Jamie could hear a constant beeping of a machine to his left, uncontrollable sobbing to his right, and howls of pain seemingly from across the room.  He felt numb. His location was unmistakable. He was in hospital.

            Jamie paused for a moment, unwilling to open his eyes and face the inevitable truth. If he just kept them closed, maybe all this would go away. Maybe he would drift off to sleep again and wake up at home, in his own, warm bed.

            Eventually he opened them, slowly; afraid of what he was going to see. The uncontrollable sobbing he could hear was that of his mum. Next to his hospital bed, his dad was holding her tightly in his arms.

            ‘Debbie, look’ he heard him say, the shock apparent in his face. His mum turned with a look of desperation, followed by a smile of delight once she saw her precious son looking up at her.

            Jamie tried to move his hand towards her but the immense pain in his side restricted him from doing so. Instead, his mum moved towards him, held his hand, and Jamie felt that touch that only a mother could give. The contact eased his fear.

            They stayed in this position for what seemed like forever. Jamie looked into his mum’s eyes and she looked into his. Every now and then his dad would wink at him or place a comforting hand on his mum’s shoulder. Jamie never felt safer than when he was with his dad, his figure of safety and protection.

            After a while his resistance gave in and his eyes shut. As his eyelids moved down he saw the changing expression on his parents faces. The momentary happiness replaced by sudden worry and anguish.

            In his dreary state, Jamie began to recall the incidents that caused him to be here as he went through the day in his mind. It had started off the same as every Saturday; Jamie had been playing football, his greatest passion, at the park with his friends. He felt a sudden rush of excitement as he replayed the goal he had scored. That was why he played, for the buzz.