The triumphant, chaotic joy of the Sheffield Wednesday victory lasted for exactly twelve hours.
Michael woke up the next morning, the hero of his own story, the 'Kid Genius' who had just toppled the league leaders.
He had his 400 points, his [Full Recovery Potion] unlocked, and his team in the promotion spots.
He sat in his small kitchen, sipping his morning coffee, and stared at the fixture list on his laptop. The words had not changed.
[FA CUP, THIRD ROUND: BARNSLEY FC vs. NORTHWOOD FC]
The warmth of the victory was gone, replaced by a cold, familiar, acidic knot in his stomach. His father.
He didn't have to wait long. The media, which had been his fawning admirer for all of half a day, smelled blood in the water. This was a story. This was the story.
By noon, the 24-hour sports networks were in a frenzy.
