Redskins @ MindSay

Chapter Four

The game started with Eli Manning throwing a touchdown pass to Kevin Boss. Seraph and Dracula told Saphyra, Shadow, Lilith, and Danica that Hector was being held prisoner in the Castle at Loch Ness. Of course, Saphyra had feared that all along. She was a freelance photographer for the NFL and was taking pictures of the New York Giants and the Redskins. When Shadow hit the field the score was 7-3. He put his helmet on and trotted onto the field, making Saphyra’s heart swell with love for him.

“I was afraid of that,” Saphyra said taking a picture of the huddle and of the lineup over the football, at the line of scrimmage.

“Afraid of what?” Jay asked. Saphyra didn’t answer, just took a snapshot of Shadow throwing the football and the football sailing through the air and Chris Cooley catching it.

“I know, she always does this, when she’s bored. It really irritates me,” Lilith agreed.

“Who does?” He asked Lilith, hoping that she’d answer it. Which she didn’t. Saphyra turned to Jay and finally answered him.

“Belladonna Vinylslut has been my nemesis since I was quite young. She kidnapped my husband, Shadow, 500 years ago, and held him prisoner in the Coliseum; I wish that I had killed her when I had the chance,” she explained to Jay. She took some more pictures of Shadow driving down the field for a touchdown.

“No one thinks that Jason can win this game....it’s ludicrous! Everyone knows that the Giants suck at home!” Saphyra said running over to snap a picture of her husband throwing a touchdown and the celebration that Antwan Randle-El made. She ran up to Shadow and hugged him. She pulled his helmet off and kissed him full on the mouth.

“Nice one, sweetheart,” she whispered in his ear. Shadow grinned and picked her up and carried her over to the sidelines and guzzled down his Gatorade. Shadow set her down and kept his arms around her waist.

“All right, so, what did I miss?” He asked. Aurora told him what Dracula had told Saphyra and Jay.

“Dang it, Medea, why didn’t you kill her when you had the chance?” Shadow asked her. Saphyra shrugged.

“I don’t know why. I wish I had too, darling, if it helps any,” she explained.

“It helps a little,” he said mopping his face off with a towel that the water-boy handed him and a huge chug of water from his water bottle. His hair was matted with sweat but he had to put his helmet back on and get back out there to hold for the extra-point kick. The weather was cold in New Jersey and when he went back to the sidelines, he traded his helmet for a beanie and squatted on the sidelines while Saphyra teleported to the other side of the field and reappeared in a NY Giants dress with Eli’s jersey number and last name on the dress and cape. She snapped pictures of Eli Manning and everyone. Vivyanne and Aurora also went to the other side, Vivyanne was Saphyra’s assistant. Eli threw a pick and the interception was taken in for a touchdown, so suddenly the Redskins were on fire. Saphyra gave Eli a sympathetic hug before teleporting over to the side where her husband was standing with Zorn, the Head Coach, going over the next few plays. Saphyra and Shadow had known the Mannings since Archie Manning started playing for the New Orleans Saints. Peyton, Cooper and Eli were also good friends with her.

At halftime the score was 21-10, the Redskins were up and had the ball next. Jay checked to make sure his blood sugar level was ok, while he did that, Shadow and Saphyra chatted with Randle-El and Moss. Saphyra teleported to the Giants’ locker room and sat next to Eli while Tom Coughlin, the head coach, gave them their pep-talk. Pretty soon, Vivyanne, Lilith and Aurora appeared next to her and whispered into her ear.

Great! Another thing to worry about! Saphyra thought to them. They nodded. Apparently, goblins and other creatures that weren’t friendly to them were suddenly disappearing and reappearing up in Siberia. Then it swiftly dawned on her. What if Belladonna had returned to her icy fortress up in Russia? Either that or the goblins and brownies were just up to some mischief....which wouldn’t be surprising.

“Eli, we have to go back to the other locker room, good luck in the game,” Saphyra whispered.

“Ok, see you after the game,” Peyton’s little brother said back. Saphyra still couldn’t believe that little Eli Manning was all grown up and playing professional football. She also couldn’t believe that he was married. Abby was a sweetheart and was perfect for him, but she still saw him as the little boy tagging along behind his older brothers, Peyton and Cooper. They all teleported to where her husband was seated, with Jay, Seraph, Danica and Vlad, listening to Jim Zorn giving the Redskins a pep talk as well.

“Father, what are we going to do about Belladonna? She can’t keep doing this to us all the time!” Saphyra asked.

“We could try talking to her,” he replied. Saphyra rolled her eyes.

“We’ve done that before! That’s why Jason was kidnapped!”

“Well, then, talk to her again.”

“Is that ALL you do, talk to people?! Come on, Papa! It didn’t work with the Greeks and Trojans, it didn’t work with the Philistines and the Israelites and you remember World War Two!” Saphyra hissed. Jay shushed them and pointed at Zorn who was waiting for them to stop arguing.

“Sorry, Jim, go ahead,” Saphyra said, feeling embarrassed and frustrated at her father. Zorn laughed and continued with his pep talk.

The game started off with Shadow fumbling the ball but recovering it in time for Antonio Pierce to land on him. The Refs proceeded to give the Redskins a first down anyways, when Pierce started shoving Shadow. This made Saphyra furious, while she took pictures of it and told her adopted sister, Vivyanne, to write about that to send to MSNBC.com which always published Saphyra and Vivyanne’s articles pertaining to professional football. Saphyra’s husband made a touchdown from that drive, making the score 28-10. She congratulated her husband with a quick kiss and teleported to the other side of the field and started chewing out Pierce, when Coughlin was through with him.

Eli responded to Shadow’s drive with a touchdown as well, bringing Saphyra’s camera out to take some pictures and teleported to the Redskins’ sidelines and yelled at the defense.

“You morons! How are we supposed to win the division this season if you let the opposing team score on the next drive after my husband scores?!” She screamed at them. One of the men, looked flushed.

“What would a photographer know about football?” He asked. Saphyra’s teal eyes pierced into his.

“Young man, I will have you know that I’ve been taking pictures of professional football for 112 years! Ever since Cardinals were founded in 1898, in Chicago!” She told him harshly. The guy backed off.

After the game, the score was 35-20, Redskins 1-0 and the Giants 0-1. Eli had invited Shadow and Saphyra and their family to his house to watch the Sunday Night football game, Colts vs. The Patriots. Jay, Shadow, and Saphyra bet with Brett Favre, Tony Romo, and John Lynch that the Colts would beat the Pats 24-17. They, of course, thought that the Pats would beat the Colts 31-10. Saphyra’s group won 9 times out of 10. Seraph always went to those gatherings with his daughter and son-in-law. They said yes of course. Vlad declined and told them that he would be out hunting up in the Appalachians with his brides. So he went off with Marishka, Verona, and Aleera, while the others went to Eli’s house.