It was a gloomy afternoon. Clouds filled the sky and you can almost feel the precipitation in the air. The floor was wet from the previous hours of non-stop rain. That didn’t stop me from doing what I was passionate about. You couldn’t tell me that I wasn’t going to play basketball after school because I would simply laugh and run to the courts. At least that’s what I did when my mom told me I couldn’t. I would run off and greet my friends with a jump shot. Clank. I wasn’t always the best but I most definitely wasn’t the worse.

“Yo, Hasib, Chris and Tim! Let’s play a two versus two.” I shouted across the court.

Chris yelled back, “Bet, me and Tim versus you guys. Your ball first.” Him and Tim were best friends as they lived just a street away from each other.

They game started and we simply had a great time like any other fifth graders getting ready to graduate. Jump shots, crazy layups, flashy passes. We were doing it all.

”I can’t wait to get to 6th grade man, so we could all join the team!” Tim said.

”Same dude, we’re going to be all stars.” Hasib said.

Still playing, I decided it was time to get my fair share of buckets.

“Give me the ball.”

Jump shot from beyond the arc. Good

Another one. Good

“Hold up, move out my way. I’m going to try something” I asked.

As I got the basketball, I stared at the rim for a good 10 seconds. I run towards the rim and jump and attempt a 360 degree layup. My body contorts and I release the ball. Good. However, as I land, I end up on my back. Unable to move.

”HEYYYYYYY, YOU DID IT!” Hasib yelled, trying to pick me up.

I couldn’t move, nor speak.

“What’s wrong, Raiyan?” Chris asked.

I couldn’t answer. I looked up at the sky and thought, “God, my time has come already?” Like a fool.

I looked over to the other side of the park insinuating where to go get my mom. She was talking to the other parents. Tim runs over to her and grabs and her to lure her to me.

“Oh my goodness. My son. Get up, get up, get up.” My mother cried.

It was as if I was half- paralyzed. That was until she picked me up and held me in her arms. That was all I needed to attempt to move. A parents loving. That’s how much my mother means to me. I will attempt anything if it was about her. I slowly get up as I hold her with my left arm wrapped around her arm and my right around Chris. I motion wit my hands to get something to drink and out my mothers purse she pulls out a water. Gulp.

“Ahhh. That was a close one. “

”You’re not coming back,” she said.

“Ma, you are out of your mind.”