Page 147 of Waiting for Ru
21
RU WAS SO revved up, every nerve end was jangling. Desperate to do a good job with Jasim’s ponies, he double-checked everything. The ponies were as excited as the players, scraping the ground under their hooves, their eyes wide with anticipation. Each chukka seemed more exciting than the last and gradually The Eagles began to claw back goals. Ru found it hard to watch anyone but Jasim, though he tried to keep an eye on the play because anything unusual he spotted might be of use to the team. Though Jasim was so fast to change ponies there was barely a chance to exchange a look before he was off again.
Finally, it was the last chukka and the scores were even. The throw-in looked deadly, sticks everywhere, horses jostling, riders yelling. Jasim got the ball out and flew after it, Marcelo not far behind. But Jasim was ridden off, unfairly in Ru’s opinion, though no penalty was given despite the pleas of the players. The Eagles regained possession, lost it again and the match continued like that, with another goal to The Stars after Nicolás cocked up, and an equaliser to The Eagles after a brilliant and unexpected rocketing goal by Joaquin that flew high through the posts.
Ru was shaking by the time it was the last minute of the game. All of the Benning Park team was yelling their support. The ball was ahead of both Jasim and The Stars’ number One. Jasim found a burst of speed from Dream and lunged forward to smack the ball so hard at the goal that it flew farther than any shot Ru thought he’d ever seen hit at that angle. When it went through the posts, everyone cheered, but Jasim was so far over in the saddle because he’d had to reach out so far, he couldn’t right himself and he fell under the hooves of the other player’s pony. Ru gasped.
The game was over. The Eagles had won, but Jasim lay on the grass, not moving. Joaquin leapt off Shadow and even as he dropped at Jasim’s side, Ru was racing to them down the pitch. Medics got there before him and when Marcelo pulled Ru back, he struggled to get free.
“Leave them to their job,” Marcelo said gently.
“He’s so still. Is he conscious? I need to see him.”
“Take care of Dream,” Marcelo said. “Do your job, Ru. Let the experts help Jasim.”
Ru took the horse’s reins. She was upset and he tried to calm her down. He walked her away and turned her in a circle so he could look back at Jasim. There was blood on his trousers. Bad as that was, Ru’s eyes widened in horror as the paramedics used a defibrillator.No!
There were others around Ru now, blocking him from Jasim.
“Let me take Dream.” Poppy pulled the reins from Ru’s hand.
Jasim was being stretchered from the field and Ru wanted to go with him, but Leigh stopped him.
“We’ll take you to him,” Leigh said. “Let the medics do what they need to.”
“He’s not dead,” Ru blurted.
“They got his heart started.” Newt hugged Ru.
“I have to…” Ru felt his knees wobbling.
“I know. Let’s go and find somewhere to sit down.” Newt led him back to the pony lines.
Ru couldn’t think straight. Around him the world continued to turn, the crowd still drank champagne, and Jasim’s heart had stopped. What if it stopped again? What if they couldn’t restart it? He could hear Paolo giving orders as they sorted the ponies out. Ru should be helping, doing his job but he felt paralysed.
Newt sat him on a bale of hay and pushed a bottle of water into his hand.
“Leigh’s gone to see what he can find out. You’re in shock, sweetheart. Drink some water.”
They’d won and it meant nothing if Jasim was hurt. Just as Ru thought his life had finally become his… Newt was stroking his back, trying to comfort him. As Leigh came back, Ru pushed to his feet. The sound of a helicopter filled the air and Leigh looked up.
“That’s for Jasim. He’s being airlifted to hospital in Bournemouth. We’ll take you.”
“Let me tell Paolo,” Ru muttered.
“I heard,” Paolo said. “Keep us informed. I’ll sort everything here.”
Ru was barely aware of being led to Leigh’s car, only aware that he was crying when Newt brushed the tears from his cheeks. Newt sat in the back of the car with him, and fastened Ru’s seat belt. He pulled Ru against him as Leigh set off. No one spoke. What was there to say? But Ru begged and pleaded in his head for Jasim to be all right.
They hit a problem at the hospital. They weren’t relatives so all they could find out was that Jasim had been admitted.
“Let me see what I can do,” Newt said. “I have a pal who works here.” He left them in the hospital entrance.
“Why do you think his heart stopped beating?” Ru whispered.
“He might have been kicked in the chest. But they got it going again. Don’t torture yourself thinking about what might be wrong. Let’s go and sit in the café and get you something to drink.”
Ru didn’t want anything to drink but when Leigh put bottles of water and lemonade in front of him, he sipped the lemonade.
