Run

Chapter 5

"Good running out there," one of the attendants said before leaving Kevin to face the door alone.

"Thanks..?" Kevin replied, unsure how an attendant would've even seen his performances.

Eastwood was among the prestigious in Wisconsin, but track and field showcases were common, and although Eastwood's was broadcasted on a Youtube live stream, it certainly wasn't watched enough for him to expect a rehab attendant to compliment him.

Kevin pushed his confusion to the side, focusing back on the door that behind it hid either someone that would boost his mood or royally kill it. It was always a coin flip on what was the mood of the day.

He pushed it open, taking in the visitor's room he had been in just days prior. On the couch sat his mother, pretending to watch the mounted TV. He knew that she hated the concept behind television and the inactivity it promoted.

Heck, her constant nagging was probably a key reason he hadn't turned out a couch potato.

"Hey, Mom," Kevin said, announcing himself warily.

She turned to him and after a brief second, a smile appeared on her face. A good sign.

"There's my little superstar."

Kevin cocked his head to the side as he joined her on the opposite couch. "You watched the live stream?"

"I sure did. Almost the whole facility did yesterday actually. I had to beg for access to the damn television but once I told them the reason they made it a whole thing."

That explained the attendant.

"Anyway," the smile returned to her face, "I didn't think the pride I felt watching you take your first steps could ever be beaten, but watching you win those two races might be a close second."

Kevin couldn't help the smile that fought through to the surface. It had been a while since he had the feeling that his mother was proud of him, or even fully sane for that matter.

"Thanks," was all Kevin could think to say.

"I've been telling everyone since then that you're going straight to national finals, but they still have their doubts because the nationals are built on this insurmountable pedestal, especially for a little guy from Wisconsin. But I'll wait patiently for the day I can say I told them so. It's my favorite line after all."

"No kidding." Kevin had to endure the saying a couple trillion times in his childhood.

"Why didn't you run in the relay though? Don't you usually run in it? I was looking forward to another win."

Kevin grimaced. After his brief moment of exhaustion after his 100-meter win, Coach had pulled the plug on the rest of his races, stating that the showcase wasn't worth overworking himself. Kevin could see the wisdom behind it of course, and part of him had been grateful to not be forced into running the 400 meters but watching his team lose in the relay had been painful.

It felt like he had let them down.

After all, Kevin didn't believe that he actually got tired ever, and in a way, he wasn't wrong. Fighting through physical therapy and rehab after his injury last year had built on his already strong mental resolve and now it was pretty much impossible for him to feel mental fatigue when it came to competing on the track. However, as Coach Ryan constantly reminded him, his body still had a limit.

"Coach Ryan decided that it was best I rested for the remainder of the day and not push myself too hard," Kevin replied.

His mother nodded in understanding. "That Coach Ryan has always been great at managing your health." She got a faraway look in her eyes, likely remembering the period when Kevin's injury weighed heavily on his mind and he was considering quitting track. It was a dark time for him where his main avenue of happiness was absent and seemed to be moving further and further away from ever becoming his reality again. Then Coach Ryan had appeared, a savior--no, his heaven-sent angel who helped him in ways even she hadn't been able to.