Chapter 2: One Day Time Will Tell
Every single person in the entire four hundred people capacity arena held their breaths for fear of disrupting the medics who were converged on the still motionless contestant.
The Cobra Kais were hovering close, a few kneeling down seemingly in prayer, watching the medics as they diligently worked on their fallen friend.
John Kreese knelt down by Johnny's side, a hand hovering close to his shoulder without actually touching him; his usually hard, emotionless face was actually showing cracks, glimpses of concern and even a hint of fear breaking through the stoicism.
At the far end of the stage stood Daniel LaRusso and his supporters, looking ashen and in pain, only half of which was because of his injured knee. His eyes were gazing transfixed at his motionless opponent, his mother and Ali whispering comforting words to him and squeezing his shoulder in reassurance but he wasn't heeding any of the support. Mr. Miyagi was standing silent by his side though his eyes were devastated, surveying the scene.
The crowd started murmuring amongst themselves though not one person was able to tear their eyes away from the stage.
Johnny had not stirred even a fraction since he hit the mat and even the stoic, stern looking referee assisting the medics was looking concerned.
From somewhere down the hall there was the muffled sound of sirens of the ambulance nearing the front entrance of the arena.
The Cobra Kais were pacing around the convergence of medics, referees and their sensei surrounding Johnny like a flesh and blood barrier.
Bobby could barely hold back his emotions at the sight of his friend looking so helpless. After the incident with Daniel he'd tossed his belt at his sensei's feet and stormed out. He barely made it out the building before all the pent up emotions, the disappointment at his sensei and at himself washed over him like a wave, sending him staggering to his knees in absolute devastation. Karate had been the one thing he'd been the proudest of, the acclamation he'd achieved all on his own.
And it was all over in a split second.
It was Jimmy who came running out in alarm to find him, telling him that Johnny had been hurt.
Bobby hadn't been too concerned at first. They'd all been hurt before; pulled tendons, bloodied noses, broken bones, dislocated shoulders; it was pretty much a given considering they dedicated their lives to getting kicked in the face.
The severity of the situation only sunk in once he made it back into the fight arena, following Jimmy at a less urgent pace and was greeted by the stifling silence and the concerned murmurs and the sight of his own sensei kneeling over Johnny looking worried.
He picked up his pace then and jogged up to join the rest of his team on the stage. He immediately gravitated towards Dutch, who despite his earlier feelings of anger and resentment towards him and Johnny for making it to the semi-finals was looking as scared as Bobby had ever seen him.
"What happened?" he asked immediately when he reached.
"He took a full force kick to the face," Dutch said, chewing the nail of his thumb the way he only did when he didn't know what else to do with his hands; right arm propped up on his left that he had circled around his midsection. "He's been out for almost three minutes."
"Jesus," said Bobby. "LaRusso did that?" he asked, and immediately regretted even mentioning the name.
Dutch bristled like a cat the mention. "Who the hell else could it be? What's that amateur even thinking attempting that goddamn move?"
Bobby was on the verge blurting out that they'd pulled their fair share of shitty moves on the guy as well. He wasn't at all saying that Johnny deserved to be hurt because of it, but at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking that it was karma on the lot of them. The last thing he wanted was his friend to be injured, but LaRusso definitely didn't deserve the way they treated him either.
He wisely kept his mouth shut.
Another team of paramedics jogged up to the stage and the Cobra's stepped back to make room for them.
The assembled team had managed to carefully roll Johnny onto his back. There were so many people around him that the only part Bobby could see of Johnny was his legs.
The feeling of uneasiness was heavy around him and Bobby could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Beside him Dutch had moved onto the rest of his fingernails which was a sign that he was really anxious. A glance behind him showed LaRusso being comforted by his mom and Ali, his eyes were red and glistening and in that moment Bobby couldn't find it in him to blame the guy for what happened. He did what he had to do to survive, not even to win. He did what any Cobra Kai would do: strike first, strike hard, show no mercy – even if that last part had happened by pure accident.
It had barely been a few minutes since he reentered the arena into the heavy silence but it already felt like a lifetime.
No one said a word but they all feared the same thing. The fact that Johnny had been completely knocked out. The fact that he hadn't moved even an inch since he went down. The fact that their own sensei and all the officials seemed so worried.
No one dared to say the words aloud but they were all thinking the same thing.
Broken neck.
Bobby prayed for it not to be true.
He could hear the sound of Jimmy and Tommy sniffling beside him. Tommy had been uncharacteristically silent since he arrived which wasn't really surprising considering the direness of the situation.
