By S.B.
“Fuck yeah!” Jacob rejoiced as the ball kissed the net.
To an outsider, it was just another three-pointer. To him, it was so much more.
The car crash four years earlier changed their lives in a heartbeat. ‘Paraplegia caused by traumatic brain injuries with zero chance of recovery’ the doctors said.
Nonetheless, there he was, shooting hoops again with renewed enthusiasm, through sheer perseverance and whispers of brotherly love. Each throw heralded his recovery.
Jacob smiled, embracing the night air. He was ready to forget.
“Your turn,” he said, throwing the ball backwards.
It rolled into the grieving grass and stopped.
I love stories that offer hope after traumatic events. Well done.
Thank you. Pleased to know.
Packed a lot into 101 words. Kudos to the author.
Amazing use of language. Each word chosen pulled more than it’s weight.
An excellent, bitter-sweet short story. A sad story I enjoyed reading a few times in a row.
You’re all very kind. Thank you for enjoying my humble piece.
He’s dead, right? I got it right?
Good question. I wrote it in such a way that it can be read in multiple ways. It can be simply about overcoming impossible odds but it can also be a ghost story. Perhaps Jacob is dead and his spirit is lingering on doing something he loved doing until he stops doing so. Perhaps his brother died in the crash and helped him recover from the trauma by “whispering” to him and when he’s ready, he goes away, which is why the ball stops on “grieving grass”.
A finely crafted profound 101 read.
Thank you very much.