Riding along the dirt track I just manage to overtake Chanhee, pedalling quickly ahead of him as another pile of twigs and pebbles vibrate up my handle bars.

“Yah-! You getting tired??” I tease loudly, as I carefully navigate the rough terrain beneath my tires.

A chuckle resonates close behind and I hear the loud crunching of our bikes as we rush rapidly through the dirt tracks.

We‘d been mountain bike riding and dirt biking for a while now, and thus whenever we had some spare time after school or on the weekends we found ourselves at the local jump park or bush tracks.

Today was no different- both off us heading out early in the morning right up until now as the midday sun beat down on our backs.

It was just so relaxing being out here- here where your instincts just took over and all you could think about was the next obstacle in your way and whether it’d be safe to ride over it or better to avoid instead-

Could you successfully jump over the pile of dirt and gravel on the next rise?

Or would you fall off and come crashing back down to the ground?

Your whole body trained in on those thudding vibrations that reverberated up to your handlebars and right up your spine, making you feel like you were constantly being thrown about, yet being in complete and utter control the whole time-

There was no other feeling quite like it, and hence our attraction to the sport.

But just as I air a sizable rock myself, slightly wobbling on the landing but grinning from ear to ear nonetheless I hear a loud sickening thud behind me-

Followed by a low agonised scream of pain-

Whipping my bike to the side, I screech to an instant halt and turning my head back I take in the sight of Chunji splayed out on the ground- his bike trailing in a heap just behind him.

“Chanhee-!” jumping off my seat I throw my bike to the ground and quickly run over to his side.

He tries to push himself up with his left hand, only to let out a sharp yell as his limb crumbles under the weight and he falls heavily back to the dirt.

“Dude, jesus what happened??” I cry, as I take in his dirt smeared clothing, and pained expression, kneeling down on the ground beside him as I rake my eyes for potential injury.

“Ahh…” groaning, the teen pulls himself up onto his forearms- both hands completely smeared with black and brown dirt, stones partially embedded in bleeding palms as he turns over onto his back.

Placing a guiding hand on his shoulder, I help him ease his way up as he lets out another moan, grimacing as his eyes snap shut in pain.

“Chunji, where are you hurt??” I demand seriously, as anxiety begins welling into my gut and I take in the slow trickles of blood seeping around the gravel and scrapes on his fingers and hands.

“My- my hands…” he strains, keeping his arms up by his chest in a sort of guarding action.

“Ok…ok- let me see,” I say, trying to sound brave despite my growing fears-

What if he's broken something?

What if he's damaged his back or hit his head-??

I help the teen sit up further onto his bottom, holding firmly at his back as he bends himself forward and shuffles his legs up in support.

It was very clear his hands were the damaged limbs right now- he was barley moving them at all…

Peering over him, I note the dirt smeared across one cheek, and a shallow pink looking graze just beneath this, before dropping my gaze to his hands;

His left draws my attention at once, his index finger sticking out at a crooked right angle from all the others, his skin bulging awkwardly and visibly shaking before me.

He’d broken his finger…

That was for sure.

Leaving this hand alone, a sick feeling enters my chest and I cast my eyes over to his right, reaching out careful fingers to gently hold him in my grip-

“Arghh-! …” he moans, body cringing in on itself as his expression breaks into a frown and a hiss of discomfort escapes his lips. “Nghnn-“

“Sorry! I’m sorry Chanhee,” I cry, trying not to gawk like a complete fool.

Reaching out I gently touch at his fingertips- one by one as I scope for a break or a bleed- “Does this hurt still?” I say, my eyes glancing rapidly between his fearful expression and hand.

“N-not as much…” he whimpers lowly, and obviously trying not to panic as he breathes deeply before me.

There didn’t seem to be any notable blood or bone sticking out…. But there was so much dirt in the way that I couldn’t be sure-

And that’s when I saw the swelling. His wrist almost double the size of his opposite as my fingers accidently brush down his hand-

A strangled gasp of air catches in the teen’s throat and another grimace of pain ricochets through him, escaping his lips in a series of whimpers and groans-

“Ahh, ok. Ok, I think you’ve broken your wrist-“

His eyes snatch up to me in pain, and I see for the first time tears shining in their depths-

Oh god… this was really hurting him.

“Come on, let’s get you home-“ I say at once, and holding an arm around his waist as he shakily pulls to his feet. “We needa take you to a doctor.”