And Then There Was One (2019)

Chapter 7 - Otto Somppi

Orlando, Florida

July 1, 2019

Push yourself! Harder! Faster! You got this Otto! PUSH!!

Otto Somppi snaps out of his thoughts, skidding to a halt at one side of the practice facility for the Solar Bears in Orlando. Spray from the ice shoots into the boards and he snaps his head up, determination on his face.

Beads of sweat are beginning to fall down his focused face. He mutters to himself, "I've gotta be faster and sharper!"

He taps the ice with his stick before launching off back down the ice. He skids to a halt, spraying more ice into the boards and then propels himself forward, his stick to the ice as he scoops a puck into his blade.

He focuses, swiveling his hands skillfully in his gloves commanding the stick to cradle the puck delicately and quickly as he dekes in and out of cones and other puck training obstacles.

The lights overhead suddenly flicker eerily, before returning to normal as Otto loses the puck and stops. He glances upward and then blinks and shrugs.

He gathers the puck back into his stick blade and launches around a pylon and aims for the net. He hits the very top right corner of the goal and it rings off the net, before coming to a stop in net.

Otto launches for another puck, when the lights flash off. He attempts to stop and figure out where he is, but he crashes into the boards and falls onto the ice with a shocked gasp. He snaps his head up as the lights flash back on.

"Okei, kuka siellä on?!"

Otto gets back to his skates and looks through the boards around the dimly lit rink. He sees nothing. Figuring that it is only just a building issue with the weather outside, he sighs, gathers his belongings and heads for the exit to the ice.

He steps over the slight step and onto the ground that is between the locker room and the rink. He throws open the door and walks into the locker room, heading across to where his stall.

As he nears it, unclipping his helmet, he spots a bright white envelope with the masquerade-themed sticker on the back. He raises an eyebrow in curiosity and pulls his helmet out, unleashing a torrent of sweaty dark brunette wavy curls.

As he eyes it with curiosity plunging through him, he sets his stick up against the stall's side and puts the helmet up on a shelf.

Otto lifts his hand up and runs his hand over his messy hair, slicking it back. He then picks the envelope up and carefully peels it open. He takes out two tri-folded pieces of paper, one which has a poem on it in fancy font and one that has an invitation of some kind with a picture of an amusement park.

Otto sits down in the stall and reads the papers. As he reads, he gradually stops and looks up toward the doors. The invitation and poem are in Finnish. Easier for him to understand and read. But how and why would amusement park people know about his inability to comprehend reading English?

Otto reaches up for his phone and taps on the screen to unlock it. He pulls up messenger and texts 'Jonne Tammela'. If anyone might understand and know, Jonne would! Maybe they could even go together. Something to get away from the rink and have a little fun. After all, they would hit the regular season hard in the next two months.

And even if Jonne wasn't interested...he could ask someone else to go. A bonding time. A nice afternoon at an amusement park!

He has been so focused on sharpening his skills and working out lately, he could use a break!