Unicorns Soccer for God
It was a week later when Uni was woken early by a loud banging on the front door of the Ice Queen’s palace, he groggily slipped into his shorts and staggered, bleary eyed to the door.
Outside was the young angel Amanda, dressed in soccer shirt and shorts wearing soccer shoes, she held the soccer ball under her arm that she had been kicking against the door.
“Horse here?” She asked with a grin.
Uni just mumbled, still half asleep, and leaving her at the door, headed to Sheen’s room, he shook Sheen by the shoulder, told him there was someone at the front door to see him and to get some clothes on, as Sheen pulled his pants on, Uni collapsed on the bed behind him, and even as Sheen turned to ask who, he could see that Uni was already fast asleep.
As he headed towards the door, still doing up the top button on his pants he heard her voice seconds before he saw her, “Come on horse, we got a big say ahead of us.” Sheen had a huge smile on his face, he knew who it was, no one else called him horse. So he didn’t hurry on purpose.
When Sheen reached the door Amanda grabbed him by the hand and immediately started dragging him behind her, refusing to answer any questions about where they were headed, all she would say was how was his Spanish.
She stopped a short distance away, opened a door and dragged Sheen through after her. Behind the door Sheen could see about twenty brown skinned youths about his own age playing soccer on the street barefooted, he smiled and felt right at home here, until suddenly he saw the boy with crutches.
But as he moved towards him the others saw Amanda’s wings and dropped to their knees they began crossing themselves, muttering in low voices angelito. Amanda looked annoyed, pointed with her thumb to the sky and drew her forefinger sharply across her throat. The boys understood instantly, this was God’s secret, it was to be guarded jealously.
When Sheen reached the boy he changed to unicorn form, and each of the boys dropped to his knees once more, many of the boys were crying, they were watching God’s miracle being performed, “Unicornio, El curandero they whispered crossing themselves and immediately starting to pray, Sheen could feel the energy flowing into him like a physical thing, and he started to heal. He could see the health coming back to the boy’s features, and then he stood, at first a little shaky, then firmer.
The boys leapt to their feet as Sheen changed back to human form, remembering Amanda’s warning, they made no sound, but each hugged sheen and Amanda and then kissed them on their cheeks. “Amanda smiled at Sheen and said, “We are now their family.”
“Let’s play soccer, for God” called Amanda to them and they lined up to be selected for this game that had already changed their lives, and Sheen chose the boy he had healed and his brother first, with both standing by his side with huge smiles on their faces.
It was a game to remember, each boy was playing for the honour of God, to repay Him for His Grace, for His Miracle. Each exceeded any skills they had ever known, and soon the street filled with onlookers, all quickly sworn to silence by the boys. It was a magic game, a game where the ball was treated with the utmost skill, and Sheen and Amanda were foremost among the players.
The crowd screamed, they yelled themselves hoarse, it was a World Cup of faith, of skill, and of thanks. Amanda scored the first goal from a penalty shot, she grinned at Sheen, urging him to beat that. Which he did a few seconds later as the boy he had healed passed him the ball and he scored from an impossible angle.
The crowd wept as they cheered, some whispered angelito and unicornio, and others nodded in understanding.
The time was running out and the score was still one all, when suddenly Amanda kicked the ball high in the air, and as Sheen watched in awe, she flipped herself and kicked the ball in mid air, sending it straight past his keeper. It was the perfect goal.
While the watchers were still screaming in pleasure Sheen hugged Amanda and kissed her on both cheeks, he shook her hand and said simply, “ family?” Amanda nodded with a smile and returned both the hug and kisses, and with many tears they left for home.
