"The batting cages are lined up easy to hard . You can find the speed and type of pitch listed up there . " Noah pointed to the first cage we walked up to . Softball Slow-pitch . "As you can see, this is where little girls will gather . And sometimes old men who play in adult slow-pitch leagues . " A bunch of little girls were lined up for this particular cage with parents standing nearby . "There's also a fast-pitch softball machine . "
"Moving on to where we want to be . The baseball speed starts at 50 miles an hour . Then 60 mph . 70 mph . Then in increments of five . 75 mph . 80 mph . 85 mph . 90 mph . 95 mph . And 100 mph . " Noah took me along the cages, pointing out the difference between each one . "The faster you want, the less you have to wait . Not everyone wants to waste a token on something they can't even hit . "
AdvertisementI nodded along . This was my first time seeing so many pitching machines . At my middle school, we only had one machine that could change speeds but you had to do it manually . I was told it was a donation from someone's dad, but it benefited me the most . I use to spend hours and hours in there playing around as the other boys got to play real baseball .
"Where do you want to start?" Noah's smile was the biggest I've seen yet .
I tightened my grip on the bat and walked back to the 50 mph cage, then got in line .
Noah's smile faltered . "Please tell me your joking . This is for grade schoolers . "
I shook my head, no . This is where I should start . Warming up is important . Plus I have a new bat that I haven't even tried before .
"Ugh . You suck . " He peered over at a further cage, then looked back at me . "I'm going to the 70 and 75 cage . There's not much of line here so just join me when you're done . " He handed me half of his tokens, then opened up his backpack . He pulled out his helmet and pushed it to me . "Use this . I'll go back and get one from the counter . You don't really need gloves on such slow speeds . "
I nodded . I've never used batting gloves before anyways . Noah patted my shoulder once then ran off after putting his bag back on .
I waited patiently behind a couple of kids, younger than me . The twelve pitches for each token made things go by quickly, and it wasn't long before it was my turn . I put the helmet on and took a few practice swings once I stepped in the cage . Then I put my first token in .
I stepped into the righty's box and got set: feet apart, knees lightly bent, elbow back, shoulders loose . The first pitch came . Seemingly slow, but I waited then perfectly hit the ball, sending it back towards the machine . Good . That's one . The bat felt a bit foreign but it was nice .
I haven't held a bat in about six months . Not since my mom came after me with one . She had broken both of my arms, split my head open, rib fractures, and there was a lot of blood . I don't remember much after the first hit to the head, but I remember seeing a lot of red when opening my eyes . It was sickening . The first two months were easy, just lying on a bed, all bandaged up with casts . The last four months were straight rehab and strengthening all the muscles that atrophied .
Even now, I just don't feel the same . Just . . . so . . . weak .
I finished the rest of the pitches, sending them all right back to the pitching machine perfectly . Instead of leaving the cage after, I put another token in, but this time I went to the lefty's box .
Chapter end
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