Inquisitione - Pierre Gasly

1.4

As soon as I landed after the jump I knew something went really wrong. The moment I tried to stop myself at the end of the runway my knee almost just gave out and I had to just stop myself at the inflatable fence that was there to help in situations like this. As soon as our trainer looked at me I just shook my head, leaning down so I can finally get the skis off my boots, before limping to the exit where I could finally sit down as my knee was throbbing with pain.

„ Knee? " Angela, our physio appeared next to me, putting down her backpack next to me. I could only nod as I didn't trust my voice. Both of my legs have been bothering me in the last season, but we always treated it and they went back to normal. The pain I felt was the worst I probably ever felt since I started doing sports. „ We should probably just go to the medical centre. I can't really take a look at it here. " She let out a sigh giving me her hand so she could pull me up. Our first destination was the changing room where we got my things and I got into my usual team gear, to make the examination later easier.

Almost an hour later I already got the verdict that I was out of tomorrow's competition, thanks to how my joints looked on the tests and scans. Angela was truly furious when she got to see them and realised what she was seeing on them. The doctor agreed with her that these looked like long time injuries and not something that happened today. I wasn't really surprised as I was living with it, and I knew how much discomfort they caused me all the time. Still, it didn't feel bad enough to tell them about, as I thought it would just hold me back without any actual reason. Turns out I was lucky I could still walk without any major pain and I should have stopped probably at the half-line of last season to let them heal finally.

„ What were you actually thinking? How did you even go through the training camp and all the pre-season training with joints in a state like this? " Angela asked when we were already back in my room, while she was applying the creme and bandages the doctor recommended.

„ In pain... I just didn't think it was this bad. I didn't want it to hold me back. I felt fine and wanted to continue the season. " I shrugged my shoulders, knowing inside that mostly it was just because I didn't want to fight with Julien about missing any opportunities I got. That was probably the last thing I wanted to bring onto myself, and now I won't be able to dodge it.

„ Well, now you're out for sure. Probably for longer than what you would have endured if it was caught earlier. " She sighed, securing the bandage in place before letting go of my leg. It was hard to bend it as the bandage was tight around the joint, but I for sure didn't feel pain as it was held in place.

„ Is it strange that I'm actually kind of relieved I'm gonna be out? " I asked her, confused as I tried not looking up at her as I knew she probably didn't really understand my question.

„ After last season? I would feel relieved too. But taking everything into consideration, it won't be the easiest chapter of your career. " She answered me, making me take a deep breath as I opened up my phone, that was lying next to me on the bed.

I knew Julien will get the news about me so I didn't even consider texting him. However, I did send a quick message to Pierre, asking him to call me when he's gonna be free finally. I knew that he was probably either getting ready for Qualifying or already driving the car, so it was something that would happen probably an hour or so later. With the bandage checked out by one of the doctors I was free to go back to the hotel. They promised to get more scans ready at home as I was going home earlier and the team physio or doctors won't be able to come back with me. I was glad I didn't have to plan everything and just focus on getting a flight back home where I had to spend at least a week without any training or workout. It was almost like bed rest, just with an additional rule that I could move around in my own area and maybe even do chores if they weren't strenuous and I had the bandage on.