Categories > Original > Drama > Misfortune and Gold
Chapter 5: Easy Come Easy Go
0 reviewscircumstance takes seths dreams away but something else awaits him
1Exciting
Chapter 5: EASY COME EASY GO
September 2001
Phoenix, Arizona
As always, catastrophe would rear its ugly head again just shortly before Seth's 17th birthday. The truck he loved so much lost control in the rain due to slick tires. The truck had flown from the road, down an incline, and flipped several times before coming to a rest on its side. Seth wasnt wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the truck as it was flipping. It crushed both legs when it did. Every bone in both legs was broken. Both femurs were replaced with titanium rods. The bones in the lover legs had to be held in place by rods and halos. He broke a total of 6 ribs. Luckily only one punctured an organ, his liver. One was very close to stabbing him in the heart. His right foot was crushed and most of the bones in his toes were now pins. His wrist was shattered and had to be replaced by modern technology. He also sustained a very severe concussion. The doctors had to remove a section of his skull to drain blood and make room for the swelling. They kept him in a medically induced coma for almost a week.
It was very touch and go for a while. At one point the swelling in his brain got so bad that he required life support because the pressure was interfering with his bodys primal functions. The Hennon's never left his side for a moment. They prayed like they had never prayed before. It must have worked because on the 5th day the swelling had gone down enough for his vital signs to stabilize. Now that he was again breathing on his own the doctors decided to slowly wake him over the course of 24 hours.
When Seth finally woke up all he could feel was the immense pain his body was in. His head hurt worse than anything. He knew something bad had happened to him but he couldnt remember exactly what. Invoulentary moans of distress came from him. They injected him with a cocktail that left him feeling pretty good and almost pain free. It was then that the doctor came in.
He shined a light into his eyes, "You ok? Can you understand me?"
"Yeah," Seth blinked. This was a good sign they had been worried about brain damage.
"Well...you broke every bone in both legs, thats what we call a double tib fib," he explained moving the covers back. Seth looked down to see his legs shrouded in gadgetry. "You have titanium rods in place of both femurs. These halos are holding the bones in place until they heal. Your right foot and ankle were mangled pretty bad. Its all patchwork. You broke a total of 6 ribs. 4 on the left side and 2 on the right. One punctured your liver. Your wrist has been fitted with a stainless steel pivot point and there are numerous pins throughout your hand. You banged your head up pretty good when you were ejected from the vehicle. We had to remove a section of skull to make room for the swelling. We put you in a dreamless sleep state for six days. The swelling caused complications and you had to be on life support for four days."
Seth took a moment to let it sink in. "So...when Is can play again doc?"
"Play?" The doctor questioned. "You mean sports?"
Seth nodded.
"Seth...Im sorry, but you'll never play sports again.
After that Seth began pushing people away. He began building a wall around himself that towered anything he had ever built before. He refused to see his friends from school. Even the Hennon's were kept at a safe distance. He just didnt want people hovering over him. Nothing was going to make him forget that his life was over. The accident changed him. He lost all the confidence that he had worked so hard to build.. Everything was lost. He was giving up.
He was at the utter bottom when he met Brianna Ward. She was a student intern at at the rehabilitation center he was sent to after his accident. She was nice to him despite how much he tried to push her away. She never let him. She was there every day pushing him to try harder. Eventually he began getting used to her. It took several months for him to warm up to her. Brianna saw him as a friend.
Seth was in a wheelchair for months after the wreck. The damage had been so extensive that the doctors didnt know if he would even be able to walk. He had to have therapy sessions with Brianna 5 times a week to try to build up his legs again. It was six months before he was even urged to put weight on his legs. Brianna was right there when he took his first step again. She liked to think that it was due to all her efforts with him. She was even there when he walked across the stage to recieve his diploma.
Seth was no longer a ward of the state. But how could he be on his own now.The Hennon's convinced him to stay with them. He was in no physical or mental shape to leave. They loved him and wanted to take care of him. So he became a prisoner to that house, even long after he had healed. Brianna was the only person he would see. She was the only one that could get him out of bed. She was the only one that could get him to go outdoors.
By the time he was 18 he was starting to make sense of what he was left with. That was a new collection of scars and a limp that wouldnt go away. He managed to disguise his limp with a swaggering strut like something out of a rap video. He had listened to nothing but rap since Damon had introduced him to it after all. He lost all scholarships and all his dreams of the NFL. If it werent for Brianna keeping an obsessively close eye on him he would have probably just given up all together.
