The Running Dream

In the early morning hours, Jessica wakes up, pets her dog sleeping next to her, then gets the feeling that she needs to go outside. She wakes Sherlock up and slowly puts on the prosthetic. Although she brings out the Frisbee and tosses it to her dog, Sherlock knows what’s on her mind. He drops the Frisbee and looks at her: “He’s holding his breath. Hoping” (230). Jessica throws the Frisbee again and jogs a few steps, quickly realizing that she can’t run. Determined to try again, Jessica tries to jog ten, then twenty steps. It feels awkward and not right, not like the style of running she knows. She feels “like a lifeless machine moving forward” (232).

After another try, Jessica slows down and just walks, aware that she should be grateful to be able to walk at all. Then she hears a voice call her name and she sees Rosa sitting on a porch. Jessica brings Sherlock over to meet her friend and admits that she was trying to take Sherlock for a run but didn’t succeed. Rosa insists that “You will, though” (233), and then asks Jessica to tell her why she loves to run.