Young Authors Challenge

Touchdown

“Yes!”

“Nice job!”

The crowd roars as Mark runs across the line, scoring the final touchdown and winning the match for his college team. His friends stream across the pitch towards him, patting him on the back and hugging him. His coach just nods at him, but for Mark that is the equivalent to all the praise in the world. He smiles. To him right now, life is great. Little does he know, after this game, nothing would be the same. He’s walking across the street, and a car comes screaming around the corner. It’s going way too fast. Mark looks at it, staring like a possum in headlights. There’s a sickening crunch, and the world goes black.

He drifts in and out of consciousness, catching snatches of conversation, and wakes to an unfamiliar voice. “He’s in a critical condition miss, you can’t see him right now.”

“But he’s my son! You’ve got to let me in!” He hears his mother say.

The unfamiliar voice responds. “Sorry miss, but right now the best thing for him is sleep. You can sit outside though, and I’ll keep you updated.”

He hears the defeat in his mother’s tired voice. “Fine.” He hears her slump into a chair and let out a shaky breath, and he falls asleep. “He’s awake! Nurse, can I please see him?” He opens his eyes. “Mom?” The word feels unused, rusty. Ever since his father had run off and let his son down, all he had ever called his mother was her first name, Mary. “I suppose you can.” The nurse replied in a monotonous voice. His mother rushed in and grabbed his hand. “Mark, I was so scared. You were hit by a drunk driver who was going at about ninety kilometres an hour. The police said he was well over the limit!” She suddenly looked hesitant. “Mark, I don’t want you to get angry at this, but the doctors said you sustained permanent head damage. You’ll never be able to play again.” Instead of being angry, all Mark could feel was numbness. Never play again? Playing for a team had been his dream ever since he was a kid. “There must be something else you want to do right? Some other job in case something happened?” Mark’s mother said. Mark thought for a bit, then he remembered something. “I kind of wanted to be a mechanic when I was four.” His mother smiled. “There you go then. You can become a mechanic.” Mark shrugged. “It’s worth a try.” He said.

“Morning Mark!” Jericho, one of Mark's employees said.

“Morning!” Mark replied.

Mark had done what his mother had said and opened up a mechanic shop. Business was booming, so much that he had to so far hire seven people to help him, while doing some of the work himself. He now had enough money to live comfortably and luxuriously. To be honest, he thought, thinking back to that day when he had made a touchdown and won the match but also had his dreams crushed, I probably would have been injured during a match anyway, so maybe being a mechanic is for the best. Putting his feet up, he realised that no matter what happens in life, you will always get opportunities to be happy.

This is my entry to the Barfoot and Thompson young authors challenge. The stories could be funny or scary but they had to have an inspirational message. My message was that whatever happens in life you will always have opportunities to be happy.