When The Whistle Blows

Chapter 17

Colten

My brother and I walked down the long concrete hallways of the rink, our bags slung over our shoulders, while our sticks swung with our movement. Side by side, just like always.

"Someone's eager to skate tonight," Corey commented as we walked past a tunnel that led the ice.

I followed his line of sight and noticed the thin and fast player on the ice.

"Astrid?" I recognized her red hair, which she had pulled back into a low ponytail.

"I didn't think she'd be back so soon." Coors watched her with the same look I did. Contentment and fervor.

"Me neither." I tugged his sleeve and motioned for him to follow me. "Come on, let's get dressed and join her."

My brother and I were excited. That much was clear as we were dressed and on the ice in record time.

Astrid stopped skating and grinned at us as we got on the ice. Her black jersey hung around her, accenting her curves that we must've never noticed.

"Aren't you a bit early?" She asked us as she fiddled with her twig.

"Likewise." I grinned as we skated up to her.

Since she didn't have her helmet on, yet, her face was easily seen in the rink lights. Her green eyes sparkled and she grinned at us.

"You didn't come out here for me, did ya?" She teased. She has no idea how right she is.

"Someone's a bit cocky." Corey scoffed.

"Of course I am. I'm the best player on this team." I knew she was baiting us, Corey knew she was baiting us, yet we bit and ran with the bait.

Coors scoffed. "Bet you can't put your money where your mouth is."

"Of course not, that would make me a whore." Astrid blinked innocently as my brother and I gaped.

We quickly recovered.

"Us two, against you," I said. "First team to three goals wins... Let's say a hundred."

Astrid's eyes lit up with the mention of a competition. "You're on."

"Me and Colten will be jerseys, you can be skins." My twin taunted.

Astrid gawked at my brother until she realized he was kidding.

She turned and skated away, but not before she hollered over her shoulder, "you'll have to do a lot better than that if you want to see me naked."

Once again my twin and I were dumbfounded.

Who knew she had such a mouth.

Little else was said as we played our two-on-one. And, holy fuck, was she fast for just coming back from injury for three weeks.

Either I or Coors would get the puck but she'd swoop by and snatch the puck from us. And despite our uneven teams, it was a very close game.

I passed the puck to my twin as Astrid skated to him. The puck missed both of their sticks and ringed around the boards, ultimately flying into the bench.

Where many of our teammates stood, watching our game.

Since the game had paused-so we could reset the pucks-our goalies left the bench and went to their nets. Sarcom on our side and Ollie on Astrid's.

"Now it's fair." Sarcom hollered.

Henrik laughed from the bench. "Hah, it was never fair. It's practically a three-on-two with the way she's playing. The twins stand no chance."

Some agreed, some didn't. Either way, I saw a couple of guys seal their bets as Astrid and Corey faced off.

Astrid won the face-off, but before she could cross into our zone, I checked her and stole the puck. My twin and I began our breakout down the ice.

Just like always, I knew where he was. Call it twin telepathy. What I didn't know was where Astrid was.

Ignoring that, Corey and I kept the pace down the ice, and before Ollie could predict it, I faked him, passed the puck to Corey and he scored.

Nobody cheered, but it wasn't because we had won.

Corey and I turned down the ice and saw Astrid on the ground, clutching her stomach and throat.

And before I could process what I was doing, I was down the ice and by her side.

"Astrid what happened?!" I asked as she choked.

"Not. Your. Fault." She wheezed out.

"Get Luka!" Corey hollered at the remaining guys on the bench. Most had joined us on the ice.

Time seemed to crawl so slow, but eventually, Luka rounded the corner and hopped over the bench wall. He shuffled across the ice and crouched next to her.

"Hey Ash. I need you to talk to me. Is it your ribs?" He spoke softly as he checked her pulse and checked her pupils.

She shook her head. "Can't. Breath. Throat hurts." she gasped for air between breaths.

Luka glanced over at me and spoke, "We are going to sit her up, got it?"

I nodded and helped him. Placing our hands under her back we slowly lifted her to a sitting-up position.

She coughed again. Spit flew from her mouth and landed on the ice between her legs. No not spit. Blood.

Her eyes widened at that red spot on the ice, her hand automatically coming up and wiping at her mouth. Pulling her hand away she looked at the back of her hand and a red streak was very noticeable against her pale skin.

"Ash, do you know what's going on?" Luka asked her as he stared at her hand.

She nodded as another cough rocked her body. More blood flew from her mouth.

She tried to steady her breathing, but it sounded more like a wheeze.

Luka looked at me again, "help me take her to the training room."

I did exactly that. We managed to carry her to the room with little trouble as she was very light.

We sat her down on a table and Luka went about checking her.

"Your ribs are not broken, and your lungs aren't punctured. So what's wrong?" Luka asked her, though something in his tone told me that he already know what was wrong.

Her green eyes flicked to me as she spoke, "I have another infection thanks to the trachea cancer." She said without flinching.

My world stopped, however, as that retched word tore through it. Cancer. Fuck Cancer. Luka was not surprised, but I felt as if somebody punched me in the gut. Cancer.

Oh boy.

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Thanks for reading Chapter 17. I hoped you liked this chapter. Lemme know what your favorite part, or character, is so far. I love any and all feedback. Comments make me happy!
~Until Next Chapter