The stage opens on a white hospital room. There is a bed in the middle with oxygen tubing and such behind it on the wall. To the right of the bed, there is a chair with wrinkled blankets and a thin pillow on it, it has obviously been slept in. To the left of the bed, there is a large wooden door, leading out into the hospital. 17-year-old high school football star, Owen Daniels, sits on the edge of the bed in a hospital gown, he has EKG monitors on his chest, a pulse ox monitor wrapped around his left pointer finger, and a blood pressure cuff wrapped around his right bicep that periodically inflates and deflates. Owen has dirty blond hair, ice blue eyes, pale skin. He has just been told by a doctor that he has Chronic Infectious Osteomyelitis. Infectious Osteomyelitis is a bone infection that can be passed through the bloodstream. But because it is chronic, it will be there forever. Owen has his head in his hands and he is rocking back and forth, he is clearly anxious. He stands up and begins pacing with a limp.

            I’m the Running Back. How could this happen to me? (Owen raises his voice) I might never be able to play football again! (Owen grabs his hair with both hands in stress) I run the most on the field, and now I can hardly even walk. Everything hurts like hell, both legs, both ankles, and my right arm. I have the worst luck in the world, (Owen looks out the small window in his room) I might as well defenestrate myself, the thing I love most has just been ripped away from me in one fell swoop. (Owen’s voice cracks and tears prick at the corners of his eyes) I have to miss the big game on Friday because I have to be here. I have to be stuck in this room, and everyone who comes in has to put on protective gear, I can’t even leave the room without putting on a mask and gown. (A couple tears slip down his cheeks) I feel like I’m the disease in and of myself. I can’t even go to school! (More tears fall as Owen punches the sheets in frustration) I might not be able to walk for weeks to months at a time. I can’t make the best of this sh*t. They need to find a damn medicine for me to take so I can go back to being normal and I can fight this thing. I can fight like hell, but right now, I don’t know how to fight. I don’t even know how to go one day without tackling and catching a ball. (Owen is now sobbing) I don’t know what I did to make this happen to myself! I did nothing wrong! I was on a roll with wins, I was getting straight A’s, I WAS HAPPY! (Owen yells before lowering himself onto the bed sobbing) I don’t deserve this. (Owen whispers with tears running down his face) I don’t understand. (The lights go down on Owen sobbing on the bed)