THE NEXT DAY**
TRAINING BASKETBALL COURT**
“Who’s that imbecile?” Trainee 1 asked, with a wicked grin.
“A pretty girl brother. Pathetic. Look. He even brought a new ball, Why would they bring him here?, He’s useless” Trainee 2 said, thumping the ball up and down with his hand.
“And what do we do to useless things and people?” Trainee 1 asked.
“We throw them in the trash bin” Trainee 3 laughed.
“Hey. Let’s go show him where trashes belong” Trainee 2 said and they nodded.
They walked to Gerald who was still trying to throw the ball in the net but he kept failing each time.
“Ouch!” Trainee 1 laughed and threw his ball without targetting and it entered into the net willingly.
“Wow” Gerald gushed, smiling.
He turned back to them, holding his ball.
“How did you do that? You amazing” He smiled.
The trainees exchanged glances between themselves and laughed.
“Hey. Trash. Who brought you here?” Trainer 2 pushed his chest.
“Stop. My name isn’t… tra..trash. I’m not trash”
“My…My…name is Gerald. Say…Ge…Rald. It is spelt,,, G. E. R. A. L. D.”
“The f_ck is your problem, dude. You’re so annoying!” Trainee 3 said and punched the ball away from Gerald.
It rolled on the ground.
“Hey….Hey…My ball” He Mõ@ɲed and tried running to the get it but it touched Trainee 2 leg and he stepped on it before picking it up.
“You want it, Trash?” He smirked. holding it.
“Please. Please. Give me back my ball. Leah…Leah…bought it for me” He sobbed and jumped so as to grab it but he threw it to trainee 1.
“You want your ball?” Trainee 1 asked.
“Yes. Yes,,, please” He nodded.
“Then, come get it” He laughed and ran off with the ball.
Gerald pursued him.
Trainee 1 threw it trainee 2 back who threw it to trainee 3.
They kept doing this, while making fun of Gerald who ran around, helplessly and tiredly, trying to get back his ball.
“He’s very persistent. Then, let see if he catches the ball. Hey! Trash!! Catch!” Trainee 1 said and threw it to Gerald.
It slammed his head and this made him almost stagger helplessly.
Trainee 2 giggled and picked the rolling ball.
“Catch!” He said and threw it on Gerald’s face.
“Ouch! Stop…Please…Stop. Its hurts” Gerald closed his eyes.
“We won’t stop till your face punctures your ball! Catch!!”Trainee 3 threw it.
This went on and on, for about 37 minutes.
They were tired by now and Gerald was on the floor, whimpering with red sores and little bruises on his face.
“A needle here? Just like his brain…His head is soft. It can’t puncture the d@mn ball” Trainee 3 smirked.
They punctured the ball with a sharp object they saw around the road side.
“Guys, see this!” Trainee 1 laughed and thew the ball high. He wanted the punctured ball to enter the net.
However, it was not possible. Cause it was lesser and smaller, the speed was low and gravity pulled it down immediately.
Therefore, it did’nt even get to the net, talkless of entering it.
“Wait. Lemme try” Trainee 2 said and threw the ball to the net but it didn’t work.
Even Trainee 3 tried but still the same outcome.
“Its not possible” They muttered to themselves.
They looked at Gerald with evil grins in their faces.
“This ball is just as useless as you, Trash!” They said and threw it on Gerald’s leg.
He looked at the ball and tears ran down his eyes.
“Leah…Leah…I’m…I’m sorry”
AT THE HOSPITAL**
“Leah?” Someone called and ran to her as she was about entering the surgical room with the doctor.
It was a neighbor.
“Huh? Mrs Kent? Please…You need to leave, now. This isn’t a place you can just barge into” Leah muttered,
“If its not important,,, please allow me” She added.
“What are you still doing here? Hurry! I saw some boys bullying your brother!” Mrs Kent suddenly said.
“Huh? Ge…Gerald?” Leah stuttered.
She nodded.
Leah dropped the equipments and ran off despite the doctor and nurses calling.
****
“Gerald!! Gerald!! What are you doing,,,..Who who did this to you?? Who??” She ran to him.
“I’m fine…” He smiled.
He was actually sitting on the field all alone.
“No. No, You’re not fine. You aren’t…one bit but don’t worry, I’ll make those bullies pay”
“I…will always protect you, Gerald. That what baby sisters do” Leah said and squatted facing him.
She was sad but she held her tears in and gave him a big smile.
She looked at the ball.
