Rigid Crow

An Unsettling Occurance

     "Bring it!" Asahi, Daichi, and Nishinoya bellow in unison as we anticipate the next serve from Date Tech. The server is strong, but I trust that our back row defense can handle it. I'm positioned in a ready stance, eager to set for the equally excited wing spikers beside me, Hinata and Tanaka. It isn't everyday when we have a lineup as powerful as this. My teammates realize this too. If we use this rotation to the best of our abilities, I'm almost positive we can rack up a few more points before the next rotation.
     We won the first set, but Dateko stole the second one from us. We're nearing the end of the third set, and things are beginning to get intense. My teammates are taking it well, though. They're making the intensity their own and we're never letting our guard down. We have to win this match if we want to continue in the tournament.
     "Nice serve!" I hear the Date Tech players yell to the server as the ref blows the whistle. The server throws the ball and runs up into a jump serve, connecting with the ball as it descends.
     "Noya!" Asahi calls out to the libero beside him.
     "Mm!" Nishinoya grunts in agreement with a determined expression as he bends to the side and receives the fast-flying ball, sending it right to me in a perfect pass.
     "Nice receive!" I hear called out a few times from the sideline.
     I am given a split second to decide who to toss to. I want to make a front row set to either Hinata or Tanaka, both of whom are taking their running approaches. Date's blockers are watching the ball above me intently, the three of them ready at the net. They're being cautious this play. Maybe the iron wall won't reach the attack if Hinata and I do our quick. My decision made, I throw the ball to Hinata, and he hits it at its peak. The only problem is, I've underestimated our opposing blockers, who read my play quite well. One of them gets a slight one-touch in. The blocker calls out, "One touch!"
     His teammates scramble to receive the ball. Their talented libero's dive makes the cut as he receives the volleyball. "Nice attempt, Kageyama, Hinata!" Takeda-sensei shouts from the bench. I watch Dateko set up an attack. I scowl in annoyance.
     While Hinata and I never take our eyes off the ball, in my peripheral vision, I see him make a slight nod in my direction. He wants me to toss to him again.
     Immediately after he nods, he and Tanaka jump to block the oncoming hit. The hitter spikes past their block, but Nishinoya dives and receives the powerful kill, hitting it off-course. "Sorry!" he yells.
     "I've got it!" I yell in response. I don't need anyone to cover for me. The ball is in my range. Hinata is already making his approach, but so are the Date blockers. Should I risk the chance of Hinata getting blocked? I don't think he will be. He's outrun them so far. He's jumping, now he's in the air-
     "Hinata!" I yell, my decision made as I set the ball to the small number ten. As soon as the ball leaves my hands, I realize my set is off. Hinata realizes it as well. But I know Hinata; not even a bad set will stop him.
     Hinata twists awkwardly in the air, his hand barely reaching the ball, his body no longer vertical to the floor of the gym. By some amount of luck, he is able to tip the ball right above the blockers's fingertips as a feint.
     "Feint!" their coach calls out, but it's far too late for them to save it. The closest diver is still a foot away from the ball when it drops. Yes! This is just what we need! We've pulled a point ahead, now at a score of 17-16.
     Hinata falls right after the ball does. I could already tell when he reached for the ball that he wasn't going to land right. His twisted his body into such an unnatural position, it's impossible for him to land upright. However, I'm not worried. This has happened before. Hinata's ambitious. He'll hit any set I give to him, even if it's a bad one.
     At least, I'm not worried until his head hits the floor. The way he lands, backwards, head first, making a sickening thud when it hits the floor, followed by the rest of his small body, is unsettling. It's unnatural. I'm not so sure he's completely okay.
     The rest of the people in the gym don't realize the way Hinata has fallen, including my own team. I silently scold myself for being worried for nothing. I mean, we all know Hinata. He's got a thick skull. I've watched him fall and hit his head loads of times, miraculously, without a concussion in any of those circumstances. He'll be up in a second with a dumb grin on his face, filled with pride because of the point we just scored.
     After the cheering dies down, I see that Hinata still hasn't moved from his sprawled position on the floor. "Oi, Hinata," I snap, glaring down at him, though I do have a twinge of worry in my chest. "We haven't won yet, baka. Get up."
     I know something must be wrong when other people start to notice Hinata's unmoving state. Nishinoya runs up and falls to his knees beside Hinata.
     Confusion mixed with worry and shock is painted across our libero's face. I imagine my expression mirrors his. He calls to our small spiker in an even smaller voice, "Sh-Shōyō?"