March 18,2003
Phoenix, Arizona to Los Angeles, California
Brianna's 21st birthday came round in March. She planned to drag Seth out of the house. She wanted him to go with her to LA.
"Get up," she stated as she flipped on his lights in his room.
"Go 'way," he moaned pulling the covers over his head.
She jerked the blanket off the bed as well. "Get your ass out of bed."
"For what?" he squinted at her laying there in his boxers.
"We're taking a trip."
"What you's mean?" he asked burying his head under the pillow.
Brianna got his suitcase from the closet and began packing his clothes.
"Where you's tryin' ta drag my ass...an why I needs a suitcase?"
"We are going to Los Angeles."
He looked at her strangely, "I caint be goin ta no LA."
"Oh," she smirked, "Im sorry, I forgot that you had to go into the office today and run a marathon on your lunch break."
"Why ya want ta take me for?" He yawned watching her fold his clothes and put them in his suitcase.
"Because its my birthday and Im going out and youre coming with me."
"Happy birthday...but why LA? Caint yous jus go out 'ere in Phoenix?"
"Im going to LA because it just so happens to be my twin brother Brian's birthday too.He called me up this morning and said to come out and he would take me out on the town. If you knew my brother you would know he doesnt do anything for anybody but himself. So when he makes an offer like this you take it."
"Twins huh?" he asked sitting up on the edge of the bed. He took a pair of pants from the top of the suitcase and slid them on. "He as annoyin' as you?"
Brianna rolled her eyes. "Hes obsessed with becoming a rock star. Hes had a guitar in his hand for 24 hours a day since we were 14. He and his best friend created the video game Guitar Star."
"Word?" Seth asked seeming surprised.
"The little shit sold it for over 8 million when we were 18. He has his own place in LA and is living it up while Im busting my ass and sponging off our parents. And he barely graduated high school!" She sighed, "the funny thing is my brother is so not the type you would expect capable of thinking...hes really a self centered jerk."
They drove for what seemed like an eternity to Seth. They crossed a massive desert. Seth had never been out of Phoenix before. Brianna could see a smile on his face, and that was something rare. It was a shame, he had a beautiful smile. She had honestly never seen him so happy. Maybe this trip would get him out of his funk. She knew he was once Mr. popular sports star, but she only knew him as bitter and depressed.
When they finally pulled into the driveway of a moderately sized house in suburbia hell Seth assumed it was her brothers. Seth was impressed. This guy was only 21 today and had a nice house and a sports car sitting in the driveway. Brianna led him into the house. Everything was so nice on the inside. Seth could hear music coming from the garage at intensely loud volumes. Seth assumed it was her brother playing, but he heard more than just a guitar.
"My brother and his rock star complex," Brianna rolled her eyes.
Seth smiled shyly as she reached out and opened the garage door. The music was really loud. Seth recognized the song from the radio but no one was singing. Seth's head began softly bobbing to the beat. They were good. Seth had no problem spotting Brian with the guitar. Seth watched as his fingers slid up and down the guitars nect bringing forth an array of sound. The drummer pounded the drums so hard it looked like they were going to break. The little bassist was really rocking out. He could see the top of another guys head who was sitting on a milk crate with a laptop on his lap. He was studying the screen and nothing else.
Brian looked up and saw Brianna standing there. He quickly quit playing. "Hey Bree," he smiled walking over to hug her, his guitar pressed between them. "Hey guys, this is my twin sister Brianna."
"Hi," she waved at the two faces she didnt know.
"Thats Martin on the bass and Danny behind the drums, and of course you know Dev."
She turned to Seth, "This is a friend of mine from Phoenix."
Seth cleared his throat, "Seth, dawg, Seth Chandlah," he casually spoke extending his fist out to Brian giving him daps. "You's guys sound real tight."
"Thanks," Brian meekly smiled. He had never heard his playing referred to as tight before. He wasnt really sure what Seth meant, but he was going to take it as a compliment. He looked down to his guitar and started strumming a soft melody.
Seth assumed it was something he had written because he didnt recognize it. It had a sad lonely beat. Seth kind of liked it. He began making up words for it in his head. Without thinking he began singing them aloud. "...and if I cant seem to find my way...know I'll try again another day..." Brian quit playing and was staring at him. They all were. It made him nervous. Had he done something wrong? Did he piss them off?
Brian's eyes widened at the sound that had just come from Seth's vocal cords. He was not at all angry. He was very impressed. Seth's voice was deep and commanding and sounded great. He had just the voice that Brian always heard singing in his headseth was exactly what they needed. Brian had to hind a way to get this guy and his amazing voice in the band. He had to have this guy. Not only did he sound amazing but he was good looking too. Brian knew they would set the clubs on fire with a front man like this. Yeah, they needed this guy.
