New York City, New York
July 1, 2019
Ville Meskanen, a wispy blond haired Finnish prospect forward for the New York Rangers, straightens his solid black necktie around his neck, staring at his reflection in the mirror that is hanging on the wall across from him. He's chosen to wear a pair of nice black dress pants and a simple blue button up dress shirt with his tie.
"You gonna make out with yourself, Mesk?" a snarky voice remarks.
"No," Ville grumbles back. "Don't you have a room to go to and masterbate in, while I'm off on a date?"
"Turn off your Flamer Tunes and I will," the voice retorts back.
"I'm getting in the Broadway mood, since that's where we're going and this is the show we're going to go see! We'd drag you along, but don't need you soiling the nice chairs in the theatre!" Ville smirks at his reflection.
There is silence and then the slam of a door. Ville chuckles and rolls his eyes and turns for the front door, just as the doorbell chimes.
Ville pauses and cocks an eyebrow, not expecting the sudden ring. He pushes his sleeves up and shrugs. Maybe Vladdy changed his mind and was coming here. But normally he'd text him... He glances down at his phone, which is lying still and untouched on the table. He taps the screen, seeing no messages.
With a sigh, Ville walks to the door and opens the door up. "Can I help you?" His eyes land on a man dressed in all black with a mask on.
The man says nothing but shoves an envelope into his hands with a blood red masquerade sticker on it.
"W-what is this?" Ville eyes him, unable to help but take it.
The man again, says nothing, just smiling creepily. But after a few minutes, he remarks, "Just open it up and you will see...I promise it is something you will want to invest time in. I've already been to your little friend's house, after all. Lovely tiger if I do say so."
Ville feels his blood run cold. Was this man indicating something about Vladdy? "What have you done to Vladdy?!"
The man suddenly poofs into thick black smoke at a snap of his fingers. Ville gasps and steps back, blinking in shock.
"What the--?"
The phone on the table buzzes loudly, scaring Ville, who slams the door shut and spins around to it. Still holding the envelope in his hand, he snatches the phone up with his other hand.
A message. From an Unknown Number.
"Open the envelope and announce your decision, otherwise I'll kill your precious Vladdy Namestnikov!"
Ville tears open the envelope, his mind racing and his heart beating fiercely inside of him. He then pulls out the two pieces of paper that are folded up inside. But that's when...his phone buzzes again.
Another message. This time from Vladdy.
His heart pounding in his chest still, he unlocks his phone and pulls up the message: "Hey, Baby, wanna go to an Amusement Park with me in Orlando?"
"Yes! Yes! I'll go!" He then types back, "Yes! Of course! Tell me you're okay! They didn't hurt you? They haven't hurt you?"
Ville exhales, breathing heavily. He is still worried and concerned for Vladdy, but he is all for going. Just hopefully not as a rescue mission.
"I'm fine. No one's hurt me. Besides, I got Yanni. We are coming over now!"
Ville breathes again. Thank God, Vladdy's okay!
Within a few minutes, the doorbell rings again. Ville swings the front open and finds Vladdy waiting for him, dressed in a common dark blue hoodie with jeans. The hood is up over his head, but Ville can see the sparkling silver tiara glittering on top of his head.
"Oh thank God, you're okay," Ville whispers, hugging Vladdy.
Vladdy chuckles. "Let's go to a theme park, Baby!"
"Butterflies!" Yanni shouts out, tilting his head to one side and letting his tongue fall out of his mouth.
YOU ARE READING
And Then There Was One (2019)
Mystery / Thriller21 ice hockey players for the NHL, AHL and ECHL are either kidnapped by force or tricked into coming to the mysteriously abandoned "Masquerade Island" theme park. When they arrive, they learn that the host is nonexistent and that they've been abando...