“Those bad boys punctured it. Its not my fault, Leah” He said, sadly.
“No. Its fine. Its certainly isn’t your fault. It those bad boys. They think lowly of you. But they don’t know you’re smart, wonderful and very good in basketball”
He sniffed.
“But…I think they’re right. I couldn’t…I couldn’t get the ball in the net. I’m…I’m not good in basket…basketball” He shook his head, sobbing.
“You can get it into the net. You’re good in basketball. Trust yourself. Here. Get it in! Go Gerald!! I know you can do this!” She cheered, clenching her fist to his face.
He smiled and took the punctured ball.
He held it with both hands on his head, closed, then opened his eyes, and inhaled deeply, micmicing the basketball player he watched on TV.
He jumped a little, kept the ball backwards a bit and finally gave it a throw.
The ball went on traveling in the air. It started falling down though and pooff!
It fell into the net!
“Wow!!! Gerald!!” She screamed and clapped.
“I told you! I told you, you could do it” She hugged him.
“I guess I’m not trash after all” He smiled, hugging her back.
“Anyone that called you trash is a nincompoop” She said and he chuckled.
Her phone rang and she excused herself from the hug.
She accepted the call and placed it on her ear.
“Hello?” She muttered.
“Nurse Leah!! Or should I say Miss Leah. You’ve been fired! Running out when we had an important surgery and at a crucial time for no just cause??. You’re fired!” The doctor shouted.
She hissed.
“Then choke on it, loser!” She screamed back and hanged the call.
“Hmm…Feels good” She inhaled deeply.
“Gerald? Let’s go. I wanna celebrate…Let’s eat and drink a lot for dinner” She held his hand as they slowly walked.
“What are we celebrating?” He asked, as the scene darkened.
“Me getting fired from my hectic job and you getting out from your nasty training” She giggled.
“Yipeee!!!” He gushed and the scene closed totally.
3 DAYS LATER**
“Mum? I just applied to a game company for Gerald’s sake. I don’t really like gaming company but I have no choice”
“But Gerald doesn’t like games? He prefers basketball”
“Yeah. But he can achieve his dream in that gaming company”
“How?” She asked.
“Gerald can develop a game app under his name. Probably he would make a beautiful well constructed basketball playing app,, since he doesn’t want to go to the field again. He still watches the match and likes it too”
“Wow. Well, I agree”
“At first, cause of his condition, they gave me a blunt NO. But when I met with the CEO and begged him for a chance. He said he would only apply me if…I work there too, stay with Gerald, train him and guide him”
“I trust you Leah” Her mother smiled.
“Have you told Gerald of his new job?”
“Yes,,, I did. You got to see his happy face when I told him he’s gonna start working in a gaming company” Leah smiled.
“I can imagine it already” Her mum said.
Meanwhile, little did they know, Gerald was hearing them from the door outside and he actually understood the whole thing.
**PRESENT DAY**
“I guess you won’t bother cleaning up..my mess any longer. You won’t wipe my nose anymore. You won’t try to open toilet doors anymore. You won’t flush the toilet anymore. You won’t clean after me. And you won’t have to enter the male restroom of me any longer”
“Also, You won’t have to receive back lashing words, gossips or scornful laughs because of me”
“Gerald! Please! Who said I didn’t like the critism I faced cause of you” She cried out.
“Leah…Leah…You like it cause you’re now used to it. It only pains me to see what you go through a lot cause of me and you have.. tried a lot. Stop now. I think its my turn”
“Enough!! Gerald, look at me. Nothing…nothing will happen to you. So, stop…okay?”
“Stay with mum. Don’t make her feel lonely. Try…Try to be alive for me and her” He said, tears falling.
“Stop! Stop telling me all these! Stop!” She cried, her lashes battling.
“Why…not like Marshall too?..He
He really likes you very much. What to do? Marshall already promised me chicken soup once we leave. Too bad that I won’t eat it. Leah,,, please,,, why…why don’t you eat it on my behalf?”
“I said stop!! Please…stop” Hot and bitter flood of tears kept rushing.
“My little sister…You…You have tried for me. But…I’ve to try for you too. Besides, that what big brothers…do” He gave a beautiful smile and she shaked her head, aggressively.
*Pooww!* The bullet went into his chest.
He fell down from the chair immediately and went dead.
“No!! Nooooo!!” Her voice trembled as she went on her knees, covering her mouth with her palms.
*Player 5 has been eliminated*
“Geraldddddddd!!!”
TBC