The crackling stopped and immediately there was a desperate whisper, "Stop that." the voice commanded. "I can help you, but I must have your permission. I can disable all who have struck you and any who try to keep you here. May I do so?"
The sound was as though someone was whispering in Jimmy's ear. "Who said that?"
"What the fuck was that Jimmy?" Matt said regaining his bravado as soon as the strange lightning and Jimmy's convulsive dance stopped. He started lumbering forward, apparently angry Jimmy caused him to show fear in front of everyone.
"I can weaken him... I can give you strength. I can give you HIS strength! I can give you the entire teams strength. Do you give me permission?"
Jimmy was backing up from Matt but the others already had him boxed in from all sides. Panic was gripping him, Jimmy should have listened to his mother, they could be enjoying popcorn and a Hocus Pocus rerun on the couch. He could be safe at home not worried for his health and safety, he could be sneaking candy from the candy bowl and enjoying the other kids who come to the house in costume.
"Child MOVE!" The ring screamed.
Jimmy was pulled from his bitter reminiscing just in time to realize he was being lunged at by Craig. He dodged just in time to keep from being crushed and possibly injured since every guy here had at least 80 lbs on him.
"Child! Say you give me permission to protect you from these buffoons! Out loud! I talk to you mentally, not the other way around!"
Jimmy was wary of talking to the voice in his head, but low on options. "Yes!" he screamed expecting that he was going crazy and nothing would happen. Boy was he wrong.
His hands shot up, palms facing the crowd, and with an authority that Jimmy never had possessed he commanded "Stop!" and the Jocks were still.
Controlled by the ring Jimmy aimed his palms toward Matt who was compelled into the center of the circle. Though he was held in place and couldn't scream, Jimmy saw the terror in his eyes. Jimmy felt the power rise up within him and when it reached his mouth, out spilled arcane words, the likes of which he had never heard and couldn't repeat if he tried. Matt bent down and jimmy placed his palm onto Matt's forehead. There was a transfer of energy and then Matt stood up, stepped back and this process was repeated to the remaining 5 young men there.
Jimmy was just a passenger in his own body like the others. Once the ritual was completed on all of his attackers/tormentors Jimmy's feet began walking away, reclaiming his bike and went home. As soon as he was off the property the football team was released from their hold and left staring at one another in confusion.
Jimmy raced home filled with the irrational fear that they were following him. He hadn't seen or heard their cars, and he knew even they were too smart to attack him on the street with trick or treaters milling about, but still the paranoia was taking hold... And what about at school? They are given a lot of slack being so popular... they could easily corner him and attack him for the fun of it. "Ugh! what am I going to do? I... I thought I was going to make friends." Jimmy pulled into the driveway discarding his bike and collapsed into tears in the garage.
Meanwhile, the ring was hard at work. The party in the fancy suburb across town was falling apart. "I can't believe you would invite someone, just to abuse them." Stacy said to Matt. "You are older, stronger, and in a group of your friends. You call that sportsman like behavior? You're disgusting. That kid isn't, and never was, a threat to you in any way! You're such a jerk." Stacy shot Brittany, Melissa, and Claire a glance and within a few seconds there was a mass exodus of party goers leaving only the 6 cursed football players in attendance.
The curse was just getting fired up, fueled by Jimmy's fear, rage, sadness and insecurities. All of which he was currently wallowing in. But the curse had many different forms it could take, which did it?