After dropping Ken off at the hotel, Rohan rubbed at his eyes, stifling a yawn. He felt exhausted, though he wasn't surprised. Ever since the accident, he had lost a lot of stamina.
While he had managed to get back to some level of fitness, it was a far cry from what he used to be. The medical staff had told him it was a miracle he had even gotten this far.
Of course it had not been easy. Rohan had needed to learn to walk again, something that had taken a monumental amount of drive and effort. If it wasn't for his love of baseball, he would have given up long ago.
Even then, the doctors warned him that the more he played, the worse his injuries would become later in life. Arthritis was their biggest concern.
After finally arriving at his apartment, Rohan parked his truck and slowly got out of the drivers side, wincing slightly from the pain. He let out a yawn once more and gingerly walked up the stairs to his place.
"These damned stairs." He complained bitterly.
He fumbled with his keys after ascending and opened the door. Rohan stumbled, letting out a cry of pain as he hit the floor hard. The room was dark and the floor was cold.
In pain, he did his best to get to his feet, gritting his teeth hard. This was not the first time that this had happened, and it wouldn't be the last.
With monumental effort, he got to his feet and closed the door, turning the light on.
"I'm okay…" He said to himself, letting out a deep breath. "I might just need to take it easy for the next couple of days." He muttered.
Rohan yawned once more, exhaustion tugging at his mind and body. Shrugging off his shoes, he carefully walked into his room and sat on the edge of the bed before massaging his legs.
"I wish I could go with him…" Rohan muttered, a sense of yearning in his voice.
He liked Ken. The guy was hard working and competitive. He had seen him play in a few games earlier in the year for Columbia and marveled at his grit both in the batters box and on the mound.
However, there was a part of him that was jealous. He was not proud of it, in fact, he was ashamed. Worried that he might not be able to conceal his jealousy, Rohan had kept his distance initially.
But this didn't last. Rohan could sense the guy's compassion and empathy, which all but destroyed his jealousy. So when Ken called him up tonight after the game, he did not hesitate to meet up.
"It is a pity that we won't see each other again." He said, laying back in bed.
For some reason his whole body was exhausted. He had not felt this week since the accident, it was like he was a newborn baby. It took all of his strength to roll onto his side and place a pillow between his legs.
He slowly drifted into a deep sleep and soft snores filled the room.
Rohan found himself running along the streets. The cool night air entered his lungs, filling him with vitality. His eyes moved to the street orange street lights, casting their light onto the path ahead.
Things felt a little odd, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He looked down at his watch and saw that he still needed to run a few more miles before reaching his target.
With a surge of determination, he increased his pace, reveling in the feeling of freedom. The cool breeze touched his skin, invigorating him. There truly was nothing better than running.
Cars went by, their headlights illuminating the road ahead. One particular set seemed too bright, causing Rohan to shield his eyes from the discomfort.
That's when it happened.
Before he knew it, Rohan's body was launched into the air. The impact had been so quick that his body had not had time to register what had happened. Only when he tumbled along the asphalt and came to a stop did the excruciating pain follow.
Lying on his back, Rohan stared at the yellow streetlights. He knew that it was all over. His dreams of playing in the major league were gone, all because of this one moment.
Pain and anguish merged, producing a guttural scream which left his mouth. He wept, knowing that it was over. Everything he had worked hard for his whole life was now gone.
The sound of the sirens pierced his mind. It slowly got louder, to the point where it rattled his brain, breaking through the haze of pain.
Rohan shot up from the bed, gasping for air. His body was covered in sweat and his mouth was dry. His phone's alarm was going off, which sounded similar to the sirens he had heard earlier.
He shuddered, turning off the alarm and wiping away at the sweat on his face. It was not the first time he had experienced the nightmare, but it had been a long time since it had happened last.
Rohan felt disgusting. The sweat caused his shirt to stick to his skin, making him uncomfortable. With a sigh, he cautiously swung his legs over the edge of the bed and slowly settled his feet down onto the ground.
Ensuring that he was stable, Rohan slowly pushed himself off the bed and onto his feet and made his way to the shower. At first, his muscles protested, but he soon stabilized.
The mornings were usually the worst for pain, but today seemed to be rather tame. Still, Rohan knew that at some point, it would get worse, it always did.
He slowly disrobed and stepped into the shower, ensuring the water was warm enough. Rohan was washing himself with the bar of soap before it dropped onto the ground.
With a groan of annoyance he bent down to pick it up, only to lose his footing.