Longest Rally of My Life
I can feel my heart pounding heavily against my chest.
Suddenly, silence fell like a deadly bomb. All at once, my attention shifted to
that most important bird flying towards me. The shuttle is now in the air, as
the rule suggest, I should receive it. Not unless, I entered this game just to
lose. I’ve got to give all I have to hit that shuttle. I can’t lose. Not again.
I’ve played this game before. I lost track of how many games
have I played but I knew I had my fair share of victory and defeat. This time,
this game means much more. It’s a recreation game no more. Just one game, but
it feels like it’s a matter of life and death. I need to keep my head in the
game, especially if I don’t want history repeating again.
This time I know so much better. I have learned my lesson
well enough. Every hit should count. Every rally should be mine. Every
opportunity should be seized. That was my fault before...letting opportunity
drift away, until it sunk to the bottom of the sea. This time will be
different. I kept myself motivated with that.
My opponent’s not giving in. Perhaps we have the same goal
in mind. No matter what, I should prevail. How many times have I returned that
shuttle? How minutes have it been in play? How come it feels like this rally is
going on forever? My legs are failing me. I’m almost out of breath. This rally
should stop. Not later but NOW. This rally is really taking much of my time. My
life can’t just revolve around this game forever. I’ve got better things to do,
deadlines to meet. I don’t have the liberty to stay in this game eternally.
Now, the shuttle is going towards my direction. I know what
to do. This has to stop now. With all my might, with everything that’s left in
me, I returned it to my opponent, hoping this will be the last hit for this
rally. Yet my victory in not yet ascertained. The lines men are still in doubt
as to whether the shuttle fell inbound or not. And just like that, after all
the hard work, I will sit here, waiting for the final verdict to be released.
