Finalist
Christopher Capozziello
Freelance
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"THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US"
Mom just called. She said Nick has one of “those” cramps, and that I needed to come home right away. She is breathing heavy, and I hear her fumble something, probably the phone. Abruptly she hangs up. I know exactly what she is talking about. When I get home I find them on the landing at the base of the stairs; Mom holding his legs, while Dad has his head and his arms. Nick isn’t really doing much of anything when I get there. His body is tense and cramped, but he is laying still. When I take over his legs, Nick’s body twists. Even after the brain surgery, the cramps come and go, albeit with much less frequency. An hour-and-a-half later, his body is still rigid and the cramp has become spastic again, to the point where he has no control. We call 911.
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