Chapter One - The Good Life

The clock is down to seconds, and all I hear is the referee yell, “TOUCHDOWN!” Next thing I know I’m being thrown into the air. I can’t believe we just made it into the Colorado football finals! I looked over to see the recruiters and fans with huge smiles on their faces.

After the game, two recruiters from the University of Denver said that they want to meet with me to talk about my future and that my speed and agility was above and beyond their expectations. I am beyond excited, but need to keep my cool,

“Of course, thank you for the opportunity!”

When leaving the game, people wouldn't stop talking to me. I feel like the most popular kid in school! Well, it’s not a surprise, being the captain of the football team definitely helps.

My mom and dad greet me with huge smiles on their faces like they always do. Even though my dad lost his job last week, and my mom doesn’t have a job, they always make the best of things and they are still the parents I know and love. They are trying to get back on their feet so we don’t have to live in the almshouse, but I have complete faith they will make everything work out.

I look over to see my friend Noah getting in trouble by his parents for his poor performance during the game.

“Hey Noah, great job bro! Wanna come for ice cream to celebrate?”

I’m trying to be friendly, but his parents don’t seem to like my offer.

“No, he’s too busy, he has a lot of practice to do tonight if he ever wants to get recruited.” Noah sighs, “Thanks for the offer though.”

I walk to my car with a smile on my face. Everything is going so well in the little town of Manitou Springs, and I want nothing to change.

Chapter Two - The Incident

“CRASH!” The rest is a blur, the next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital. I felt chained to the bed, like a prisoner would to their cell. I can’t walk, talk or even move; I don’t know what’s happening to me.

I finally opened my eyes and when I did, I saw a nurse standing in front of me.

“Are you awake Xander?”

All I can get my mouth to say is “Mmhmm..”

“Very well, by any chance, can you move your legs?” I tried to move my legs, but it didn’t work.

The nurse says to herself, “Oh my, I guess my prediction must be correct.”

The nurse left the room for a while and I heard her talking to my parents. They sound pretty worried, should I be?

They all entered at once, and I couldn’t help but see tears in my mother’s eyes. The nurse takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

“Xander, a few days ago was your football game. To celebrate, you were planning on going out to ice cream with your parents. On your way there, you got into a major car accident. The person behind you was texting and driving, and crashed into your car which caused it to flip over and roll into the woods."

I don’t know what to think, I don’t know what to say, so all I say is “Wow.”

“Yeah,” the nurse said, “You were on the news and everything, even though you were unconscious. Now before I tell you this, I want you to know how lucky you are because you could have died in this accident. Xander, you are paraplegic. This means you are paralyzed from the hip down. This may seem like the end of the world, but it’s simply just a change in lifestyle.

You will be going to physical therapy and you will be given treatment, but we can not promise a cure. Please don’t get yourself down about this, trust me, everything will be alright. I’m going to give you and your parents some time and I’ll be back soon."

My aspirations of being a professional football player is over; My future is RUINED!

I began to speak, “Mom, Dad, how am I supposed to get a scholarship!? I was so close to a free boat to college, the recruiters even wanted to meet with me! How am I supposed to get to college now? I’m going to have no future. I’ll be idle all my life! It’s almost like I’m living my life in chains!”

My parents couldn’t help but look away; they felt so guilty, and so bad.

“In chains? What does that even mean?” My parents said confused. “Well it symbolizes that I will be constrained from my dreams!” I was in tears.

My parents had the strength to talk and they said, “Oh Xander, don’t think like that. We’ll figure out college, don’t you worry. We are here for you and even though times are tough, we will get through this, together.”

My parent’s words brought me a smile on my face to know they cared, but looking at the whole situation, the feeling of despair powered over me. I knew things would be tougher. I have no point of living, nothing will get better, so I might as well just shut down and not even try anymore.  

Chapter 3- Everything Changes

“BEEP...BEEP...BEEP” Ugh. I don’t want to go to school and show myself. The only reason I have to is because my parents forced me. No one will want to see me like this, I don’t even want to. It took me hours to get ready, but I made it to school on time...yay.

During class, people can’t stop staring at me. It is so embarrassing and I can tell what they are thinking, “Why is the most popular guy in school in a wheelchair?” I can’t help but hide my burning red face. I went to sit down at lunch and no one would sit with me, not even my best friend Noah. I tried to talk to him, but he acted as if I wasn’t there. I felt like a nothing, like a zero.

Lunch was awful and uneventful, I sat by myself, just like in all of my other classes. When I got home, I couldn’t help but cry. My parents walked in and asked about my day, and I told them it was horrific.

Once they left, I broke down, not into tears this time, but I was angry. I went through my closet to throw most things out. They brought back memories of life when it was good, and now that my life is basically over, I don’t want to keep these good memories.

