Solipsism

2- Start a fire

SAM TAHEY

Disclaimer: homophobic slurs

The game started a few minutes ago. I'll give them credit our home team is playing well, more then well, amazing to be honest. Better than any of us expected. We stand in our box in shock of how the team infront of us has improved. But the player that catches my eye on the ice is Brody, she skates gracefully, her passes always accurate, and even throwing the opposition around doing blocks and receiving them, which seemingly lights a fire in her. Despite not seeing her face as she moves around the opposite side of the ice to us I can sense her determination and beauty.

"Wills switch!" The thunder coach roars over the ice receiving a small nod from Brody. She skates over pummelling through the gate directly to my left. Her mid-back golden brown hair now fully visible as she removes her helmet with her back to me. Only a few feet away from me, separated by a mid torso height barrier.

"Your doing well Brodes get those goals for me ok" their coach encourages her sincerely, receiving a nod in return but neither moving away. "Stay on our side of the ice so I can bring you off for short breaks, and light a fire for me whilst your at it scoring goals" the coach continues.

Light a fire? That makes us all turn our heads towards the short girl and her coach. That's a hockey code word. A secret only players know, light a fire – rile them up, start a fight, push them to the edge and then keep pushing. We all look to each other in surprise, most of us in shock apart from Callum who smirks, mouthing "watch her" to us.

Our confusion continues and panic starts to rise within me. I may have not seen this girl apart from her hair, a golden brown, but she is short and tiny compared to the men out there. Why would she be given the word from her coach to start a fight against grown men. Me, Norris, Chamberlain and Wallace all look towards the ice in worry. My other teammates too caught up in the game to notice the drama unfolding a couple feet to our left.

The game continues with no goals from either side. Brody has just returned to the ice with even more fire than before. She's doing twice as many blocks and we can all see her talking to the opposition, obviously riling them up somehow. Our fear grows more for her safety as we see the players of the black cats start to fight back against her with more aggressive blocks.

The tension is high. The game goes painfully slow as they get more aggressive with Brody. Wallace finally had enough as a hard block slams her into the glass. "Hey! Conrick that's enough. Your putting her in danger what the fuck are you doing" he shouts at their coach across the separation barrier. "Watch" is as this Conrick guy says, not a hint of worry in his voice or on his face. As he says this cheers erupt through the rink.

I turn my head to see Brody celebrating with her teammates. She scored. How on Earth is this happening, this girl is a mystery. They start to make their way to their bench filling me with excitement. I'm finally going to see this girls face.

As she makes her way over passing the aggravated opposition she bows. Keeping her eyes locked on their captains. Green, not dark but a soft light green is all I see, like a sage forest. Rubbing her accomplishment in their faces she stands straight and continues her celebration. My friends around me cheer, some shouting 'she's a badass' and so forth. Loving how she is unapologetically proving men are nothing against her.

Her smile is like heaven as she passes me. Not even giving the time of day to recognise us as she prepares to start again. 20 minutes later and we are in the final period with a score of 4-0 to thunder she has scored every goal.

We stand in amazement of her skills and agility. She skates to a stop directly in-front of me facing off the opposition. Using skills I have only dreamed of she steals the puck and passes it to her teammates across the ice. She begins to push away when the opposing player sneers to her face "Go back to figure skating whore!" his aggression increasing by the second.

My heart rate rises, as I feel sweat trickle down my back. My teammates stand to attention ready to fight this guy until Brody turns to square up to him. Despite being a foot shorter than the man this girl has the confidence to stand up to him. "Yeah, and since I'm there I'll fuck your wife " she says sweetly, her smile never faltering. The guys in hearing range stifle a laugh as she retorts back to the 30 year old man-child in a calm voice.

She's on thin ice, I think, as the opposing player whose name I read as Cole grows angrier. He obviously hasn't learnt to respect women from his previous comment. "YOU'RE A FUCKING FAGGOT!" He shouts getting closer and closer to her by the millisecond. My panic is overflowing at this point but my anger towards Cole grows as well. My teammates seemingly feeling the same as me. We prepare to jump over the barrier any second to defend her as he insults her and nears closer to her. No one insults women on our ice, that's a rule beaten into you when you join the team, literally or figuratively you'll have to decide for yourself.

The silence is deafening as Brody's smile drops a menacing look overtaking it. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!" She screams as she closes the distance between her and Cole. Oh shit. Next thing I know Cole is lying on the ice with a beaten face and Brody is standing tall, well 5 foot something, with body knuckles, hair wild, and blood gushing out of her nose. Helmet, gloves, and stick dismissed onto the ice from sometime during the fight.

Moments before the refs come over to discard them in the sin bins she speaks calmly inches from his face "I'm bisexual by the way... and you shouldn't use that word it's derogatory, your wife wouldn't be proud". As Cole tries to lunge for her the refs arrive just in time and escort the disgusting man first to his penalty. Brody stands there surrounded by her teammates laughing. Laughing! They are seriously laughing. My heart races a million miles an hour and they are laughing!

Once their laughter is over she turns facing me. Our eyes meet and I finally see her full face. Angel, is all I can think. This woman is a literal Angel. Ironic as she just beat the shit out of a guy. But an Angel despite it. Suddenly the eye contact is broken as she turns her head to look across the stands and sees my teammates. The boys nod in respect after what they have witnessed. Wallace smile like a proud father. Whilst Callum stands leaning across the barrier.

"always the chaos eh Brody" he says to her. She slightly smiles as she approaches Callum laughing quietly. "Gotta get a few hits sometimes, puts me in my place you know" she smiles sincerely. Callum nods a look of somber understanding passing over his face. Before I can eavesdrop more the refs come over to take Brody to the sin bin sharing a laugh with her as she apologises. She's only kind to people who deserve it. Noted. Although all that goes through my mind is what she meant behind her words to Callum. It obviously had deeper meaning that only her and the kid know.

Throughout the rest of the game her words ring through my head. All I focus on is her on the ice and her earlier words. Worry seeps through me as my mind runs wild over the meaning.

I'm interrupted, again I would like to state, by none other than Norris nudging my shoulder. Escaping from my mind I realise the players are returning to the changing room after thunder won. "Yo mate you zoned out, Wallace wants us to go to the changing rooms and meet the players before we go, say congrats and that" I nod my head listening to his words. "Aight let's go then" I say making my way to the changing rooms, Norris by my side talking to me about the game, how Brody impressed them all, and how Wallace should bring her up to lightning. All I can think about is my Angel. She is a puzzle. A worrying one. I'm going to solve it and find out who she really is.

I walk through the changing room door. Searching around the crowd of celebrations, between thunder players and my teammates joy for them, I see her. My Angel.

Shock courses through me as I see her packing to leave not celebrating. A somber look on her face, eyes fixed to her phone. What is going on in the pretty little head of yours darling.