Three weeks after waking up, Darius left the hospital. He walked through the front entrance at 2:15 PM. His discharge papers were completed. His physical therapy schedule was arranged for outpatient visits.
His physical condition had improved during his hospital stay. He could walk without assistance. His muscle strength had increased from the baseline measurements taken when he first woke up.
The Hustle System had provided daily exercise routines during his hospital recovery. Each morning, he received a list of tasks to complete. The tasks included core stabilization exercises, grip strength training, lateral movement drills, push-ups, wall sits, and static holds.
During his first week of exercises, Darius completed approximately forty percent of the assigned tasks. During the second week, he completed sixty percent. By the third week, he completed ninety percent of all assigned tasks.
His physical statistics had improved during this period. His strength rating increased from 10 to 12. His stamina rating increased from 13 to 15. His speed rating increased from 10 to 11. His balance rating increased from 9 to 10.
These numbers represented basic functional improvement. They were not competitive athletic statistics. However, they indicated that his body was responding to physical training.
Outside the hospital, his family waited in a van. The vehicle had decorations attached to its exterior. A handmade sign read "Welcome Back, Darius." The letters were painted in blue and red.
His mother stood next to the passenger door. When she saw Darius, she approached him and hugged him.
"You look healthier," she said.
His father was leaning against the front of the van. He was smiling.
"Your mother has been excited about this since yesterday," his father said.
Malik, his cousin, was sitting in an open window of the van. He was playing music from a portable speaker. He held a small flag that said "D-Rock Returns."
"I made a music playlist for you," Malik said. "It has motivational songs."
Darius climbed into the van. The drive to his family's house took twenty-two minutes. He observed the city through the window. The buildings and streets looked familiar.
When they arrived at his house, there were approximately thirty people in the driveway and front yard. Neighbors and family friends had gathered for his homecoming. They clapped when he got out of the van.
Several people approached Darius to welcome him home. They hugged him and spoke to him. Some people gave him gifts. One woman gave him a bracelet made of red and gold thread. Another person handed him a folded piece of paper with a written message.
People offered him food and drinks. There was a table with sandwiches, chips, and cake. A DJ was playing music from speakers set up in the driveway.
Malik took the microphone and spoke to the crowd. "Darius used to beat everyone at video games before his accident. He is probably still good at them."
The gathering lasted until approximately 8 PM. People gradually left throughout the evening. The DJ packed up his equipment at the end.
After everyone left, Darius's mother showed him to his bedroom. The room contained only a bed and a desk. The walls were empty. There were no decorations or personal items.
"We removed everything so you could decide what to put in here," his mother explained.
Darius looked around the empty room. "I understand."
His mother left him alone in the room. Darius sat at the desk. The room was lit only by moonlight coming through the window.
He thought about his time in the hospital. He thought about the exercises he had completed. He thought about the people who had welcomed him home.
The day had contained many events and interactions. He did not try to analyze all of them immediately.
"I will think about this tomorrow," he said to himself.
Darius lay down on the bed and pulled a blanket over himself. He fell asleep within fifteen minutes.
The next morning, he woke up at 7:30 AM. Sunlight was coming through his bedroom window. He could hear people talking in the kitchen downstairs.
He got dressed and went downstairs. His mother was cooking breakfast. His father was reading a newspaper. Malik was eating cereal at the kitchen table.
"How did you sleep?" his mother asked.
"Well," Darius replied.
His father looked up from his newspaper. "We need to talk about school enrollment. The semester starts in six weeks."
Darius sat at the table. "I want to attend Roosevelt High School."
"That can be arranged," his father said. "They have a good basketball program."
Malik finished his cereal. "Do you want to shoot some basketballs today? We have a hoop in the driveway."
Darius considered the suggestion. He had not held a basketball since leaving the hospital. "Yes. I would like to try that."
After breakfast, Malik and Darius went outside to the driveway. A basketball hoop was mounted above the garage door. The rim was ten feet high. The backboard was made of fiberglass.
Malik brought a basketball from the garage. He dribbled it twice and then passed it to Darius.
Darius caught the ball and held it. The ball felt familiar in his hands. He dribbled it once with his right hand, then once with his left hand.
"Try shooting," Malik said.
Darius stood twelve feet from the basket. He held the ball with both hands and shot it toward the rim. The ball hit the front of the rim and bounced back toward him.
"Close," Malik said.
Darius retrieved the ball and tried again. This time he shot from ten feet away. The ball went through the rim and net.
"Good shot," Malik said.
They continued shooting for thirty minutes. Darius made approximately sixty percent of his shots from close range. He made approximately thirty percent of his shots from fifteen feet or farther.
His shooting form was basic but functional. His follow-through was consistent. His ball release was smooth.
"You still remember how to shoot," Malik observed.
"It feels natural," Darius replied.
That afternoon, the Hustle System appeared to him during a nap. The white space materialized around him.
"You have returned home and begun basic basketball activities," the system said.
"Yes," Darius replied. "I shot basketballs with my cousin."
"Your shooting accuracy was recorded. Close-range shots: 62 percent. Mid-range shots: 31 percent. This is acceptable for your first basketball activity in four years."
The system displayed updated statistics:
Name: Darius Kingsley Age: 14 years, 10 months Height: 4 feet, 5 inches Weight: 138 pounds
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES Speed: 11 Acceleration: 9 Vertical Jump: 4 Strength: 12 Stamina: 15 Ball Handling: 6 Passing Accuracy: 9 Mid-Range Shooting: 9 Three-Point Shooting: 5 Free Throw Shooting: 5 Dunking Ability: 0 Layup Ability: 8 Perimeter Defense: 11 Steal: 8 Block: 5 Interior Defense: 8
"Your shooting statistics have improved slightly. Your height and weight have also increased due to improved nutrition and physical therapy."
"When can I start serious basketball training?" Darius asked.
"You should continue basic shooting and ball handling for two weeks. After that, you can begin more advanced training programs."
The white space faded. Darius woke up from his nap.
That evening, his family ate dinner together. They discussed plans for school enrollment and continued physical therapy.
"I want to try out for the basketball team at Roosevelt," Darius said.
His father nodded. "The coach's name is Mike Johnson. He has been coaching there for twelve years. We can contact him about your situation."
"What would I tell him about my basketball experience?" Darius asked.
"The truth," his mother said. "You played when you were younger, but you have been recovering from an injury. You are working to regain your skills."
After dinner, Darius spent time in his empty bedroom. He decided what items he wanted to put in the room. He made a list: basketball posters, a bookshelf, a basketball, and a desk lamp.
The next day, his family helped him decorate his room according to his list. They hung three basketball posters on the walls. They placed a basketball on his desk. They installed a desk lamp for better lighting.
Darius's room now looked like it belonged to someone who was interested in basketball.
For the next two weeks, he practiced shooting basketballs in the driveway every day. His accuracy improved gradually. By the end of the two-week period, he was making seventy percent of his close-range shots and forty percent of his mid-range shots.
He was ready to begin more serious basketball training.