September 2001
Phoenix, Arizona
As always, catastrophe would rear its ugly head again just shortly before Seth's 17th birthday. The truck he loved so much lost control in the rain due to slick tires. The truck had flown from the road, down an incline, and flipped several times before coming to a rest on its side. Seth wasnt wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the truck as it was flipping. It crushed both legs when it did. Every bone in both legs was broken. Both femurs were replaced with titanium rods. The bones in the lover legs had to be held in place by rods and halos. He broke a total of 6 ribs. Luckily only one punctured an organ, his liver. One was very close to stabbing him in the heart. His right foot was crushed and most of the bones in his toes were now pins. His wrist was shattered and had to be replaced by modern technology. He also sustained a very severe concussion. The doctors had to remove a section of his skull to drain blood and make room for the swelling. They kept him in a medically induced coma for almost a week.
It was very touch and go for a while. At one point the swelling in his brain got so bad that he required life support because the pressure was interfering with his bodys primal functions. The Hennon's never left his side for a moment. They prayed like they had never prayed before. It must have worked because on the 5th day the swelling had gone down enough for his vital signs to stabilize. Now that he was again breathing on his own the doctors decided to slowly wake him over the course of 24 hours.
When Seth finally woke up all he could feel was the immense pain his body was in. His head hurt worse than anything. He knew something bad had happened to him but he couldnt remember exactly what. Invoulentary moans of distress came from him. They injected him with a cocktail that left him feeling pretty good and almost pain free. It was then that the doctor came in.
He shined a light into his eyes, "You ok? Can you understand me?"
"Yeah," Seth blinked. This was a good sign they had been worried about brain damage.
"Well...you broke every bone in both legs, thats what we call a double tib fib," he explained moving the covers back. Seth looked down to see his legs shrouded in gadgetry. "You have titanium rods in place of both femurs. These halos are holding the bones in place until they heal. Your right foot and ankle were mangled pretty bad. Its all patchwork. You broke a total of 6 ribs. 4 on the left side and 2 on the right. One punctured your liver. Your wrist has been fitted with a stainless steel pivot point and there are numerous pins throughout your hand. You banged your head up pretty good when you were ejected from the vehicle. We had to remove a section of skull to make room for the swelling. We put you in a dreamless sleep state for six days. The swelling caused complications and you had to be on life support for four days."
Seth took a moment to let it sink in. "So...when Is can play again doc?"
"Play?" The doctor questioned. "You mean sports?"
Seth nodded.
"Seth...Im sorry, but you'll never play sports again.
After that Seth began pushing people away. He began building a wall around himself that towered anything he had ever built before. He refused to see his friends from school. Even the Hennon's were kept at a safe distance. He just didnt want people hovering over him. Nothing was going to make him forget that his life was over. The accident changed him. He lost all the confidence that he had worked so hard to build.. Everything was lost. He was giving up.
He was at the utter bottom when he met Brianna Ward. She was a student intern at at the rehabilitation center he was sent to after his accident. She was nice to him despite how much he tried to push her away. She never let him. She was there every day pushing him to try harder. Eventually he began getting used to her. It took several months for him to warm up to her. Brianna saw him as a friend.
Seth was in a wheelchair for months after the wreck. The damage had been so extensive that the doctors didnt know if he would even be able to walk. He had to have therapy sessions with Brianna 5 times a week to try to build up his legs again. It was six months before he was even urged to put weight on his legs. Brianna was right there when he took his first step again. She liked to think that it was due to all her efforts with him. She was even there when he walked across the stage to recieve his diploma.
Seth was no longer a ward of the state. But how could he be on his own now.The Hennon's convinced him to stay with them. He was in no physical or mental shape to leave. They loved him and wanted to take care of him. So he became a prisoner to that house, even long after he had healed. Brianna was the only person he would see. She was the only one that could get him out of bed. She was the only one that could get him to go outdoors.
By the time he was 18 he was starting to make sense of what he was left with. That was a new collection of scars and a limp that wouldnt go away. He managed to disguise his limp with a swaggering strut like something out of a rap video. He had listened to nothing but rap since Damon had introduced him to it after all. He lost all scholarships and all his dreams of the NFL. If it werent for Brianna keeping an obsessively close eye on him he would have probably just given up all together.
March 18,2003
Phoenix, Arizona to Los Angeles, California
Brianna's 21st birthday came round in March. She planned to drag Seth out of the house. She wanted him to go with her to LA.
