For years they had called him a freak because he looked different.

No friends, no relationships, cast aside by an uncaring society.

His mother’s love was the only one he’d known, caring for him, nurturing him, protecting him, until she was gone too soon.

Then loneliness in an unforgiving world.

He longed to join in the game. They never gave him a chance. So he watched from the sidelines, sometimes hidden, sometimes brave enough to reveal himself, only to be scared away by inevitable abuse.

He learned the sport, practised on his own. He became skillful, but only he knew this.

Until that day. The team were a player short. The captain, a boy his own age, approached him. ‘Can you play?’ he asked.

A reluctant nod. The offered jersey. Acceptance of sorts.

He still survives alone, he still hides his face from the cruel world.

But once a week he meets them at the playing field and pulls on a jersey and finds brothers who embrace him as one of theirs.

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 – 175 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.

To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.