Cameron x Nash Short Stories - cash -

L5-S1 Part One

For

Cameron has grown used to his new life, his life after traumatic spinal cord injury. Surfing was his life, it was something he grew up doing. His parents supported it as a hobby but when it came to him wanting to make it a profession they didn't support him. They wanted him want to go to university but he persisted in his dream of being a professional surfer. He had made it, he was a pro surfer who had won multiple events and was considered the best in the world.

Banzai Pipeline is the most dangerous wave in the world and he had surfed twice before, it's where he made himself a name on the surfing circuit. He had surfed the waves perfectly and had come out on top. The third time was the final time, he was almost through and he can't remember what happened exactly but the outcome was paralysis of both his legs. A traumatic injury to his spine in the L5 to S1 area. They did emergency surgery, his spine was being compressed by swelling and they decompressed the area in addition to fusing it. He does have some slight sensation and minimal movement in his legs, that was achieved with months of rigorous spinal cord rehabilitation.

His parents weren't supportive in the aftermath and they very minimally support him now. The most they did was build a ramp for his wheelchair and only because they had received money from a foundation that supports injured surfers.

He was able to get a car that was modified for his needs and can get around in his wheelchair very well but his parents don't give him any help. They had warned him about surfing and felt they had done their part in trying to protect him. Now Cameron has to live with the consequences of his decision.

Cameron lives a rather quiet and boring life, he knows he's depressed. His days are filled with watching tv and doing random things on the Internet. He goes out sometimes if only to get fresh air.

He hasn't managed to return to the ocean. He can't. It hurts too much.

It's an ache that's settled deep in his soul and it will never go away, it hasn't abated after all of the years he's spent in his chair.

He tries to stay positive, he works out as much as he can. He works his legs everyday to maintain his muscle strength, even the little movements he can make he makes sure he does. His upper body has flourished, he's proud of his abdominal and arm strength.

Sometimes he stares at pictures and medals that he received from when he used to surf. It's a way of life, it's something that one needs to be fully immersed and he was that dedicated. His entire life was surfing and the abrupt change was something he's never gotten over.

He wakes up that morning with an overwhelming urge to smell the salty ocean air.

He's lonely. He can recognize that fact.

His parents don't talk to him, no one wants to date him because of his chair, at least that's what he assumes because he had no problems getting dates before his injury. People take one look at the chair and can't get past it to see the human being sitting in it.

He is not his chair.

He's resigned himself to a lonely existence, he's given up in finding anyone that can look past his physical disability.

He deftly and quickly washes himself up before he heads to the kitchen to prepare himself some breakfast. He uses a standard wheelchair at home and has a motorized wheelchair for longer distances.

He talks to himself because if he doesn't he'd never speak at all.

"Today you're going to stop being a fucking wimp and you're going to go to the beach. You're just going to sit next to your car and smell the ocean air, you're going to hear the sound of the waves and it will be good for you. It will be good for you," he mutters to himself as he prepares some eggs and toast. He eats quickly and then does his morning exercise routine before he heads out, his parents haven't even woken up and he prefers not having to run into him so he ends up waking very early to avoid them and the smug look that hasn't left their faces in all of the years since his traumatic injury. To them it was the ultimate 'I told you so' and it's one they like to rub when they get a chance so Cameron has learned to avoid them.