Chapter 112: The Talk and the Truth
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The dawn light filtered through Crawley's gray clouds, painting Broadfield Stadium's muddy pitches in soft gold as Niels arrived, the familiar scent of wet grass grounding him.
Preseason was underway, Thomas's intense fitness drills sparking energy, but today, Niels braced for the truth about his team's spine, ready to fight for Crawley's story on the muddy pitches where it would come alive.
Early that morning, a soft knock broke the quiet of Niels's office.
He looked up from his window to see Max standing in the doorway, his face drawn, eyes heavy with exhaustion, as if sleep had eluded him.
The captain looked drained, his shoulders slumped under an invisible burden.
Niels motioned to a chair, the cluttered office match programs, a chipped mug, a photo from the FA Cup run fading into the background.
