Ready To Start Training

The days after Benjamin returned home blended together in a slow, steady rhythm.

His left leg, although healing, was still weak, and the crutches became an extension of his body. It took time to accept that his life had changed so drastically, but he was determined to push through. He owed that much to his parents and little sister Ayo.

Anna, the maid Coach Jansen had hired, quickly became a comforting presence in the house. At first, Benjamin wasn't sure how to feel about her being there. It was strange having someone else take care of the home his mother had once so lovingly tended.

But as the days passed, he grew accustomed to Anna's quiet, steady way of handling things. She didn't intrude or ask too many questions, and Benjamin appreciated that. She cleaned, cooked simple meals, and made sure he was comfortable without being overbearing.

Coach Jansen stopped by frequently, sometimes just to talk, other times to help Benjamin with exercises for his leg.

Each visit reminded Benjamin of the outside world, of football, of everything he had once dreamed of. It was hard not to feel the pang of longing whenever Jansen mentioned the latest news from the academy or a game he had watched.

But Benjamin kept his thoughts to himself, unsure of how to express the storm of emotions that raged inside him.

Late at night, when the house was still, Benjamin would lie in bed staring at the ceiling. His mind often drifted to memories of his family.

His father's booming laugh as they watched matches together, his mother's soft humming as she worked in the kitchen, Ayo's infectious energy as she tried to show off her own football tricks.

They were gone now, but in those quiet moments, it felt like they were still with him, watching, waiting for him to rise again.

"I'll make you proud," Benjamin would whisper to the empty room. "I'll bring smiles to your faces in heaven."

***

Two months slipped by, and as autumn slowly gave way to spring, it was currently the month of June 2012.

Benjamin's body began to feel more like his own again. His crutches were used less and less until one day, he was able to walk without them.

It wasn't easy as his left leg still felt fragile, and he couldn't put much weight on it, but it was progress. And progress meant hope.

As Benjamin moved around the house more freely, he started thinking about the future. His dream of becoming a football legend hadn't faded, even after everything that had happened.

If anything, the pain and loss had only strengthened his resolve.

He wasn't going to let the accident define him or end his career before it had even truly begun. His parents and Ayo had believed in him, and he couldn't bear the thought of letting them down.

One day, while sitting in the living room, Benjamin's gaze fell on the sliding door that led to the backyard. He hadn't been out there in months, not since before the accident.

The thought of stepping outside, of breathing the fresh air and feeling the grass beneath his feet, stirred something inside him. And more than that, he remembered the small training room his dad had built at the back of the yard.

His dad had been a passionate football fan, the kind who never missed a game and always encouraged Benjamin to chase his dreams.

A few years ago, his dad had turned a corner of the yard into a personal training space, complete with a treadmill, weights, and a small goalpost.

Benjamin hadn't used it in a long time, not since he had started training at the academy regularly, but now, the idea of working out again, of doing something physical, felt like the next step in his recovery.

That afternoon, Benjamin asked Anna to help him open the training room. The door creaked as it swung open, revealing a slightly dusty but still functional space. The equipment was old, but it was familiar, and as Benjamin stepped inside, he felt a sense of calm wash over him.

This was a place where he had once felt strong, where he had pushed himself to improve, to get better. He needed that feeling again.

At first, he started slow. Light stretching, basic movements to get his body accustomed to exercise again.

His left leg was still weak, but he didn't push it too hard. He knew that recovery wasn't going to happen overnight. Patience, he reminded himself. One step at a time.

As the days turned into weeks, Benjamin's routine grew more structured.

In the mornings, he would go for short walks, and light jogs around the neighborhood, gradually building up his stamina. In the afternoons, he'd spend time in the training room, focusing on regaining his strength and fitness.

The treadmill became his best friend as he tested the limits of his endurance. Some days were harder than others, there were moments when frustration threatened to overwhelm him, when the pain in his leg flared up, reminding him that he wasn't fully healed.

But even on the difficult days, Benjamin pushed through. His mind was focused on one thing, football.

He pictured himself back on the field, running with the ball at his feet, feeling the rush of adrenaline as he dribbled past defenders, the crowd roaring in the stands. That vision kept him going, kept him motivated even when it felt like his body was betraying him.

Coach Jansen noticed the change in Benjamin too. On one of his visits, he watched as Benjamin walked around the backyard, his steps more confident than they had been just weeks before.

"You've come a long way," Coach Jansen said, a note of pride in his voice.

Benjamin wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding. "Still a long way to go," he replied, his tone determined. "But I'm getting there."

Jansen smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. Just keep at it. You've got what it takes, Benjamin. Don't forget that."

As the sixth month since the accident approached, Benjamin had made noticeable progress.

He could walk without crutches, his strength was slowly returning, and he had even started doing light ball work like dribbling in the backyard, practicing simple passes against the wall.

His left leg which was his dominant leg for playing football still wasn't as strong as it used to be, so he also trained to get familiar with his right leg and he was careful not to push it too far, but each small victory felt monumental.

At night, after his training sessions, Benjamin would sit on the back porch, looking up at the stars. The ache of loss was still there, but it no longer felt as overwhelming as it once had. His parents and Ayo would always be with him, in his heart, in his memories.

But now, instead of being weighed down by grief, he felt motivated by it. They had believed in him, and he wasn't going to let their belief go to waste.

"I'll make it," he whispered to the sky. "For all of you."

With each passing day, Benjamin felt more like himself. He was still far from the boy he had been before the accident, but maybe that was okay.

He was stronger now, not just physically, but mentally. He had faced one of the darkest times in his life and had come out the other side.

There was still a long road ahead, but Benjamin was ready to walk it, one step at a time.