I began to make two piles: one I will keep, and one I will throw away. Let me just say, the throw away pile was a lot bigger. I was at the last of my things to throw out when I came upon my stuffed bear I had when I was three.

“Hey would you look at that! It’s Big Ted, what good memories ...throw out!”

I throw it into the pile and when I began to continue my sort, I hear a low pitched yell, “Hey! Why’d you do that?!”

I jumped up and turned my head sharply towards the noise. I slowly go over to the voice. “Remember me? I’m Big Ted, your long lost friend.” I’m freaking out, it must be a dream, what else could it be?

 “Are you actually real? No...you can’t be.” I say, and he replies,

“Well, you better believe it, old pal. Because we’re going to the future! You really need a lesson on making the best out of a tough situation. Right now, you are making a choice to act negatively about the situation you’re in. You are about to witness what the future will be like if you keep doing these actions. Just because you are in a bad situation, doesn’t mean that your life is over. Remember, choices will define the way anyone’s life will turnout. So that's why we’re going on an adventure to your future. Grab my paw and get ready!”

“U-u-uh okay” For some reason my life has come to listening to a talking bear. Whatever, let’s see what happens. “WOOSH” Everything starts spinning. 

Chapter 4- The Future

I open my eyes and look around to see myself sitting alone at the lunch table.

“Big Ted, what is happening?! Am I still lonely in the future?” I ask confused.

“This, Xander is about a year in the future, and yes, you are lonely. Would you like to know why?”

“I already know why Big Ted. It’s because I’m paralyzed so know one likes me.” I reply.

“Xander, are you listening to yourself? That’s complete nonsense! Watch this.”

I look down to see a group of kids offer to sit with me. I turned them down and told them to back off.

“Why would anyone want to sit with someone like me?”

“Xander, just because you are paralyzed doesn’t mean you are any different from the rest. Now no one will sit with you because you keep shutting them out, and you are the one being mean to them. Let’s look at another scene.”

The background changes and when my head stops spinning I focus in on a familiar face. I move towards it, but Big Ted stopped me.

“I hope you know you can move as close as you’d like to the people, but they won’t know that you’re there.” I nodded and continued to move towards the familiar face. I got close enough to realize that the face I didn't know of was...Noah?!

The next thing I witness is Noah pushing me into the lockers and saying,

“That’s what you get for being mean to my football team.”

Future me, and my current self looked at Noah, shocked at what he did to me.

“How did he become captain?” I asked Big Ted.

“Well, ever since you were paralyzed you started to bully all of your teammates because you assumed that they would bully you first, even though they didn’t. They offered for you to be a manager for the team, but you refused and wouldn’t talk to them ever since. So, Noah being the next best stepped up. You could’ve had kept so many friends, Xander, but you blew them all out of a silly instinct of yours. Now let’s take a look at the middle years of your life.”

I look around to see that my family and I are all inside the almshouse, which is the house for the poor.

“Big Ted, what happened to us.”

“Well Xander, you became so unmotivated that you didn’t get a job or apply to any colleges, making you and your family live with the poor” Said Big Ted.

“Really? Why didn’t l apply to any colleges?” I asked.

“Well you didn’t apply to any colleges, because you assumed that you wouldn’t get accepted. You were being so negative, like always.”

“I am not!” I disclaimed, even though I guess I am being pretty negative lately.

“Xander, don’t argue with me, this is the future, it is real and true. I am only just showing this to you to help you. Don’t get all mad at me.”

“Sorry Big Ted, let’s move on, I can’t bare to see my family like this.”

The next room was familiar, it was a hospital bed, like the one I was in a few days ago. I saw myself lying there old, lonely and sick, with no one there to visit me.

“Big Ted, where are my visitors, why aren't my parents there with me? I seem so sick.”

“Xander, you blamed your parents for everything that has happened to you, and got into a huge fight with them. You lost contact with them ever since then.”

“No, no, this can’t be, not only am I going to die unhappy but I am going to die alone!”

“Now remember Xander, you can change this future. If you make good choices and you are positive even in a tough situation, your life will be a lot better than what you are witnessing now.

You could define your life as a challenge and an adventure with just a few obstacles that you worked around, or you can spend your life being lonely and wishing you could have exactly what you wanted. I just want to show you one more quick thing.”

I look down to see me with what seems like a friend. “Who is she?” I ask excited of seeing a friend in my future.

“Oh no one, just remember her. Well, I think my work here is done. Remember to make good choices because those choices will shape your future.”

“Wait I still have so many questions to ask!” I said as Big Ted grabbed my hand.

“Too late Xander! Remember me!” “WOOSH!” Just like that, I left off where I was before I left. I look around my room and realize I should be more positive. Instead of putting my things into the trash, I found them all a place in my room.