Alone In The Big Leagues

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

   

   

I wake to the sound of a clock ticking. I open my eyes to see a white, pasty wall. I look to the side of me to see my mother tapping at her phone and my father with his head in his hands.

   

    Alley walks through the door. "Sorry sir the coffee machine is... Jewel!" My father looks up and I see dark circles under his eyes.

        "Alley...Where am I?" I look her, feeling completely and utterly lost.

         She stops at my bed side and brushes the hair out of my face. "Sweetheart, you're in the hospital. You had a really bad fall."

        That's when it all comes back to me. The jump. The ground coming closer. The impact of the fall. The loud, sickening snap had heard. The world spinning about, me opening my eyes to see Zane panic and get tangled up in his tack. People rushing to him so he wouldn't hurt himself. People pulling me away from him as I tried to call to him to him. Then I blacked out as I threw myself trying to stop them from taking me away from him. From my Zane. My scared Zane. Zane?

        "Where is Zane?" I meet Alley's eyes. She looks down and away from me. I then look at my father who has his head in his hands again. I look at my mother who has put her phone face down in her lap.

        "How are you feeling?" Alley asks me. I pry my eyes off of my mother and look at Alley.

        "Don't try to change the subject. Where is my horse? Where's my best friend?" My voice cracks. "Where is Zane?"

        Alley grabs my hand. "Honey you both had a bad fall." She stops and looks at my father.

        He sighs and speaks up. "Jewel, Zane broke his leg in the fall. The vet said it would never be the same again." My mother grabs my hand. Tears fill my eyes and then spill over as I know what's coming next. "He's gone, Jewel."

        My body goes numb and I stare in shock at the wall. "Jewel?" I hear Alley ask.

        I nod my head at nothing. "Leave me," I say with a hard tone.

        "Jewel" my father tries.

        I look at him with a cold stare. "I said leave me!" They all shuffle out of the room, closing the door behind them. 

        The tears slip down my face as the memory plays over and over in my head. The sickening snap sounds in my head.

        My best friend is gone. He's dead. He had so much more life to live. We just got the chance to step our game up. The big leagues. Together and now alone. I'm alone in the big leagues.

        I curl into a ball and rock myself back and forth, just crying. My body shakes from my sobs. I cry for what seems like forever, but really it's only like an hour. I sniff, because I have no more tears. My heart aches for Zane. I ache all over, wanting to turn back time and fix everything.

        The door opens and Alley walks in. I don't even look at her. I just stare at the wall wondering why. Alley throws her arms around me and hugs me tight. The tears spill over again and I end up soaking her shirt in tears.

        "Its going to be okay," Alley says softly. She pats my back as she holds me.

        "I miss him," I manage to choke the words out.

        "I know baby. I know." The tears still pour from my eyes.

                                                 ~@~

        I had been in the hospital for a week because the doctor said I needed rest. I hadn't had any rest though. I had spent my days crying. I'm in the car now, on my way home.

        We stop and I get out, walking to the door with a heavy heart. The door opens as I reach the top of the three small steps to the door. 

        Alley grabs my shoulders and slowly leads me inside. We get to the stairs and she lets go. I just walk up the stairs, slowly, to my room.

        I pass through the doorway and look around. My room seems dead I look to my night stand and see the picture of me hugging Zane's neck. It's covered with a thin black cloth. It's a see through cloth. I sit down on my bed and pick the picture up. I grab the cloth and let it fall to the floor. I stare at the picture, remembering that day.

        I had just gotten back from a jumping show that I had won. The riding instructor that I used to have had thrown me a party. All of my friends from the stable had been there waiting for me. We had had pizza and cake and someone even made cookies for the horses. Zane had been nosey when I grabbed a cookie for him and leaned over me, taking it from my hands. I had laughed, hugged his neck, and my instructor had snapped a picture. Later in the week, she had given the copy to me.

        The tears slide down my face as I remember all the good times. I curl up on my bed clinging the picture to my chest. The cries finally escape my lips. My face is covered with tears as the truth is finally crashing down on me. It feels so real now. My best friend is really gone.

        This couldn't be happening to me. Why me? Or better yet, why Zane? Why did he go? He had no reason. We were ready to go to the big leagues. Did I push him too far? No, I know I didn't push him far. My parents were the ones that pushed the both of us too far. All I want is to have my best friend back.