The ref called the first line to the circle. The nerves set in, like they always did, as I slid into the face-off circle across from Will Colgan, the Redmond Warriors’ center.
“Mercer, good to have you back on the ice,” the ref said, holding up the puck.
“Thanks,” I replied, staring at the ice between my stick and Colgan’s.
“Alright, boys, it’s time to shake and bake!”
The puck dropped…
Colgan pushed and shoved, trying to snatch the puck, but I fought back. No way would I let…
“Sorry about your luck,” I yelled at him as I skated away with the puck.
“Asshole!”
Ignoring him, I passed the puck across the ice, yelling “E-man!”
Ruggers scooped up the puck, pushing it down the ice. I wanted that puck in the net, and I wanted to be the one to put it there.
I moved down the ice, putting myself in place as the rest of the team did the same. The puck passed between us. We yelled to one another and chirped at the other team, trying to make a play.
“Over here!” Trey called for the puck only to send it back to Ethan as he yelled, “No, you don’t, Warrior dude. This biscuit is ours. Get your own.”
I chanted, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”
The puck got knocked down the ice, but Isaac nabbed it. Isaiah skated with his brother, providing some protection while chirping at the guys on the other team chasing after the biscuit. “Too bad, so sad. That’s our puck, baby suckers.”
Isaac skirted around Isaiah, deked by a defender on the other team before sending the puck sailing across the ice as he told the guy, “Now you see it, now you don’t.”
“It’s loose!” I yelled, dashing toward the free puck.
Everyone else zeroed in, too, all of us racing to scoop up the rubber disk.
The crowd vanished.
The arena went silent.
All that existed was me and the puck.
Laser focused… stick drew back… ready…
Trey’s scream broke the silence, “C’mon, Mercer. Sink it!”
C’mon. C’mon. C’mon. C’mon. C’mon. C’mon.
Now!
I let my stick fall.
The puck flew off the ice…
“Top shelf, baby!”
Pandemonium ensued.
Maulers: 4 Visitors: 0
The party started in the room as soon as we got off the ice at the end of the game. Half-naked, and in Trey’s case, fully naked, guys danced to the thumping beat of the music. But it all happened around me like I watched from above as I sat in my locker, completely befuddled.
