Dave Casler
PO Box 98
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
Young Adult Novels by Dave Casler...
I've been told by publisher after publisher that there's no market for Young Adult novels. I think they're wrong! So I'm putting my novels on-line for you. Forget the publisher! Read to your heart's content--it's free! And, I'd like to hear from you, too! Contact Page.
You're reading About Dan. Be sure to check out About Phillip here.
Dan is a normal kid who loves his soccer. Except everything goes wrong. Everything.
About Series Home
About the About Series
Index to All Chapters
Here are all the chapters, disguised as asterisks. Hover your mouse over an asterisk to see the title of the chapter. Click on the asterisk to go straight to that chapter.
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(About Dan Home) (Last) (Next)
Ernesto Tries Again
Peter left Dan to soak in the sun and then ran onto the field for warm-ups. It was cooler than the day nearly two weeks prior when he was injured. He saw a benched Anderson player stand up, stretch and cross the field in his direction. He couldn't quite make him out, but he wore number 10.
Him again, thought Dan. What’s he want?
"Hello, soccer brother," said Ernesto, more quietly than Dan expected. "Did you come here to watch the defeat of your team?"
Dan gauged Ernesto's mood before replying.
"You’re still walking slowly."
"The wound is not healing."
"Me neither," said Dan. "I see the doc tomorrow."
Ernesto looked back across the field, into the sun. "Are we going to see good soccer today?" he asked abstractly.
Dan didn’t reply. The din from the gathering crowd made it hard make out what he was saying.
Ernesto turned to face Dan. He continued to speak quietly, leaning down so Dan could hear. "It’s better to play than watch."
"I agree," admitted Dan.
Ernesto extended his hand. Dan took it; they shook in silence. Ernesto hesitated for a moment, as though he had something more to say but didn’t know how to phrase it. People were swirling about. Someone bumped Ernesto. That seemed to make up his mind.
"Good luck, my soccer brother. There is something I must tell you. Later." He pulled his hand away and walked back to his bench.
Dan sensed sadness in the way Ernesto carried himself. What’s going on?