Crossing Blades - 5. Chapter 5

It was the regional’s when it went to pieces.

Ellie had broken down emotionally. She couldn’t take the pressure of the competiton and it broke her. She had to spend a good size of her time recovering at home. She only got an hour a day at the rink before she had to sit down and rest.

Bruce had changed. He began to sleep around. He slept with men, women, dogs, cats. Anything with a hole. And he loved it.

But he disappointed himself. He slept with each of the judges for the regionals. Seducing them into his flat and created a bias towards himself and his own team.

Something was seriously wrong. They had lost their motivation. But they still had to do the competition…

***

Kathryn smiled sweetly at the nurse.

‘Thank you for everything.’

The nurse picked up one of her bags and helped Kathryn to her taxi.

‘No need for your thanks. Its my calling to heal.’

Kathryn had healed at a very fast pace over the last two weeks and was able to walk on crutches and could walk without them for about half an hour without resting.

She still wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to skate though.

She thought she would take the risk and see what happened. She could only get better from where she was a few weeks ago.

***

The competition was well underway when several announcements were made over the PA system.

‘Ladies and gentlemen. Due to some rule breaking, Mr. Bruce Gardner, our former champion has been eliminated from competition. He has been banned from the association for a minimum of 2 years.’. Ellie didn’t think she could take much more.

She chased him down and found him in the corridor.

‘You fucking slept with the judges!!! What the hell do you think you were doing?’

Bruce was smug. ‘I thought it would help my game.’

‘Hell it didn’t. Get out of my ice rink and never come back. I never want to coach you again.'

Ellie discovered that she would rather have honest players than those who cheat and lie and steal places from others.

Ellie turned and looked at the entrance to the main hall and saw Kathryn hobbling in with a few bags of hers and beamed

‘Hello there old girl. How are you coping?’

Kathryn was nervous initially. ‘I can walk barely. And I can carry things so I think I’m doing rather well.’

‘Well done. Would you like to have a chance on the ice?’ Ellie put her hands in Kathryn’s.

‘But I can barely walk and I can’t skate…’

‘Remember when you started I told you something. You fall in love when you touch the ice and you are going to get out there.’

‘But my break was too severe.’

‘I don’t give a flying fuck about your break. This is your chance. Your final chance. Now do me proud.’

Kathryn weakened and agreed to put some skates on and waited to go onto the ice. She couldn’t believe what she was doing considering the risks involved.

Another announcement came over the system; ‘Ladies and gentlemen. Earlier on this year, Miss. Kathryn Wellbecker sustained a broken hip and ankle and will no longer be able to hold the title of Queen of Ice so is relinquishing her title to the winner of this years competition. Miss. Wellbecker has been invited to perform one of her basic routines from her early days if she wishes. I have confirmation from her trainer that she will skate again, for the final time.’

A mixture of emotion was coming from the crowd. But mostly it was pride.

Kathryn knew she fell in love.

She fell in love again, with the sport.

The second she touched the ice for the final time…