The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3354 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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It had suddenly grown colder at night and instead of leaving the bathroom window open, I shut it. If anybody showered the Expelair fan should deal with it, although I hadn't used it for weeks, I didn't need to, I opened the window. I was now thinking differently. I had only experienced a sense of cold when I was outdoors, getting wet on field trips and the like were the only times, unless you count wandering around in a rugby jersey at school waiting to be picked by one side or the other, whichever drew the short straw. I knew that nobody wanted me, except every so often they threw me the ball which was an excuse for everyone on the opposing side to jump on me and punch and kick me until the referee decided I had enough punishment just for being girly. I couldn't help it, it was just the way I was born. I was, however, a reasonably fast runner and I recounted how one day I was thrown the ball and instead of being tackled immediately I snaked my way past the entire opposing team and scored a try.

My team was ecstatic, my run was described as ghosting through the opposition, worthy of Barry John, a Welsh player who had retired at the height of his game having partnered Gareth Edwards for a few seasons. They were both I was informed some of the greatest players ever to play rugby. I was still wondering how I ran through the 'enemy' when the ball found its way to me again and I did the same again. The tries were converted and they were exactly the amount by which we won.

The head of the sports department was told of my achievements and refused to believe it. As far I was concerned I was the arch pansy and couldn't run with the ball or tackle to save my life. However, the next Saturday I found myself picked for the second fifteen and had to play a team from the school just up the road. I walked there expecting that by the end of the first half the opposition would know I was a wimp and had no idea how to play. I didn't fully understand the rules, I just did what everyone did except spit on the pitch.

Unbeknownst to me the head of sports came to watch. It was the second team, so nobody had a real sense of the game, so when the ball got thrown to me I did what I could to avoid someone twice my size clattering me. I ended up scoring a try. Suddenly my team were all friendly, it was first time we had been in the lead that season. Amazingly, it happened twice and ran through the opposition with none of them able to touch me. We were well ahead and I might have scored a hat-trick, except someone tackled me before I had the ball. They knocked the stuffing out of me putting a knee into my leg causing a dead leg when they hit me. We were awarded a penalty and it was converted. They scored once when they came past me, I couldn't tackle at the best of times, carrying an injury I couldn't run fast enough but it was too late and we won because of my tries.

My father was informed. I was promoted when the person playing on the wing in our first fifteen was injured and was told to stand in for them. I was horrified, this team were one of the best in the schools league, they knew what they were doing, mind you so did most of the teams. I was very different to playing in the secondsI tried to opt out but neither my father or the head of sports would listen. I pleaded for them to release me as I felt out of my depth but they insisted I play. Being named in the team was a real honour. Play umpteen times for them and I'd get school colours, which would enhance my chance for acceptance by a university when I applied. I tried to tell them but everyone thought it was the end of my girly period and that I had suddenly become a man.

We lined up against the opposing team and I was the smallest on the field, probably by about 20 or 30 pounds. They threw me the ball expecting me to run down the wing but within about two seconds I was splattered by their winger. To add insult to injury he ran through me knocking me flying when he scored their opening try.

We were lambasted, beaten by five tries to nothing. I was called a disgrace by the captain and I nearly burst into tears. "You big girl's blouse, tackle the bastard or you'll face me afterwards." I must have taken his advice because in the second half, their wing was charging down the line and only me to beat, when he tried to run through me again. I made a token effort to get in his way and in doing so got knocked out and he fell over me and broke his wrist. Neither of us took any further part in the game, but shared a trip to the hospital in a teacher's car.

