Page 299 - The Grotesque Children's Book

circle, as though it were his very first time round. Tavola, however, was still staggering to his
feet; his world was spinning. Tozzo came round, tripped on him, but landed another blow.

“Four, three. Advantage Tavola!”

Tavola, on his feet now, continued back around the circle, but every third or fourth step
lurched to his right, when the tether snapped him back, causing an unsteady stumble. Tozzo,
meanwhile, was in a fine, steady trot. He ran round his required revolution, and now coming
from behind, struck a double on the buttock.

“Five, four. Advantage Tozzo!”

Tavola swung blindly at Tozzo, and caught a miraculous clip on the back of an ankle
before he stumbled down to his knees again.

“All tied at five!”

Tozzo changed from trot to full running stride, confident, balanced, and finally
understanding all he need do was continue round the circle and score a hit on each round.
Thwack.

“Six, five. Advantage Tozzo.”

Carola shouted as though it were her last utterance on the face of the earth. Tozzo
galloped around. Tavola at this point had managed a half-revolution, and so it took another few
strides for Tozzo to catch him and strike.

“Seven, five. Advantage Tozzo,” with Tavola not yet qualified to score again. Tozzo ran
another revolution in the time it took Tavola to complete his second half. Tavola did not hear or
sense Tozzo approaching, so Tozzo's swing missed. Tozzo's hit.

“Eight, five. Advantage Tozzo.” Tozzo could smell victory. But this time Tavola was
ready for him, knowing now Tozzo's suddenly regular and reliable running speed. So Tavola
stopped running, and crouched low, very low, his birch twitching back and forth, cagily waiting
to score a triple, which would tie the score, and give him the final dash for the conclusive ninth
point.

Carola saw the brilliant strategy, and knew Tozzo would not be expecting it. Tozzo won't
be expecting anything, she thought, except run, hit, run, hit. Tavola's going to tie it, and it was
all come down to --

Suddenly Tozzo stopped running. What's he doing? “Run!” screamed Carola. Tozzo
not only stopped, he turned around. Oh, no! He's thinking! He thinks Tavola is running. He's
trying to trick Tavola into watching for an attack from behind. Don't think, Tozzo, just run. But
of course Tozzo couldn't hear her. He was walking backwards, slowly, like a hunter looking out
for approaching prey, slowly, step by step, waving his birch in front of him, hoping Tavola
would run into it.

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