​ As Jared awoke, he didn’t recognize where he was, at first. The room was dimly- lighted. The many machines next to him made funny noises. He attempted to move. But, at once realize that it was a mistake to try. Pain exploded throughout his injured body. He cringed.

​

“I’m in a hospital,” he said quietly—through the bandages that covered his face. Yet, even the mere act of talking hurt. He managed to slowly tilt his head in the direction of the room’s window. He noticed it was dark outside. Without any warning, a small device to his left started to loudly beep. That’s when a nurse switched on the light to his room and came to his side.

​ “You’re finally awake,” she said. She began looking over the various panels attached to the medical equipment in the room. She focused intently on the task at hand.

​

“Just how long have I been out?” asked Jared, groggily.

​

“Almost a day,” replied the woman. “Do you remember anything about the accident?”

​

“Accident?” asked Jared. The nurse snickered. “Why else do you think you’re in a hospital room in the middle of the night with most of your

body covered in casts?”

​

“I don’t know,” said Jared. What happened to me?”

​

​

​

​ The nurse shrugged. “I’ll go and get your family from the waiting room. They can tell you much more about what you went through than I can. They were there when it all happened.”

​

After looking over the equipment once more, the nurse departed. For a few seconds, Jared was left alone with his thoughts. Then, as if by magic, the members of his immediate family flooded the small space.

​

“My baby boy!” shouted his mom. She ran over and sat down beside his hospital bed. “I thought we were going to lose you!” Tears of joy poured down her face like a waterfall.

Jared’s father went around to sit on his other side. “It’s truly a miracle you survived, son,” he said. “I can’t believe you’re still alive.”

​ “Tell me what happened,” said Jared. “How on Earth did I get here exactly?”

​

“Well,” laughed his father, “the ambulance brought you here, of course.”

​

“Oh Arthur! You know what he’s asking. Don’t be sarcastic at a time like this.”

​

“I’m just kidding around,” said Arthur. “What happened is that...”

​

“You fell!” shouted a young girl. She ran quickly into the room. She jumped up on her father’s lap with a newly- opened soda in her hands. It was Jared’s little sister, Liza.

​ “I fell down?” asked Jared. “I don’t seem to be able to remember anything.”

​

“Your doctors say that is normal,” said Arthur.

​

“So, how did falling get me this messed up? Did I fall off my bike or something?”

​

The whole family allowed a nervous laugh to bubble up and over them. “No, you fell from about the height of a building that would be five stories tall, straight into the ocean,” said his father.

​ “How did that happen?”

​

“Yesterday was the day of your thirteenth birthday. We took you bungee-jumping as your present. The crane you jumped from hung out over the ocean and the thick cord snapped. Even though you fell into water , at that height it was like hitting concrete.”

​

“Some birthday present,” said Jared, in a muffled tone through the bandages.

​