"Get up," she stated as she flipped on his lights in his room.
"Go 'way," he moaned pulling the covers over his head.
She jerked the blanket off the bed as well. "Get your ass out of bed."
"For what?" he squinted at her laying there in his boxers.
"We're taking a trip."
"What you's mean?" he asked burying his head under the pillow.
Brianna got his suitcase from the closet and began packing his clothes.
"Where you's tryin' ta drag my ass...an why I needs a suitcase?"
"We are going to Los Angeles."
He looked at her strangely, "I caint be goin ta no LA."
"Oh," she smirked, "Im sorry, I forgot that you had to go into the office today and run a marathon on your lunch break."
"Why ya want ta take me for?" He yawned watching her fold his clothes and put them in his suitcase.
"Because its my birthday and Im going out and youre coming with me."
"Happy birthday...but why LA? Caint yous jus go out 'ere in Phoenix?"
"Im going to LA because it just so happens to be my twin brother Brian's birthday too.He called me up this morning and said to come out and he would take me out on the town. If you knew my brother you would know he doesnt do anything for anybody but himself. So when he makes an offer like this you take it."
"Twins huh?" he asked sitting up on the edge of the bed. He took a pair of pants from the top of the suitcase and slid them on. "He as annoyin' as you?"
Brianna rolled her eyes. "Hes obsessed with becoming a rock star. Hes had a guitar in his hand for 24 hours a day since we were 14. He and his best friend created the video game Guitar Star."
"Word?" Seth asked seeming surprised.
"The little shit sold it for over 8 million when we were 18. He has his own place in LA and is living it up while Im busting my ass and sponging off our parents. And he barely graduated high school!" She sighed, "the funny thing is my brother is so not the type you would expect capable of thinking...hes really a self centered jerk."
They drove for what seemed like an eternity to Seth. They crossed a massive desert. Seth had never been out of Phoenix before. Brianna could see a smile on his face, and that was something rare. It was a shame, he had a beautiful smile. She had honestly never seen him so happy. Maybe this trip would get him out of his funk. She knew he was once Mr. popular sports star, but she only knew him as bitter and depressed.
When they finally pulled into the driveway of a moderately sized house in suburbia hell Seth assumed it was her brothers. Seth was impressed. This guy was only 21 today and had a nice house and a sports car sitting in the driveway. Brianna led him into the house. Everything was so nice on the inside. Seth could hear music coming from the garage at intensely loud volumes. Seth assumed it was her brother playing, but he heard more than just a guitar.
"My brother and his rock star complex," Brianna rolled her eyes.
Seth smiled shyly as she reached out and opened the garage door. The music was really loud. Seth recognized the song from the radio but no one was singing. Seth's head began softly bobbing to the beat. They were good. Seth had no problem spotting Brian with the guitar. Seth watched as his fingers slid up and down the guitars nect bringing forth an array of sound. The drummer pounded the drums so hard it looked like they were going to break. The little bassist was really rocking out. He could see the top of another guys head who was sitting on a milk crate with a laptop on his lap. He was studying the screen and nothing else.
Brian looked up and saw Brianna standing there. He quickly quit playing. "Hey Bree," he smiled walking over to hug her, his guitar pressed between them. "Hey guys, this is my twin sister Brianna."
"Hi," she waved at the two faces she didnt know.
"Thats Martin on the bass and Danny behind the drums, and of course you know Dev."
She turned to Seth, "This is a friend of mine from Phoenix."
Seth cleared his throat, "Seth, dawg, Seth Chandlah," he casually spoke extending his fist out to Brian giving him daps. "You's guys sound real tight."
"Thanks," Brian meekly smiled. He had never heard his playing referred to as tight before. He wasnt really sure what Seth meant, but he was going to take it as a compliment. He looked down to his guitar and started strumming a soft melody.
Seth assumed it was something he had written because he didnt recognize it. It had a sad lonely beat. Seth kind of liked it. He began making up words for it in his head. Without thinking he began singing them aloud. "...and if I cant seem to find my way...know I'll try again another day..." Brian quit playing and was staring at him. They all were. It made him nervous. Had he done something wrong? Did he piss them off?
Brian's eyes widened at the sound that had just come from Seth's vocal cords. He was not at all angry. He was very impressed. Seth's voice was deep and commanding and sounded great. He had just the voice that Brian always heard singing in his headseth was exactly what they needed. Brian had to hind a way to get this guy and his amazing voice in the band. He had to have this guy. Not only did he sound amazing but he was good looking too. Brian knew they would set the clubs on fire with a front man like this. Yeah, they needed this guy.
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