I sit in a hospital bed, my head and neck is killing me. I have to wear this stupid neck brace. My room is filled with balloons and stuffed animals. For the most part, everyone has left to get food or drink. Rikki sits in the bed beside me, not letting go of my hand. I squeeze his hand and he looks down at me.
"I think you're more scared than I am." I smile. I'm horrified.
"Baby, I am scared." He says quietly. "You might be hurt bad."
"Injuries heal." I smile and he kisses my forehead.
"Why hasn't the doctor came in yet?" Rikki wonders.
"I wish they'd hurry up." I breathe out. "My neck hurts."
"I saw the hit you took, I'm surprised you can bear the pain." Rikki admits.
"Yeah, I don't remember anything after I got the ball." I admit. "You know what's weird?"
"That I kinda wanna do it in this bed?" He smirks and I laugh. My neck starts to hurt and I put my hand on my neck.
"Ow, ow, ow." I cry and Rikki cringes. "But no, when I was knocked out I saw my mom."
Rikki looks at me like I grew four heads and I explain the dream or suppressed memory or whatever. That's about the time a doctor walks in, Rikki's grip on my hand gets tighter.
"So Miss Swagger, you have three broken vertebrates in your neck. You're going to need surgery." He tells me.
"What does it mean for rugby?" I wonder.
"You'll be out for about a year." He says. "I'm sorry."
A year. The doctor leaves and Rikki turns to me.
"A year." I say and I swallow the lump in my throat.
"At least you'll play again." He smiles.
"Yeah. I've never gone that long without playing." I say and he kisses my forehead.
"It'll be okay." Rikki tells me.
They prep me for surgery and they give me the meds to knock me out. I hear my mom's song in my head again.
Ninna nanna, ninna oh
Questo bimbo a chi lo dò ?
Se lo dò alla Befana,
Se lo tiene una settimana.
Se lo dò all'uomo nero,
Se lo tiene un anno intero.
Ninna nanna, ninna oh,
Questo bimbo me lo terrò!
Lullaby, lullaby, ooh,
Who will I give this baby to?
If I give him to the old hag,
For a week she will keep him, ahh.
If I give him to the bogeyman,
For a whole year he'll keep him,
Lullaby, lullaby, eeee
I will keep this baby for me!
YOU ARE READING
Ride The Wind
FanfictionAlyssa Swagger is that girl nobody notices. Sure she was a straight A student in school, sure she was a star athlete but she was just Carter Swagger's little sister. Even at home, her dad only saw her brother's accomplishments. Being moved around h...
