Wheelchair Accessible

Part One

Some things in life come out of nowhere; whether it is death of a loved one, a change in the weather, or getting punched in the face. (The latter of which I would know about, considering how many fights I've gotten into). These things may take you by surprise, may leave you feeling completely unprepared, but it's put to you to choose how you deal with them. You can let them ruin your life or improve it. You can be challenged and grow as a person, or you can stay where you're comfortable and remain unchanged.

Those things life throws at you may come as a shock, but it's up to you to control the shockwaves.

I'd like to say that I had a pretty good grip on my life and what went on in it. Things didn't happen unless I wanted them to happen. Nothing was beyond what I could handle. I had everything under control.  

Until I didn't.

And at my lowest point, when things seemed the darkest, when I was close to giving up, life decided to throw another thing at me. 

On that day in early October, something crashed into my life that changed it forever. Something unexpected, something I was unprepared for, and something I definitely had no control over. 

I had no idea how to control the shockwaves. I had to learn to ride with them.

And it was the best decision I ever made.

***

I was mad at everything and everyone.

It was like I couldn't even breathe without a burst of heat coursing through my veins with each intake of air. Anger simmered under mys kin, ready to blow at any moment. 

And the sun! Why did it need to scorch my skin from the outside when I was already being boiled alive from the inside? Why did it have to be so freaking hot?

With heavy footsteps, I stormed down my usual path home. It was a trail that wound through a public park with trees, playgrounds, and sporting fields and traveled between a massive hill and a small pond that little ducks swam in. 

But today there were too many people here, the grass was an ugly shade of green and the quacks of the ducks were obnoxious. Who did they think they were?

Suddenly, there was a high-pitched scream to my left, which I ignored until something smashed into me and I was on the ground, pain coursing through my side.

People gasped and whispered, and when I eventually pried my eyes open, I noticed they had all stopped to stare, too. Great, thanks, everybody. Just what I needed today. 

Assessing myself, I figured there was no critical damage. A few sore spots in my shoulders, but nothing serious. I knew what a broken bone felt like, and this wasn't even close, so I sat up and dusted myself off. I turned slowly to see what I had been hit by but in a moment, my heart stopped.

A teenage girl was lying motionless on the ground, her body sprawled out on the pavement, and next to her was a wheelchair tipped on its side, one of the wheels still slowly spinning.

Cursing, I kneeled next to her and gently rolled her over onto her back. I had my first-aid certifactions and everything, but I was really  hoping she wasn't dead. This day was bad enough and I didn't need to top it off with murder. Thankfully, in the next breath, she let out a groan and brought her hands to cover her face.

"Hey, are you, um... here," I gently helped her up into a sitting position.

She used her hands to balance herself and shook her head slightly, "Wow. That was really something."