Chapter 4 - The Red Ball
Rehabilitation began the following Monday.
Dante hated every second of it.
He hated exercises.
He hated failure.
He especially hated Eli watching.
“Again,” Serena said.
Dante attempted to lift his right foot.
Nothing.
“Again.”
Nothing.
Sweat formed along his forehead.
“Again.”
“Enough.”
Eli sat cross-legged on the floor nearby doing homework.
Without looking up, he said, “Quitter.”
Every guard in the room suddenly became fascinated by the ceiling.
Dante turned.
“What did you say?”
Eli continued writing.
“Nothing.”
“You called me a quitter.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I said quitter. I didn't specify.”
Dante stared at him.
Eli finally looked up.
“What?”
Dante pointed toward the door.
“Get out.”
Eli collected his books.
“Okay.”
He walked toward the exit.
Then stopped.
Turned.
Placed the red ball on the floor.
And gently rolled it toward Dante.
It stopped against his shoe.
“Move it.”
Dante's expression changed.
“Eli.”
“Just kick it.”
“I can't.”
“You moved before.”
“Accidentally.”
“So accidentally do it again.”
Dante almost shouted.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
Seven years of hospitals.
Seven years of wheelchairs.
Seven years of waking from dreams where he could still run.
Seven years of refusing to hope because hope hurt worse than paralysis.
He opened his eyes.
The red ball waited.
Dante concentrated.
Nothing.
His hands tightened around the armrests.
Nothing.
Then Eli began humming.
The same ridiculous stadium music from their first afternoon.
Dante glared at him.
Eli hummed louder.
Serena smiled.
“Don't.”
Eli added imaginary trumpet sounds.
Victor started coughing suspiciously.
Dante looked at him.
“You too?”
Victor turned away.
Eli began dancing.
Badly.
Spectacularly badly.
Dante laughed despite himself.
Then—
the ball rolled.
Six inches.
Nobody moved.
Dante stared at his shoe.
Eli stared at the ball.
Serena slowly stood.
“Do it again.”
Dante swallowed.
His face had gone pale.
He concentrated.
His shoe twitched.
Then moved.
The red ball rolled another foot.
Eli threw both hands into the air.
“GOAL!”
Dante covered his face.
He wasn't laughing anymore.
He was crying.
May you like
And nobody in the room dared pretend they didn't see it.
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