querencia

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chapter one: come and take it from me, part 1.

"Come on, you can do this." I muttered under my breath as I came to a stop a couple meters away from the goal, the puck sitting at the end of my stick.

I looked down at the puck then back up at the goal letting out a shaky breath.

I swung my stick back then brought it forward again, slamming it into the puck, sending it flying into the goal.

"Nice." I smiled to myself. "Now a moving shot." I shrugged as if it was nothing.

I retrieved my puck from the goal before skating down to the other end of the rink where I dropped the puck at my feet.

I cleared my throat and let out another shaky breath before I started to pick up speed, carrying the puck across the ice brining it closer and closer to the goal.

I reduced the distance between me and the goal slightly before attempting a shot.

As I brought my stick back my vision went blurry and voices started running through my mind. "Jones pass the puck!"..."Stop the game!"..."Someone call an ambulance!"

When I managed to focus back on the present I slammed into the goal post hitting my forehead off the ice as I came down.

I groaned and rolled onto my back before pushing myself onto my feet. As I tried to stand up my skates went out from under me and I hit my head again. This time I didn't try to get back up I just lay on the ice, the cold not effecting me.

As I lay looking up at the ceiling the memories that I had tried so hard to suppress came flooding back.

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"Jones pass the puck!" As I skated up the rink my teammate Riley shouted for a pass.

We had 5 minutes left of the game and we were winning 12-3. The other team had no chance of catching up but we gave it our all anyway.

I sent the puck flying across the ice over to my teammate who revived it without any issue.

She carried it across the halfway line and closer to the goal as I skated alongside her for backup.

Riley got cornered and passed the puck back to me.

As soon as the puck touched the end of my stick I was slammed into the ice. As I slid across the ice someone's skate hit my shoulder.

"Ref!" My team captain's voice echoed round the arena.

"Jones! What do you think you're doing? Get up!" My coach's tone filled in for the expression I couldn't see.

I came to a stop near the barrier, face up staring at the ceiling.

I tried to get back up but a sharp pain shot through my body and I was on the ground again.

"Stop the game!" Riley's voice seemed so far away as if she was at the other end of the arena watching the game from the top of the bleachers when in fact she was right next to me.

My vision started to blur as I lay on the ice, not moving.

My head rolled to the side and I saw a trail of red staining the ice where I had slid.