"Boom, Bam, Thump, Thoom!” “That must be the sound of footsteps pounding against the floor.” I hear a boy shouting. “Dee, wake up, come on Dee, say something.”

“Hey wait, that’s my name,” I thought silently. I barely opened my eyes to see lights, big bright lights baking my flesh just as the hot sun does during the summer.

“Doctor, Doctor, is he going to be okay?” A deep manly voice cried out. Before the doctor could say anything I blurted out “Yeah, I’m cool.” Now, a strange feeling suddenly crept upon me. It felt like a double dosage of the heebie-jeebies. I thought to myself, why am I talking? And Who in Heaven’s name am I talking to?

In an instant, consciousness rushed back to me, and I began to panic. While squirming and grasping for air like a fish I screamed, “WHERE AM I?!” After that it seemed as if the whole hospital was overcome with silence.

Two minutes passed by and no one budged or said a single word. Before I knew it about 100 people rushed into my emergency room with their hands out, ready to touch my skin as if I was Jesus or something. I couldn’t help but to wonder why everyone was acting so weird. I wanted to tell them to leave me alone, but I just didn’t have the energy.

After all the rubbing, touching and sighs of relief my big cousin James popped up out of no where. Being so surprised to see him I asked, “What are you doing here?” James responded in a sincere tone, “I came to see if my favorite little cousin was doing alright.” Who ever knew he could be so caring? I waited for him to blurt out “just kidding” but he didn’t say it.

I sat up in the bed just in case he tried to punch me like he normally did. “Sorry Dee, man! I’m sorry,” my cousin mumbled before tears began to roll down his face. “For what,” I questioned. “I wish I was there to protect you,” James cried. Now, everything began to make sense to me.

Oh! I whispered, that explains everyone’s craziness. Instinctively I looked down at my toes but I didn’t see my Jordan sneakers. Then I remembered those big, bad fifth-graders beating me up before they slipped them off my feet.

My heart began to turn cold as my mind became filled with vengeance. I attempted to ball up my fist but I was in too much pain to put it into action. My cousin’s sensitivity overcame my anger and left me with a soft, mushy feeling inside. I playfully pushed him aside as I told him to back away. He stared at me in disgust and chuckled. He lunged at me pulling a card from behind his back. I flinched. With one eye still open I opened the card which read, “GET WELL SOON!”

A smile crept upon my face as I embraced my cousin; the surprises were far from over. My cousin popped the top of two Root Beers, my favorite drink…mmm, mmm, mmm… We then toasted as if there were a celebration. All of a sudden the pain went away and the loss of my sneakers held no signifigance.