My father came to get me, after I had a scan on my bonce to determine if anything up there worked. I presume it did and I actually felt all right before they took me to hospital. I didn't tell them in case they put me back on the pitch. The chap who broke his wrist called me all sorts of names, mainly questioning my masculinity, because the injury stopped him trying out for the county team. I just shrugged, he should have looked where he was going. My tackle attempt was pathetic, all ha had to do was run around me instead he tried to show his dominance and go through me and fell awkwardly on his hand breaking his wrist. I had a slight concussion but I had stopped him scoring. It didn't help, my own team saw me as ineffectual and the opposition spotted me as the weakest link. They were both right but I had tried to tell them it was a mistake. My concussion had meant I couldn't play for a month and by then they had forgotten about me and I continued hiding in the shadows trying not to seen by anyone who would beat me up.

I shuddered at the memory and felt cold again. Trish was quite right, I did the cold more than I used to. If I said anything to Simon he'd just pull my leg and tease me about it. I shivered again and decided I'd say nothing. My rugby memories had lasted a few seconds and I can't remember touching a rugby ball ever again. My mother had been upset by my concussion and told the headmaster that I wasn't to do games again as I was too delicate. I was sore the next day, it felt like I stood in front of a train but I milked it for every drop of my father's guilt. He had been excited by my playing rugby until he saw me play and then wished he hadn't. It wasn't my fault as I was up against other player who were much bigger and knew what they were doing I was just there to make up the numbers. I had tried to tell them perhaps they listen in future.

I thought about Danielle and her football, she was fearless. I was timid unless one of the kids was threatened. As a school kid I sometimes preferred to take a beating because it was easier to survive one by one than by half a dozen, so I became quite good at risk assessment. I also learned to fight, using whatever was available. It wasn't pretty and the guy who taught me and thought I was girl, told me that survival was everything. It was no good to play fair and end up dead. So I learned how to read a situation, to see if there was escape possible because cowardice is preferable to violence and potentially dead heroes. Indiana Jones may be able to take on six opponents and come out without a scrape on him, real life is not so amenable, and if attacked by six opponents the most you are likely to do is take out one or two.

However, I did fight my way out of an attack by five assailants. Had they known what they were doing I could have been killed or seriously injured but they underestimated me. While they were trying to provoke me thinking it would be a pushover, I had assessed them all, backed against a wall and then took the inititative. I knew that if I got it wrong they could do me serious harm. The first one didn't see my punch to the throat coming, he went down and stayed there. They now had to get over him to get near me. The second was off balance and I kicked his knee dislocating the kneecap, he rolled about on the ground making loud noises but he couldn't stand up. Number three pulled a knife and so number four who was stepping over his prostrate friend got pushed on the knife which shocked both of them, I managed a kick to each of their groins and they ceased being part of the assault, the fifth tried to run off when he saw it was him versus someone much smaller and feminine looking who had just dropped four of his friends. I leapt onto his back scratched his face and I tripped him landing on him as we feel. Being on top I got up first and delivered a kick to his jaw which rattled his teeth if not liberating some and walked away. None of them ever challenged me again. As a girl it was the only fight I had and it proved several of my self-defence coaches points. I had a few bruises, they had several but rather than lose face by saying that they got them from me, a known girly-boy, they kept it quiet or said they were cornered by a gang and fell to superior numbers. It made me smile, but they say one woman is worth half a dozen men, I don't think they mean it that way.

It's all psychology and sometimes surprise is worth loads, it was to me. I have taught all the girls some kick-boxing, so they may get a decent first blow in, but also emphasised that running away is best of all unless the chasers can run faster. It also means you can split them up, not that most people feel like fighting after a long run and always run towards people. If you beat someone up you don't want any witnesses if you can help it.

I worried about Trish and Danni going to uni in a week or two's time, especially Trish, who although intellectually superior was naïve and not used to dealing with boys, so imagine my surprise when she announced she was going on a date.

As she attends an all girl school she has limited contact with boys. So she put an advert on the internet saying her potential love interest wasn't to be older that sixteen and not be in an existing relationship. Interests included quantum physics and mathematics. Apparently, three replied and she was going to see the first tonight. I tried to put her off but she wasn't having it and by preventing her going secretly Danni and I followed he to her first rendevous. It was certainly different as I'll explain sometime.