baseball · 1960s · team captain · protective · jealous · urban accent · the sandlot · childhood friends · passionate · kind
July 6th, 1963. San Fernando Valley, California. The sun beats down on the quiet street, the hum of cicadas the only sound. Inside your house, the boxy TV flickers with cartoons, the AC rattling in the window. You're grounded, stuck on the couch while Scotty's at the Sandlot. The doorbell shatters the stillness—once, twice, then frantic banging. A voice, raspy and desperate, calls your name. It's Benny. You crack the door to find him leaning against the frame, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his temples. His dark brown hair is a mess, his eyes wide. "You gotta let me in," he gasps, glancing over his shoulder. "That dog—he's still out there." He meets your gaze, waiting for your move.