A Moment of Glory

As the whistle blared, the whole world shifted into silence. The fervent cheers of the crowd, the ardent shouts of the commentators, the subtle yet inevitable anxious nerves that followed every race, it all vanished— it all didn’t matter. At that moment, all that mattered was the red ribbon fluttering in front of me, the promise of greatness yearned for and admired by all— all of it lay before me, beyond that finish line. My legs ached with mind-numbing pain, my lungs burned with every breath I took, but it didn’t matter, because I’ve won—

Snap

In a trice, the boisterous cheers of the audience flooded back in. My knees crashed down; I barely had the strength to keep myself from collapsing. Meekly turning my head, I beheld a dreadfully familiar scene: A crowd of fans fawning over the man I’ve come to envy; camera lights incessantly flashing his arrogant smile, a smile formed from the undeniable fact of being the best.

For years… for so many years, I had bore witness to that same scene. I trained harder than anyone else, my diet, my plans, my routine, they were structured mercilessly, and I had never failed to follow through with it all. And yet, all the glory and honor fell on that one man.

I despised it. I despised it all.

“You did your best, Darek.”

From behind, Hera’s soothing voice caressed my vessel like a gentle breeze. I turned my head, looking at the woman I’ve loved for as long as I could remember. Her comforting visage filled my view, her aqueous eyes soft with concern.

Her consolation followed after every race. It was like an idyllic isle for my shipwrecked vessel. And even if it was only for a moment, it allowed me to forget that I was drowning, bringing me solace.

But nothing was eternal… not even her smile that I had promised to turn over the world to protect.

After enduring countless years of humiliating failure, it was only a matter of time until the scathing vexation of it all would consume me. And on that particular day, I knew that I was approaching the limit.

‘My best isn’t enough… it never is,’ I thought.

Soon, I found myself standing atop the podium, positioned right next to first place.

2nd place, a mere step away from 1st place, a difference of just a few milliseconds… and yet, it was the difference between heaven and earth.

The fame, the fulfillment, the glory of being the best, all of it falls on the champion. All the first runner up gets is a dull silver medal— an ornamental reminder of their failure.

Not long after the award ceremony, Hera and I stepped into the cab I called. Driving through the urban area, we exchanged pleasantries, leisurely chatting away as minutes subtly ticked by. I had hoped that the relaxing atmosphere would last until we arrived home, but I knew that it was wishful thinking. After all, fiancée was a very observant person, for better or for worse.

“Darling. Are you okay?” she asked.

“Of course I am-”

“Darek,” she turned to look me straight in the eyes, “I trust you, and you trust me. We trust each other because we know each other, perhaps more than we know ourselves. So, answer me properly this time: Are you okay?”

Facing her firm yet solicitous gaze, I nearly faltered.

But this pain was enough for one person.

“I’m fine, honey… Don't worry,” I said. “In fact, I’ll buy us some groceries first, you go home and rest, you have work tomorrow after all.”

Hera’s lips slightly parted, but after a moment of hesitation, she held back the words she wanted to say, only nodding. Her expression was clearly one of trust, yet the disappointment couldn’t be concealed.

After dropping Hera off at our place, the cab driver asked, “Where to, boss? There’s a supermarket just around the corner.”

Looking at my watch, I solemnly replied, “Bring me to the Quince Clinic.”

Soon, I opened the wooden door, walking into a neat office place. A familiar face looked up from his pile of paperwork; their expression shifting into a familiar frown as they greeted me, “Good evening, Mr Altman.”

“Good evening, Dr. Joffrey…”

“How’s Hera doing? Is she sleeping well?”

“Ha, with all the overtime she’s been forced upon, it’s a miracle that she’s still standing.”

“The same could be said for you.”

“...Just tell me the results.”

Dr. Joffrey stared at me with a foreboding gaze. Sighing, he stood up from his desk and handed me a yellow folder. He then spoke with a grave tone, “See for yourself.”

The grim atmosphere was enough to deduce the result, the precursory scan of the report card was the final nail in the coffin.

“Bone cancer… Stage 4,” I mumbled. “Is it still treatable?”

“It’s… possible. But the treatment is extremely aggressive. Extreme situations call for extreme measures after all,” Dr. Joffrey’s tone turned grimmer, “But Darek, I’ve got patients to tend to, a lot of them, so let’s stop beating around the bush.”

