Playing for Real - Book 2

Chapter 10

Cash 

A flash of light beams into my eyes. Loud voices call my out name. My body is cold, weak, and sore. I can't open my eyes. I'm fighting in and out of consciousness.

"Brooks, can you hear me?"

A familiar voice echoes stridently into my ears. Lights find my eyes again. My brain is trying to wake me and break me out of this darkness, but I can't escape it. I hear footsteps patter up to my side. Pain swells in my chest, and panic beats in every sharp and staggered breath. My mind flashes to the memory of blue and red lights blinding me in the reflection of a shattered windshield. My head pounds with the memory of sirens wailing in my ears, and my heart seizes with anxiety.

Cory. His name races over and over in my mind.

I frantically push through the painful memories poisoning my mind, letting adrenaline rush through my veins and take over each jagged movement.

"Brooks, come on. Wake up."

I groan out in pain, agony throbbing all over my limbs and head. The memory of swinging my entire body toward the passenger seat as I griped Cory by the shoulders replays in my mind. The vision of blood covering my hands and his entire body crushed, bone and flesh swallowed by the dashboard, jolts me awake.

My eyes flutter open to a foggy silhouette of Kenny Prete, the Tornado's trainer, standing over me. My panic washes away at the sight of his familiar face. He shines a tiny light between my now open eyes.

"His pupils are unequal," he says over his shoulder to someone I can't quite make out behind him. My vision is fuzzy and blurred, and I must blink a few times to regain my sight. When I sit up, an intense nausea washes over me. Panic rushes up my spine as I roll over onto my side and vomit uncontrollably into a bucket on the floor. I choke, cough, and sputter as I heave. The intensity of it rocks my entire body.

"Ah fuck," I slur and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

The room feels like it's spinning. My head is pounding. What the fuck happened to me?

"Cash, do you know what stadium you are in?" Kenny asks.

He waits for me to acknowledge him...with an answer, an eye-flicker, or maybe even an I don't know.

"Jesus, Kenny, give me a second," I reply, still feeling like I'm going to vomit. I take a deep breath and lay my head back on the cushion. "I'm in Boston. Dougall Energy Centre Arena."

"What month is it?" he asks.

I stare at him, offering no response. It takes a second for me to remember. "February," I finally breathe out.

He sighs with relief and continues, "Who was the opposing team?"

"The Boston Hackers," I tell him.

"Do you remember the hit?"

"No," I reply without looking up at him.

"Nothing at all?" Kenny studies me, tapping his foot on the floor.

My brain pauses for a moment.

Suddenly, everything comes crashing back in waves. My heart stops. Part of me hopes it's an illusion, a desperate one. But deep down, I know what I saw. I remember the moment I felt my heart explode in my chest. There was no mistaking Quinn in the crowd. She was there. She was at my game with Aiden.

"Cash? Do you remember something?" he asks, breaking the silence.

I remember celebrating my goal and absorbing the cheers from the fans. I remember the second I scanned the crowd and how surreal my world felt when I saw her. The noise drowned out, and the faceless fans faded away. I soaked in the sight of her. Quinn was utterly stunning, with her long brown curls swept to the side and cherry-red lips. For a brief moment, I thought I was dreaming. Fear and apprehension flashed fleetingly in her eyes when they met mine. My eyes shifted to Aiden beside her, and rage simmered inside me as I dropped my stick on the ice.