=CHAPTER TWO=

Mike took the slightest step forward on the horizontal bars and cried out in agony.
"It's okay, Mike, you're doing fine," Andrew encouraged him as he walked beside him. "Just keep going. You're nearly there."
Mike looked pleadingly at his brother and his friends. They nodded and egged him on. He wiped sweat from his head and looked up at the roof.
"I can't do it," he whispered.
"Yes you can. We know you can do it," Phil responded, placing his hand on the small of Mike's back. "Come on."
Mike swallowed tightly and took another step. The pain was unbearable. It brought tears to his eyes.
"It's going to hurt, Michael, but try and overcome it," the nurse said softly.
Mike shook his head. "I have to stop."
"Michael-"
"I HAVE TO STOP!" he shouted, his body shaking violently as he tried to hold his weight.
"OK. OK, Mike, let's go." The nurse held onto his back as she led him off the horizontal bars and into his wheelchair. Andrew, Phil and Toby stood around him helplessly as the nurse patted his hand, said, "You did fine, much better than yesterday" and exited the room. The moment she closed the door, Mike burst into tears. He held his face in his hands and sobbed. After a few moments he looked up at them.
"How can you all just stand there staring at me?!" he nearly shouted. "How can you even LOOK at me? I'm a friggin' cripple!" He paused as he tried to compose himself. "Look...don't bother with me. I've heard what they're all saying..the press...saying there's a slim chance of recovery."
"They wouldn't know ANTHING, Mike," Toby disagreed, crouching down in front of the wheelchair. "The doctors think you're going to be alright. And WE think that."
"Yeah? Well, I know differently. Guys, I think you'd better start looking for a replacement. Seriously."
"NO!" Andrew shouted. He knelt down next to mike and held his hand. "Mike, you're going to make it. We're sure of it. We're never going to give up on you. Now, please, don't give up on yourself. Please. For me. For Human Nature. For all those people out there who love you."
"Promise us you won't give up," Phil pleaded. Mike looked at him and then pounded his hand on the wheelchair's arms.
"Why did this happen to me?" he asked. "Everything was going fine. More than fine - I was HAPPY. Why was I punished this way?"
Andrew held his brother's hand to his cheek and closed his eyes. Toby and Phil put their arms around each-other and stood around Andrew and Mike.

A few weeks later, in Mike's hospital room, everything was silent. Mike sat in his wheelchair by the window, his hand on his chin. Phil sat on the edge of the hospital bed. Toby and Andrew sat on the chairs near the bed. They'd been silent for nearly twenty minutes. Suddenly Mike broke the silence.
"People get ready, there's a train a-coming...you don't need no baggage just to get on board..." he sang softly. Andrew began singing with him.
"All you need is faith to hear the diesel humming...you don't need no ticket, no no, just thank the lord."
Now they were all singing, giving it their all. They began to click their fingers.
"People get ready for the train to Jordan...it's picking up passengers from coast to coast...faith is the key, open the doors and board on...there's room for all amongst who loves the most...People get ready..."
When they finished singing the song, they sat in silence again for a few moments.
"We have a true gift," Mike said. "We can't afford to lose it."
They all stared in amazement and shock as Mike forced himself out of his wheelchair and stood on his feet, clinging to the wall for support. He took one step forward and winced, squeezing his eyes shut.
"Mike, you're not ready for this yet," Phil began. Mike took another step, this time bigger. Mike whimpered and tears brewed in his eyes.
"Oh God, make it stop," he whispered.
"Mike-"
Just let me do this!" he cried out of frustration. He took a deep breath and forced himself to keep going. Five steps further, he was smiling triumphantly.
"I'm walking," he said. "Guys...i'm walking!"
Andrew strode over to his brother and embraced him, being careful not to hurt him. Toby and Phil joined them in a group hug.
"I told you that you could do it," Andrew said. "Don't EVER give up, Michael Tierney."

=TO BE CONTINUED=

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