Rise of a Football God

"Have you watched the video?"

"What video?"

"About Samuel Moses".

"Sam? Is he not injured?"

"Yes you doofus! But that video says otherwise, watch it".

Skeptical, the boy wearing a Fulham home jersey took the phone from his girlfriend and looked at the pictures first.

Despite the fact that he tried hard to hide his identity, even wearing a hoodie and a hood, this avid Fulham fan recognized him immediately. "It's Sam!"

More curious now, he clicked on the video.

It was not just a normal video; it was a video edit.

As soon as the video started, the first thought that this boy had was. 'The soundtrack is so nice'.

The video started with Fulham's first game of the premier league season, when a certain Zinedine Sam took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring a double in Old Trafford to sink the Manchester Old Dog.

From there, it transitioned smoothly from one scene to another, showing Sam's most iconic and memorable moments of this premier league season.

And then, it also showed when he got injured.

After his injury, the graphics of the video dampened immediately, becoming black and gray, emphasizing the tragedy of the situation even as the soundtrack sharply reduced its volume.

It continued for about a second or so, and then…, it exploded.
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The soundtrack came back with full force, blasting with deep bass as a new video was shone, that of the same person in black training clothes, a hoodie, and a hood jogging through a tiled street.

The editing, the graphics, the person, and the soundtrack already made this edit iconic but then it was the voice that screamed in the background that gave the boy watching it chills.

"He's… BACK!!!"

The boy felt goosepimples as his hair stood on end.

And as soon as the video edit came to an end, this boy jumped for joy, hugging his girlfriend excitedly. "That's Sam! I swear that's Sam!"

"Hahahaha, the gods have answered our prayers!"

"He's back!"

"I don't know how but he's back!"

All across Fulham, every person who paid remote attention to Fulham FC were having one of the best days of their lives due to a simple video edit.

The joy spreading among them was pure and infectious and it was caused by just one-man jogging, Samuel Moses.

Due to that video edit, Sam started trending.

Besides, it just coincided with the Man United defeat too much. After losing at home, the Fulham fans were dejected, the arrival of that video could not have been more timely as it ignited their passion all over again.

To them, the King was back!

…

Sam was trending, but it brought some alarming calls with it.

As soon as he completed his daily system quest for the first time in a month, returning back to his apartment filled with sweat and with a big smile on his face was when Kayla showed him the video already trending.

As soon as he saw the video, stunned, Sam looked outside, recognizing where it was taken. "I didn't even know!"

Kayla chuckled but then she looked at his leg. "Can you tell me exactly what is going on now".

She was happy for him but at the same time worried. For the past 1 month, she saw firsthand how fast he was recovering from his ankle injury but at the same time, she could not forget the doctor's warning back at the hospital.

This was why she wanted to confirm.

And just as she asked, Sam's phone started ringing.

(Incoming call from Coach Marco Silva…)

He barely picked his phone when 2 new notifications superimposed with the first one.

(Incoming call from Smith Rowe…)

(Incoming call from Fulham Doctor…)

Sam was stunned and exasperated. "Really?"

Kayla chuckled. "Really".

Well, he had no choice but to pick his coach's phone call first.

Coach Marco Silva tried to keep his voice subdued but it was a pathetic effort, his excitement could be heard through the phone. "Sam, will you tell me what's going on now? Explain that video".

Sam chuckled. "There's nothing to explain, I've recovered".

There was silence for a few seconds. "What do you mean you've recovered?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, I've fully recovered from my ankle injury".

Coach Marco Silva cleared his throat. "Please if it's convenient with you, I want you to join the next flight to England".

"We need to run some tests with our Doctor, I'm currently on my way to the hospital. I hope to meet you there let's confirm everything".

"Woah!" Sam was surprised. "So fast?"

"Haha," his coach laughed. "All is fair in football and war".

Sam chuckled.

In the end, after cutting the call, he also spoke with his friend and the Fulham Doctor who already scheduled a session with him.

He didn't make any promises though, he wanted to speak with his girlfriend first. But after he cut the call, as soon as he turned to look at Kayla's face, he already saw his answer in her eyes.

Kayla scoffed. "What is that reaction for?"

"You think it's been easy for me watching you switch on and off between depression and fake joy for a whole month?"

"My worst fear has been how you'll endure that for 4 months. If you're really recovered, I need to confirm it too, I'll be the happiest woman in the world!"

Sam chuckled and leaned closer, kissing her on the forehead. "You're the best!"

…

About an hour later, Sam and Kayla got on the next flight to England. A few hours later, they arrived and went straight to the hospital.

In the hospital, not only was Coach Marco Silva there, Ian, Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi, and even Cairney, Fulham's captain was there.

Sam was amazed. 'They've really missed me, huh?'

When the tests were being run, all of them waited outside with bated breaths, anxiously pacing up and down and when the results eventually came out, they could not breathe.

According to the Doctor. "It's a miracle!"

"I've never seen anyone recover so fast from such a cruciate ankle injury".

A miracle? All of them now believed in miracles, that's what they've been praying for since Sam got injured.

It was confirmed, Sam… was back!