Page 5 of Born of Ice

I’m in the air, high above the ice while my mind is a thousand miles away from the crowd around us. I can’t hear anything but the swoosh and slash as I tear through the space and time. I can’t see anything apart from bright lights popping in and out of my vision like shining stars. I can’t feel anything except the biting wind across my face as I’m revolving and revolving and revolving those three full times like I’m supposed to. I can't see myself, but I can feel the perfection of this twist.

Another millisecond and I will be back in Erik’s arms, his smug smile in place and telling me, “I told you so.”

My body is descending from the height he threw me to while that hot spiked adrenaline is still having a field day with my system. Somewhere deep inside me I feel a tug. A deep tug. Telling me to open my eyes. To look. To concentrate.To brace.

My eyes fly open on instinct, only it’s too late…because it is not Erik’s warm, strong arms I am met with. And everything slows down. Every second passing in painful slow motion.

It’s the unforgiving, cold, cruel ice as it bites into every inch of my skin. The cold splatter of slashed ice from where my blade put a deep scrape into the surface splashes over my skin. My hands that I had out to land on, crash against the ice, bouncing off it like useless noodles because I fall on my side. Or I think it’s my side, although I feel the contact everywhere.

A high-pitched “aghhh” escapes me on impact, reverberating through the space that is as silent as death. Or at least that’s what I imagine it would sound like.

Cold. Lonely. Silent.

Nothing. There is nothing but the sound of my ragged breaths and they are somehow too loud. The warm, tired air sliding across the frozen ice with a soft cloud of condensation from my mouth. My hands twitching and trembling against it as if someone is sending bolts of electricity through me.

How much time passed? Why does it feel like an eternity? Where is Erik? Why is it so damn silent? My mind turns into a slur by the end of that train thought. Another warning bell ringing somewhere deep inside me. But the thought of him makes me shift, move, find him.

And I do.

“Erik!” My agonizing scream laced with tears I wasn’t aware of having fills the arena, echoing against every wall and heart.

I’m not thinking straight. All I know is that I have to get to him. I will my shaky limbs to obey me, to get up or at the very least crawl across the ice to where his unmoving body is sprawled out.

Why isn’t he moving? Where are the medics? Where is anyone?

Sobbing, shaking, and screaming I slide my skates underneath me and push to get up. Every movement feels unbearable, but I have to get to him. Somewhere in the distance, or my imagination, I hear yelling. Something about not moving, staying where I am. But I pay that no attention. Erik. I need to get to him. He’s hurt.

So are you, my star, that tugging voice says inside me. But I shush it as well and get up to my two feet.

Snap.

Sharp and punishing, the sound ceases me and the last thing I do is suck in a fast, deep and audible breath and then…

And then the world goes black.

3

Say it

Electra

Swoosh. Gasp. Crack. Crunch.Cold.

Falling. The endless feeling of falling. Is there an end?

Yes.

That voice. I know that voice. I’ve heard it before.

But you can’t find it. I won’t let you. Fight, Electra. Fight. You were born to shine, not drown in the sea of despair and death. Fight, my star.

Mom?

Fight, Electra! Push! Swim! Break thought the ice. Shine.

I can’t. It hurts like hell, Mom. It hurts. Why does it hurt? I thought there was no more pain when you died. Are you still in pain? After all this time?

This is your fight, my star. Fight. Live. Shine.

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