Do As I Say

Times Up

Noah

"Noah," Dad laughed while catching the ball in a solid grip, it never seemed to drop outta his softball glove even though I'd meant for it to angle sideways. "Try harder, kiddo."

"C'mon, dad," I whined. "This will go on forever! Drop it already!"

"You've gotta use strategy, dork," Ethan rolled his eyes around behind me and then did this exaggerated move where he parted his feet, tilted his hand back and then thrust the ball into the air with a dramatic heave.

I ducked down for my life as it went soaring weightlessly over my head and projected horizontally into the air. I watched its steady ascent before gravity kissed the poor thing.

It struck the bough of our oak tree while going halfway down and then fell several feet away from dad. All three of us stared at it for a moment before me and dad started laughing so hard that our stomachs hurt, our shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Whatever," Ethan fumed and stepped up to me. "It was still a better throw than yours, snot!"

"Yeah it was....cute," I chuckled.

"Oh, I'll show you cute," Ethan said, his face brightening and then he dove at me in the promise of death.

I nearly tripped from the laughter as I ran back towards dad and Ethan kept chasing me in circles. Round and round. The sun was beating hard over us and the wind was making our hair dance, my laughter and Ethan's childish rants mingling with the shouts of neighboring boys and scolding mothers.

Dad finally shook his head and then extended his hands and caught both of our collars.

"Fun's over, kiddos," He smiled.

"No! The torture," Ethan groaned and lolled his head dramatically around on his neck. "Anything but homework! Must you punish me like this!"

Dad started laughing and I smiled up at him, the sun was shining in his eyes and at that moment I truly felt like I belonged right here.

This was my center.

This was home.

I suddenly felt the scene before me dissolving into nothingness. I tried to reach out to it but I couldn't grasp it. A tear broke out and the rest followed in an unbroken stream and I felt a blinding pain course through somewhere in my body. Something bright and scalding hit my closed eyelids and I heard voices around me, sharp and lucid.

The pain scissored through me again and I almost yelled out. What the hell was happening? Where was I? Why did I feel so heavy? Why was my whole body burning in slow agonizing pain?

"Yeah, my room's just around the corner," an unfamiliar voice informed though my conscience wasn't able to grasp what it was talking about. "Don't sweat, you'll be in and out in seconds."

Then I felt myself slipping slightly and I realized I was perched on something as someone lifted me up. I shifted slightly and flinched when another jolt of pain devoured my lower body. Goddamn it. I grated my teeth, trying to stop the vulnerable scream from ripping out of my throat. I heard a semi-deep voice right near my ear.

"Awake, little buddy?"

At that my eyes shot wide open. A light came in contact with my pupils and almost blinded me. I tried to shield my eyes against its glare but then a horrific realization sunk in. I was bounded. Everything came rushing back to me. The blood. The club. Me and Ethan trying to escape. The poles. The hammers. The- My eyes enlarged as I looked down at my leg through the haze of pain and confusion.