Dani Ruth - B. Rodriguez <3

Pickling the Beast

It was the morning after Benny's and Dani's dreams as Benny knocks on Small's window.

Small's opens his window to see Benny there, Dani's right behind him. "Dani's and I had a dream. Get dressed. We're going to the sandlot. Come on."

Smalls nods and the couple walk away.

They gather all the boys and walk to the sandlot, Benny and Dani holding hands as Benny held a shoe box in his hands.

Benny stares at fence of the sandlot before bending down and taking off his shoes replacing them with new ones.

Once he had his new shoes on and the old ones in the box, Benny sighed as he started walking towards the fence, but was stopped by Dani grabbing his hand. "Benny, please don't do this I can do it. I had the dream too. I can do it."

Benny shakes his head. "No. I can't risk you getting hurt."

Benny looks down at Dani as tears well up in her eyes. "And I can't lose you."

Benny puts his hand on either side of Dani's cheek smiling even though he can feel the tears well up in his eyes as well. "Hey. You won't lose me. Okay? I promise."

Dani sighed and nodded as Benny wrapped his arms around her waist.

The two stayed like that not wanting to let go, but knew they had to.

Benny pulled away, kissing the top of Dani's head before he walked away towards the fence.

He made it to the edge of the old broken down car before Smalls called out to him. "Benny, wait. It's okay. It was my fault."

Benny looks back at him as Smalls. "You don't have to do this."

Squints nods. "Yeah. Come on, Benny, man. You don't have to do it. Forget about it. It's like committing suicide, Benny. Don't do it."

Timmy nods. "Yeah, don't do it, Benny."

Tommy nods as well. "Yeah. Don't do it. It's suicide."

Benny sighed as he looked to Dani who just silently nodded to him. He nods back then looks to Smalls. "Yeah, I do Smalls. I have to do this."

He turned back around and climbed onto the old tire onto the old car. Benny took a minute to look back at her and the sandlot crew before giving them the thumbs up and climbing over the fence.

Rocki took in a deep breath as she waited for Benny along with the boys.

Longest 3 minutes of her life.

It was only when Benny hopped over the fence, landing in front of the sandlot boys and herself, did Dani calm down.

They all helped Benny up, cheering him on.

Dani could tell Benny was still scared so she tried to calm him down. "Hey. Hey. Benny. Look at me."

Benny did as he was told and looked up at Dani.

Dani held up the Babe Ruth signed baseball and smiled. "You did it. You got the ball."

Benny took a second to realize what he did, then smiled. "I did. I did it! I pickled the beast."

Dani chuckled and nodded as Benny picked her up and twirled her around, everyone still cheering him on.

Benny put Dani back down and her eyes widen at the sight of the fence. "Oh, shit."

Dani immediately took off running as the beast followed after her, jumping over the fence.

She ran out of the sandlot and into the streets as she tried to out run the beast, nearly hitting a man on a bike and ran into the front of a car.