“Your track career— you have to let it go, or at least, take a long hiatus.”

Faced with Dr. Joffrey’s advice, I firmly replied, “I’m sorry Joffrey, but you know I can’t.”

Though I appeared to have contemplated his words, my mind had long since abolished the notion of giving up, the choice was ineluctable.

“I know of your aspirations,” he said. “Though I dare not proclaim to fully empathize with you, at least think about those who would. Your parents, your friends… Hera; what would they think if you decided to throw away your life just to pursue your career?!”

At his sudden outburst, I stood silently for a moment, reluctant to face him.

“Don’t tell me… Hera doesn’t know yet?”

“I’ll tell her eventually, but now’s not the right time.”

Towards my reply, Dr. Joffrey sighed, “Not the right time, huh… When is it ever?”

“Regardless, please consider my words. Out of respect for the confidentiality between a doctor and their patient, I won’t inform anyone of this, but as a friend… I can’t keep any promises. I just hope that it won’t come to that.”

“...Thanks, Joffrey.”

The next few weeks passed by in a flash, or rather, I wish they had. My condition deteriorated with every passing day, even with the supplements and minor treatments from Dr. Joffrey, they only served to slightly delay the inevitable, bringing me mere moments of respite.

Despite the pain of it all, the intensity of my training never fell, in fact, it only increased. How could I even think to become the best if I didn’t train like the best?! Every step I took hurt like hell, it was hell, but I still pushed through every session with inexhaustible determination.

So what if it hurt? Nothing in life comes without effort.

So what if it was dangerous? No achievement came without risks.

So what if others were concerned? They’re all trivialities!

Thus, the weeks blurred into months, holding on through the frenzied determination to reach the pinnacle— to become the best.

Eventually, the day of the race came.

In the car, Hera looked at me wordlessly. Perhaps I was imagining things, after all, the painkillers Dr. Joffrey prescribed had taken quite some toll on me, but her gaze seemed dispirited somehow— To be honest, even her gaze seemed a bit blurry.

When I turned to leave the car, she grabbed my hand, before finally speaking in a tone I’ve never heard before, “Darek… Are you alright?”

I forgot what I replied, perhaps I hadn’t replied at all. Regardless, everything was an insignificant triviality before the greatness that I was destined to achieve.

Before I knew it, I found myself standing at the same spot I had stood for all these years…those pathetic years of failure… they would haunt me no more.

As the whistle blared, the whole world shifted into silence once more. The fervent cheers of the crowd, the ardent shouts of the commentators, the subtle yet inevitable anxious nerves that followed every race, it all vanished, as they always did. Even the excruciating pain brought by my condition had vanished.

I ran faster and faster. Each step turned lighter and sharper, bringing me closer to the red ribbon fluttering seductively in front of me.

At some point, the taste of iron filled my mouth, but I was unbothered, for the promise of greatness lay before me!

But gradually, I felt my wind slow down. Before I knew it, the lactic acid hit me hard; every cell in my body urged for me to stop. Soon, a seed of panic budded within my mind, and as the fatigue grew, so did the nerves, which slowly sprouted into doubt and anxiety.

The world turned into a blurry void, and within that world, I caught a glimpse of Hera, who sat motionlessly at the front row.

That face… that pained expression.

‘What… happened?’

Just then, a hand rushed through the periphery of my vision. That only could’ve meant one thing: He’s caught up to me.

In an instant, I snapped back into focus.

To become the best, I cast everything away, gambiting my very life for glory.

Then, as the race finally reached its apogee, I felt the sensation that I had incessantly dreamed of—

Snap

I felt the bright red ribbon snap as my body rushed through.

As soon as I did, my broken vessel finally gave out. My knees crumbled and my ligaments tore, sending me crashing onto the track like a stringless puppet. The pain followed instantly, nearly knocking me unconscious.

The audience cheered for me… or at least I hoped so. Ever since the race began, only a sharp ringing sound filled my ear.

I felt myself drifting farther away from the world; perhaps I was passing out, or perhaps I was dying. But it didn’t matter, because I had done it.

Even if it was only a fleeting instance…

I had become the best.