Misfortune on a Hill 

It was the day before July 4th, 2012. My family and I went over to our church friends’ house. On the way there I was ruminating about how much fun we would have. As we pulled up to the house I looked out the window to see many decorations celebrating the independence of our country. We were welcomed and went inside to eat dinner. I didn’t eat much though because I had to save room for candy.  We played in the house and in the front yard goofing around and wrestling, throwing each other on the parched grass. Once we were tired of wrestling and playing we decided it would be a good idea to go on a bike ride around the neighborhood. 

I was smart and brought my own bike but my brother forgot to bring his. When the family we were visiting found out that he didn’t have a bike to ride on, they went in the garage and brought out a mini pink princess bike.  It was as if the bike was made perfectly for my brother. I laughed at him uncontrollably, but all I received in return were deep brown eyes giving me the stare of death. It was like he was staring into my very soul. I stood there for a second looking at the pink chalk that painted the street. Once I regained my senses I put on my bright blue helmet and set off on my brand new camo bike with a giant smile stretching across my face. I turned around to see my brother struggling to keep the pace, barely able to make the wheels move across the asphalt.  It looked as if the wheels melted into the ground every pedal he took. 

I faced forward once again and put my feet on the pedals moving at lightning speed. I pedaled as hard as I could, trying to make my feet a blur as I swept the ground with my momentum. Showing off my athletic abilities, I thought to myself “They probably think that I exceed the expectations for Tour De France! I’m a star!” My smile gleamed even bigger. After a couple minutes of pure glory I turned and looked around. There was no one there. I squinted hard and saw a faint silhouette of a little boy grappling at the pedals of a bike immensely small for him.  It felt like eternity as I waited for my brother to reach me. As I waited I looked to the bottom of the hill. The summer sun started to hide its face as a beautiful amber coloring clothed the homes towering over the dark street. My hands gripped the handles. An attenuate of sweat enveloped them as I squeezed, preparing for what I was about to do. As I was about to soar down the hill my brother screeched next to me and looked me in the eyes and said, 

“I’ll buy you a toy horse for your birthday if you trade bikes with me.”
I sat there for a second debating my options. 

“You promise you will buy me one for my birthday?” I responded with a sense of doubt.

“Yep.” he nodded. 

I got off my beautiful brand new bike and handed it to him in return for a nasty beat up faded pink princess bike. I sat down on the sparkling plastic covered seat, my legs barley fitting as if put in a box. I looked over at my brother, frustration curling over my face. 

“Wanna race?” He challenged as if taunting me. I couldn’t turn him down. I would be showing weakness. 

“Ya, and we both know I'm winning!” I exclaimed. 

I clenched the handles, squeezing the life out of them. My brother took this as a game as I took it as war. 

“On your marks... get set… Gooo!!” he yelled. 

I swept away leaving a path of smoke behind me as I took off after him. The princess bike was no match for the camo bike my brother sailed down on.  Half way down the steep hill, with the wind spitting at me, I careened like a train off the tracks losing control as I saw my brother reaching the bottom of the hill. My bike leaned to the side, the wheels kissing the pavement and I lost all control.  First my hip, then my arm, then my head all crashed to the pavement as if in slow motion.  My eyes closed, ending the sight of the amber day. My 45lb body skidded the rest of the way down the hill. My hearing ended and everything went dark. It was as if time hadn't passed.  I woke up on a vintage leather chair, my head facing towards the ceiling.  I slowly became conscious and opened my eyes seeing a blur of lights encrusted by a tan ceiling. 

“Where am I?” I murmured.

I saw my mom leaning over me looking like an angel sent by God. 

“It's ok honey... I’m right here.” She spoke as she touched my head.

“Oww!” I shrieked. 

 I reached my hand up to feel my head. As I touched my head I felt crusted blood and skin that was no more, my face serrated by the concrete. I was confused and disoriented. I got up slowly and wobbled to what I thought was the bathroom. I looked up into the mirror and saw a disformed zombie-like creature looking back at me. Was I scared of myself? I went back out of the bathroom with my body shaking beneath me. In a way I thought it was kinda cool how I looked. My mom finally came and found me.

“Jeryn, we are going to the doctor.”

She picked me up and put me in the car. I was almost asleep again. My eyes batting to stay open. The whole car ride and visit was a blur. When we got home I went straight to bed with the same thought on my mind over and over. “Will I be able to get candy and be part of the parade tomorrow?” As my feet touched the soft covers I fell asleep instantly. The morning came in the snap of a finger. The sun streamed through the curtains cutting to my face awaking me. I was down stairs in a couple of minutes and got back up on my vintage leather chair. My head ached. I pulled my star blanket over my body and turned on Dora the Explorer. My mom brought me a glass of milk in a sippy cup. I heard a faint cry of music coming from outside. I got up to my feet and looked out the blinds through the window to see a huge flag and a 1967 convertible Chevrolet driving and throwing candy. Following the car there was a long parade of people strutting through my neighborhood. 

All of the sudden I heard the crackling of wood against metal. I hid under my blanket to realize that it was the garage opening. My dad and brother walked through the garage door with my sister trudging behind them with chocolate coating around her mouth carrying bags of candy and a box of sesame donuts. They offered me a donut and I accepted. What kid wouldn’t? I took my first bite of the pink frosted, sprinkle covered donut. When I was chewing I thought about the relationship between the donut and the bike that almost cost me my life. They were both pink. The donut was not as enjoyable after that thought. 

As I was eating a sudden flashback came to me. I remember the doctor telling me in the hospital the night before that if I hadn't been wearing my helmet I would have died. I stopped eating. I reached my hand up to my head and brought it back down. I could have died. My eyes wide open in shock. Maybe in the future I will make sure that I don’t ride a baby bike down a huge hill trying to beat my brother because of my big ego, and thank the Lord I was wearing a helmet. I learned my lesson and it was a good thing I was wearing my helmet. In the end, my brother did buy me a toy horse, a lousy Dollar Store horse. So was it worth it? I think not.