At first there’s silence. Then there’s a ringing, and boy does it get loud.

Instinctively, Mitch reached for the back of his head while the rest of his body assumed the fetal position. As far as he could tell, he was on the floor. When his vision returned the lights were blinding, but he lacked the coordination to shield his eyes.

Voices began to cut through the ringing, and things like ambulance, get back, and holy shit were uttered over and over.

“I’m OK,” Mitch groaned. “I’m sorry, I’m OK.”

“Yeah dude?” A recognizable voice came from somewhere above him. “It’s Jodie. You with me, Mitch?”

“Hey Jodie.” He glanced upwards, and could vaguely make out the familiar purple of her hair. “I’m OK, really.”

“Don’t move,” Jodie warned. “You took a big spill from the top rope. Ambulance is on its way, we’re gonna get you out of here.”

It wasn’t until he was lifted onto the stretcher that Mitch felt anything, but once the EMTs shifted him from his position on the floor, his neck and shoulders were in searing pain. His head throbbed.

His vision went dark again.