best friend//phan

Five

Dan, 9 years old

Phil and I are at the park, swinging as high as we can go and jumping from them.

"Higher Phil, higher!" I yell. I'm on the ground, I just jumped from the highest the swing can go.
"I'm scared, Dan!" He shouts. He is swinging really high, but he won't jump.

"It's okay Phil, I did it so you can too!" I yell. Phil still isn't jumping.
"I'm gonna count down. 3. 2. 1." Phil jumps. He lands wrong.

I hear something in his arm snap, and Phil gasps before yelping and he starts crying.
"Ohmygod Phil are you alright?" I run over to him, guilt setting in my stomach.

He doesn't answer, he's crying too hard.
"Phil come on we have to go home or somewhere. Climb on my handlebars come on." I say. I pull him up with his arm that isn't hurt, and help him on to the handlebars of my bike before pedaling away.

We're leaving Phil's bike, but I don't know what to do about that. We make it home and I help him down before running into the house.

"Mum mum you have to help us Phil is hurt! I made him jump off the swing and now he's hurt!" I yell.

"What? Dan how is he hurt? Is he bleeding?" She asks. She hurries out the door before I can answer.

Today is Phil's mum's big work meeting in Ireland, so my mum had been watching him while she's gone.

"Oh Phil your arm is broken! Come on, we have to go to the hospital!" She says, trying not to panic, but stay calm so Phil stays calm.

She helps him get buckled in the backseat as Phil is still crying and holding his broken arm close.
I climb in next to him and my mum drives to the hospital.

After a few hours of doctors coming in and out, tests, x-rays, and results, Phil is getting a cast.

He broke both bones in his wrist, and there is a lot of bruising and swelling. They have to set his arm then wrap it and apply the hard cast.

Phil isn't crying anymore, as they gave him medicine for pain hours ago.

Finally we can leave. On the way home, I feel that guilt creeping in my stomach again. It's all my fault!

When we get inside, my mum tells Phil he can sleep on the couch so he can ice his wrist and not bother me.

"Phil, I can sleep on the couch. You can sleep in my room. It's all my fault." I say.
"Dan its fine I chose to jump, you didn't force me." He says.

"I still feel bad." I say.
"Well do you want to sign it first?" He asks. I grin and find a sharpie. I write my name and draw cat whiskers below it.

"Why cat whiskers?" He asks. I shrug.
"I dunno, they just come from within." I say. He shoves me.
"You weirdo." He laughs.