there with me, that shit is going to stop. We're going to enjoy ourselves," Francis wrapped his arm around J.J. as they made their way back to his house.

"Not too much fun," Marge muttered as she trailed behind them.

They soon reached J.J.'s apartment or rather his cousin's. He had picked up an extra shift at work while his girlfriend -- as usual -- was nowhere to be found. He didn't mind it as it meant that the apartment would be all to himself today. As soon as Francis was done showering and he and Marge could take their relational issues elsewhere.

"What's this?" Francis said from the kitchen as J.J. had already retired himself to his room.

"What's what?" J.J. screamed from his room as he took his shirt off and looked for a towel to wipe himself off.

"All this shit," Francis once again replied, not providing much more information than his initial statement.

A bit frustrated, J.J. exited his room, catching a lingering glance from Marge as she examined his shirtless body. "What are you talking about?"

"All these letters....and invites! Bro, this is from like March and it's unopened?"

J.J. finally made it to the kitchen where Francis was standing over the kitchen table, rummaging through the stack of letters that had piled over the last few months. The majority were rectangular and a bit larger than your typical mail and had all sorts of colors on there along with a school logo. They lit up the kitchen table and since no one actual ate at the kitchen table, it sort of went unnoticed until Francis' ever so watchful eye picked it up.

"Yeah," J.J. said nonchalantly, not understanding why Francis had called him out here.

"There's fucking Nebraska...Iowa....Michigan....have they also been calling you?"

"I think Nebraska's coach called me a few times," J.J. tried to remember, "Iowa too but I told them I'm going to TCNJ."

"The fuck you not," Francis scoffed, "Give me your phone right now."

"What are you talking about?" J.J. was a bit confused. As soon as TCNJ -- The College of New Jersey -- coaches reached out to J.J. following his run during Regionals as a junior, he had decided that he would join Francis there. After all, Francis had family in New Jersey and so did J.J. as two of his cousins lived there.

Francis grabbed J.J.'s phone and started going through the contacts, "That's him right there?"

"Yeah, that's the Nebraska coach."

"We're going to text him right now, buddy."

........

The cold. That's all J.J. could think about as he saw the other students walk around campus in cargo shorts and the like. Their pasty white thighs didn't seem to be nearly as affected as J.J.'s body was, stuffing his hands into his pocket as he stiffly followed his guide.

"That's pretty much it," Nelson looked around to see if he had missed anything, "You have any questions or anything?"

"Is it always this cold?" J.J. asked, only half-kidding.

"Believe or not, this isn't bad for fall weather. We don't get a lot of Florida guys for a reason," Nelson admitted, "But you get used to it and it's a really nice family like atmosphere around. At the end of the day bro, it's Iowa wrestling. It sort of sells itself and if you're half as good as everyone here thinks you are, you'll be just fine."

"Thanks," J.J. wasn't sure if the last part was meant as a diss or not but chalked it up to him still learning the language.

Before he embarked on his slew of visits around the Midwest, all anyone would tell him was to try to picture himself living there for the next four years and to be frank, he couldn't. Miami was a change of culture from Port-au-Prince but to go from Port-au-Prince to Miami to now either Lincoln, Nebraska; Stillwater, Oklahoma; Iowa City, Iowa; Madison, Wisconsin or Happy Valley, Pennsylvania was a completely different thing. He had stopped asking if there was Haitian restaurants nearby after his visit to Wisconsin got him a blank stare.

"You're not sold, are you?"

"No....I like it," J.J. forced out of his mouth, trying to sound as genuine as possible but knew he had failed.

"Listen," Nelson put his hand on his shoulder, "Iowa City......is fucking Iowa City. That whole "it sells itself" bullshit is a line that the coaches want us to use, something about getting the guys that want to be here."

J.J. let out a laugh and a smile, one of the few ones during his visits.

"Once the guys are done with their shit for the day, we'll show you how we manage to survive over here."

.....

J.J. damn near fell into the toilet as he continued to regurgitate everything that he had ingested over the past few hours.

"There you go," she said ever so softly as she rubbed his back while also trying to restrain him from dipping his head into the toilet.

He continued to have fits of vomiting every few minutes or so before finally resting his head on the toilet bowl.

"Let's get you cleaned up," she chuckled as she went over to the sink and splashed some water onto a towel before handing it to J.J.

The pulsating sound of the music seemed to get louder as J.J. emerged from his funk, getting up and splashing some water on his face. He didn't recognize the woman that was standing behind him but he did appreciate her.

"Thanks," he told her as he opened the door.

"Wait," she grabbed him before he could disappear into the crowd of people that had filled up this off-campus apartment, "Where the fuck is he?"

"My boy!" yelled a voice that appeared from the mass of bodies, "Dana, he wasn't an animal, was he?"

"He was throwing up like one," she teased as Nelson put his arm around J.J. It was him and a few guys and their respective female counterparts.

"How was it, big guy?"

"I don't remember," J.J. laughed, causing the rest of the group to laugh.

"You think you're up for it?" Nelson whispered to him.

"Up for what?" J.J. asked, unsure of what was going on.

"Finish the deed," Nelson smiled, "We got her for you, man. I mean if you don't want to and want somebody else, just pick one."

J.J. quickly found himself sobering up, "Nah, I'm good."

"Whiskey dick, ain't it?" Nelson laughed, "Hope you had a good time, though."

"Definitely," J.J. muttered.
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