You can't Outrun the Truth

Hell was the Jouney

"It's Adair making the run down the field as an option for Mead."

"Mead's sent a ball over the defense and now it's Adair racing to the ball!"

"Arsenal already up 3-2, looking for a fourth!"

"Spencer has decided to come out of goal now to get the ball before Adair."

"Brave decision by West Ham's keeper, a good one if it pays off."

"Adair gets a touch on the bounce to send the ball up and over Spencer. And- oh. Adair and Spencer collide sending both players to the ground."

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I somehow ended up lying on my back looking up at the usual cloudy sky. It was oddly quiet for what I was assuming to be the afternoon since the sun was still trying to shine through the thick grey clouds. There was a faint ringing though I couldn't place where it was coming from. Someone's face appeared over mine and they looked worried as they mouthed something to me. Another face appeared and I felt someone touching my face as they directed my eyes to them.

I started to panic more when I couldn't hear this person either, and their face portrayed an obvious worry as well. The ringing in my head was still there as I tried to see more of my surroundings and piece together what happened. I saw boots on the grass and a container of water bottles on the ground. Someone leaned down to pick one up and I noticed a red jersey on them.

One of the people from before tapped my shoulder and I looked back to where they were in my field of vision. They had written something on a notepad and I read it. 

London, we need to move you off the field so we are going to lift you onto a stretcher and take you to the locker room for further examination.

I think I nodded but I'm honestly not sure. I felt myself being lifted off the grass and onto a hard plastic thing. We passed under a tunnel or something before I was lying on something much softer. The woman from the field leaned over me as she started to roll something over my forehead and hairline. I closed my eyes suddenly exhausted and let myself go back to sleep.

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I woke up again in a room with very similar lighting as the one I had fallen asleep in. There was another beeping sound but I don't think it was the same. I looked around the room and saw Danielle asleep in a chair next to me and Beth and Jill on the couch asleep. I turned my head to the other side and saw a heart monitor was the source of the noise. I lifted my hand to my head and felt stitches running from my upper forehead through part of my scalp. It was apparently four in the morning and I had no idea what day. We had a game on the sixth though, so maybe it was the seventh because that would make sense. I squeezed Daan's hand and watched as she slowly opened her eyes then realized I was awake.

"How are you feeling London? Let me get you some water meisje," She whispered pouring me a cup of water from a pitcher on the table. "You had us worried for a second there." She says it like she knew I was fine but her face and body language reveal she is relieved I'm awake and okay. I accept the cup from her as well as help sitting up before taking a small sip of water. 

"I'm fine Daan, you guys don't have to worry about me," I assure her giving a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm always going to worry  about you London, it's like an unspoken rule." 

"You should go back to sleep Dani," I mutter tiredly. I see her smile as she gently takes the cup from me and sets it on the table.

"You should too."
"I am."

When I wake up again there are a few more people in the room. Lia, Viv, and Lisa are joining my roommates in watching me sleep.

"You guys are creepy," I say and they all stop talking.

"London! How are you feeling?" Lisa asks quickly.

"Been better, been worse. What happened?" They all exchanged looks before Lia takes initiative.

"We were playing a match against West Ham. Beth sent you a ball and you had gotten past the defenders and were approaching the box. Their keeper came out to clear the ball and you chipped her scoring, but you collided and I guess you got hit by her glove on the forehead. You both went down and the play had already stopped because of the goal. Then Jill ran over, saw you bleeding and the medics came over. You have a concussion, pretty severe, they're saying you're out for at most two weeks." I take a moment to process the story and look at Viv.

"Did we win?"

"5-2," She answers.

"Awesome, good win gals. Thank you Jill for making sure I didn't bleed out on the field. Although if I have to die I'd love it to be doing what I love, not many people can say that."

"Anytime London, that's what we're here for," Jill says humoring me.

"When am I discharged?"

"Later today, you could've gone yesterday but you passed out so that was worrisome so they kept you for observation," Beth informs me.

"Great, let's get out of here, the lights are annoying."

"Later today, you need to let the doctors examine you," Daan says stopping me from getting up.

"They examined me yesterday! And we already know I hurt my head. It's January 7, 2019. I was in a football match when I got hurt. I'm nineteen. See, good to go!" I protest.

"You're eighteen," Viv points out.

"My birthday was on the fourth," I tell them. 

Yes, I changed London's birthday. Hope y'all enjoyed it and hope the match tomorrow ends well for the girls. Man City finally stopped losing, though it doesn't count for the league.