I stood on the sidelines, watching the play unfold. Everything seemed normal—Isiah, as always, was running full speed down the field, dodging defenders like it was nothing. He was our star, the guy who could turn a game around in seconds. But then, in the middle of it all, something went horribly wrong.I heard the sound before I saw it. A loud crack, like wood snapping, echoed through the stadium. My heart dropped. Isiah hit the ground, and he didn't get up.Everyone froze. The whole stadium went silent, and I couldn't move. My eyes were locked on him as the trainers rushed over. Isiah's face twisted in pain, his hand gripping his leg. I started moving before I even realized it, running across the field toward him, my chest tight."Zay!" I yelled, panic rising in my voice. "You okay?"But he wasn't okay. His leg was bent in a way that didn't seem right. His usual toughness, the strength I always admired, was gone. The trainers were surrounding him, trying to figure out how bad it was, but I could tell. I knew it was serious.When I got close, Isiah looked up at me, sweat pouring down his face, his voice shaky. "Harrison... it's bad, man."I didn't know what to say. I was the kicker, not the guy who dealt with this kind of stuff. But seeing Isiah like that, seeing him hurt—it felt like the ground was crumbling beneath me.The trainers carefully lifted him onto the stretcher, and I just stood there, watching them carry him off the field. I couldn't believe it. Isiah, the guy who never let anything stop him, was down. And I didn't know what to do.Later, I went to see him at the hospital. The room was too quiet. Isiah was lying in the bed, his leg in a big cast. He looked up when I walked in, giving me a weak smile."Hey, kicker," he said, trying to sound like himself. "You missed me out there today."I forced a smile. "Yeah, it wasn't the same without you."He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Docs say it's a bad break. I'm out for the season."I sat down next to him, the weight of his words sinking in. Out for the season. I didn't want to believe it, but the look on his face told me it was true. Football meant everything to Isiah, and now, it was being taken away from him."You'll be back, Zay," I said, though I wasn't sure if I believed it myself. "You always come back."Isiah didn't answer right away. He just stared at his leg, his face tight with frustration. "I don't know, Harrison. This feels different."I didn't know what to say. This was Isiah, the guy who always powered through everything. But now, even he wasn't sure if he could come back. I wanted to tell him it would be okay, that he'd heal and be back on the field in no time. But the truth was, I didn't know that.We sat there in silence for a while, neither of us knowing what to say. It was like the future had suddenly become this big, scary thing we couldn't predict. All I knew was that football wouldn't be the same without Isiah, and the thought of that made my stomach turn.Eventually, I had to leave. As I walked out of the hospital room, I felt like everything was changing, and I wasn't ready for it. Not for this.