Out of them all, Bobby was the closest to Johnny on a personal level. He knew things about Johnny that he would never tell the others for fear of appearing weak; about his home life and his stepdad; about his break up with Ali and how torn up he really was about it; about his fear about the uncertainty of the future. He talked to Bobby because he knew Bobby understood how he felt and that he emphasized with his fears. He told Bobby those things because he knew Bobby would never use his words against him. He confided in Bobby because he considered Bobby a good friend and Bobby did his best to be worthy of the precious trust he'd somehow earned. Johnny didn't trust people often and the fact that he trusted Bobby was something he wore like a badge of honour.
Dutch both loathed and loved Johnny in the same breath which made him the worst and the best kind of friend a person could ever ask for. He respected Johnny as a friend and as a rival and the thing that drove him as a martial artist was his drive to best Johnny in a match. They'd joined Cobra Kai at the same time and rose to greatness at the same time, but somehow, the one opponent Dutch had never yet been able to defeat in a one on one match was Johnny. The person Dutch considered his closest friend was also his biggest rival. Bobby knew that, Johnny knew that – everyone knew that, it was common knowledge and Kreese only ever fueled the rivalry. But Dutch proved time and time again to be a loyal friend first and foremost and ultimately that was the only thing that mattered.
Jimmy and Tommy both looked up to Johnny; in reverence almost, especially Jimmy who was one of their newer and less experienced members and Johnny looked out for him when he first moved there from some tiny suburban area with his parents and their white collar jobs. He was bully fodder from the moment he stepped foot into their school and luckily for him he ended up on the right side of Johnny and the Cobras. Tommy on the other hand stepped foot into their dojo one day, imprinted on Johnny and Dutch and just made himself complete comfortable in their inner circle.
Both of them were looking on, absolutely terrified.
It felt like time was standing still. He was sure hours must have passed them by without getting any sort of news about Johnny's condition but a glance at the giant clock on the wall showed him that it had barely been five minutes.
He focused his attention back on Johnny, finding his sensei now standing beside the group of medics, giving them room but still keeping close and keeping watch over his student.
And then all of a sudden movement out of the corner of his eyes snapped his attention to the present and his eyes turned just in time to see Johnny's legs move. The movement was weak but restless, like he was trying to find his footing but unable to get his feet under him to stand up.
The relief among the Cobra Kais when they too finally noticed was palpable. There was a collective exhale among everyone present. Even his sensei closed his eyes for a moment in obvious relief, as if to recalibrate his emotions and school the worry in his heart.
One of the medics reached around and placed a hand on Johnny's thigh, gently pushing his legs down to keep them from thrashing around.
Johnny did have one hell of a mean kick.
Eventually a couple of the medics finally straightened up and reached around for the backboard, sliding it into position. Bobby just watched as various hands carefully and gently rolled Johnny onto his side as the stiff backboard was slid under him. Only then was Bobby finally able to get a glimpse of Johnny.
His eyes were open, Bobby noticed with great relief, though he seemed far from lucid. His fingers were furling and unfurling agitatedly where they were lying on his chest almost like he was attempting to massage feeling back into them; his arms and legs strapped tight to the board. His neck was held immobile by a stiff brace and a strap across his forehead securing his whole head to the board.
"You're okay, Johnny!" Tommy yelled out in encouragement. "This is nothing!"
Bobby appreciated the way Tommy's encouraging words could always come across as a bit of a threat, but he supposed that was what made the guy so endearing.
Even from afar he could still see the fear shining in Johnny's eyes and to his surprise, his sensei actually reached over to take Johnny's hand, holding onto it tight. He didn't say anything, but he his gaze was slightly less cold when he looked down at Johnny and Bobby could see the way Johnny grasped on, accepting in the silent support his sensei was offering him.
The wave of relief that spread among the spectators was felt even from the stage and as the paramedics carefully lifted Johnny up, carrying him off the stage and out of the arena into the waiting ambulance, resounding applause of encouragement followed his exit.
The Cobras trailed after Johnny for as far as they could which was up to the doors of the ambulance parked out front.
"Stay strong, Johnny," someone said and the rest chimed in their support.
Johnny couldn't turn his head to look at their assembled group but Bobby saw the tendril of a smile grace his lips at the comment.
"We'll be right here, man," Bobby said, finally able to find his voice, and reached over to pat Johnny on the shin.
Dutch stayed strangely quiet beside him.
Finally Johnny was loaded into the ambulance; Sensei Kreese rode along with him while the other Cobras could only stand there in the dust listening to the sound of sirens disappear into the distance.
Tbc.