re: The number of eBooks released on Amazon have tripled since the release of ChatGPT

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The bus smelled like pine tar, sunflower seeds, and nerves.

Eli sat in the back, pressing his forehead against the cool window as flat fields blurred into something unfamiliar. Two months ago, he hadn’t even made his school team. Now he was riding three states away with a travel squad called the Riverhawks, a team full of kids who threw harder, ran faster, and talked like they already belonged somewhere bigger.

He wasn’t sure he did.

“First tournament?” asked Marcus from the seat across the aisle.

Eli nodded.

Marcus grinned. “Good. You’ll remember your first loss forever.”

Eli blinked. “Loss?”

Marcus shrugged. “Everybody loses out here. Question is what you do after.”

That stuck with him longer than he expected.

The fields in Arkansas were nothing like home—perfect dirt, bright white chalk lines, fences that looked too far away. Eli started on the bench that first game, helmet in his lap, watching his teammates swing like they meant it.

In the fifth inning, Coach Daniels finally turned. “Eli. You’re up.”

His stomach dropped.

He walked to the plate gripping the bat too tight, the noise around him fading into a dull hum. The pitcher looked older—stronger. First pitch: strike. Eli didn’t move.

Second pitch: he swung late. Foul.

He heard Marcus from the dugout. “Shorten it up! Just compete!”

Eli exhaled. The third pitch came faster than he expected, but this time he didn’t think. He swung.

Crack.

The ball shot between short and third. Not hard, not pretty—but it found grass.

Eli ran like something was chasing him. When he hit first base, he looked up, almost surprised to still be standing.

Coach clapped once. “That’s it. You belong here.”

But baseball has a way of humbling you quickly.

Two games later, Eli stood in right field with the sun in his eyes and the score tied. Bases loaded. Two outs.

“Stay ready!” Marcus shouted from center.

The next pitch was hit high—higher than anything Eli had ever seen. It climbed into the sky, disappearing into the glare.

Eli shuffled, lost it, found it again too late.

The ball slammed into the grass just beyond his glove.

Three runs scored.

They lost by three.

Eli didn’t move after the final out. His chest felt tight, like he’d swallowed something heavy. The team packed up around him in silence.

On the bus, no one said anything at first. Then Coach stood in the aisle.

“Everybody look up,” he said.

They did.

“You think this is the last time baseball’s going to punch you in the mouth?”

A few kids shook their heads.

“It won’t be. Not even close. The difference between players who stay and players who quit is simple—they show up again tomorrow.”

He looked straight at Eli, not angry, not disappointed. Just steady.

“Be here in the morning. Ready to work.”

Eli barely slept.

At sunrise, he was already at the field, tossing a ball into the air, tracking it, catching it again. Over and over. He worked on drop steps, on reading the spin, on moving before the ball reached its peak.

Marcus showed up next, rubbing his eyes. “You trying to outwork regret?”

Eli shrugged. “Something like that.”

Marcus grabbed a bat and started hitting fly balls. “Then don’t stop.”

They stayed until the rest of the team arrived.

That afternoon, they played again.

Same situation. Late innings. Ball hit to right.

This time, Eli didn’t freeze.

He turned, ran, tracked it over his shoulder. The sun tried to steal it, but he adjusted, squinting, trusting his first step.

The ball dropped into his glove with a soft, certain thud.

Out.

He didn’t celebrate. He just tossed it back in, heart pounding, like maybe this was what it felt like to climb out of something.

They didn’t win the tournament. Not even close.

But on the bus ride home, the air felt different. Lighter. Earned.

Marcus leaned over. “So, what’ll you remember?”

Eli thought about the missed ball. The early morning reps. The catch.

He smiled, just a little. “Showing up again.”

Marcus nodded. “Good answer.”

Outside, the fields faded into distance, but something in Eli had settled into place.

He still had a lot to prove.

But now he knew how.

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That's a fantastic book, I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

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Gross

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Not judging you, judging the elite literature's topic.

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Is it a smutty girl fantasy with hybrid creatures?

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You men on this board are always talking a dirty game... thought I'd have a bit of a laugh myself.

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