Perils

In the light, three figures stood, wrapped in ropes: Valeri Nichushkin was one, Nathan MacKinnon was the second and the third was Jonathan Toews. The ropes tangled around their ankles, knees, wrists, and upper arms with their arms pasted to their sides helplessly. Handkerchiefs of various colors were wrapped and knotted in place around their mouths.

I gasped, hearing Christina do the same beside me.

Seconds later, Sven Kramer stepped forward, smirking and holding his arms out. Sidney, the REAL Sidney, darted over to where Christina and I were.

“Oh, my bubbys...not cool dude!” Sidney muttered.

I kept my eyes on the trio and Sven, as I whispered to the Penguin, “Hey, Sid, I’m sorry for accusing you. You didn’t do anything!”

“I forgive you, I shoulda gotten here much sooner though.”

Sven paused before the trio. I could see that Jonathan wasn’t pleased and he was trying to get free of the restraints. Val just stood there, frozen and scared. His blue eyes glittered his fright. And Nathan was scared as well, but was following Jonathan’s idea.

“Sidney, good to know that you’re still alive and well. I hoped that I didn’t concuss you too much sweetheart!” Sven sneered, breaking out in evil cackles.

“Piss off, Sven!” Sidney growled.

“What did I do to you?” I demanded to know, stomping my foot in place.

“You don’t fucking remember?”

“Remember what?”

“That you fucking broke my heart!! You fucked with me and hurt me!!”

“Holy shit!” I gasped. “I know what’s going on now!”

“Oh, so the might sibling of Jonny suddenly realizes what’s going on?”

“Shut the hell up Sven, you revengeful bastard!”

“Do enlighten us with your realization, sweetheart!”

“I swear, call me that again and I’ll pop you in the fucking nose!”

“Uh-uh, not so fast...see, if you try to do that, I’ll slice your brother open...or maybe I’ll just slice the Russian’s pretty little neck here.” Sven teased Val and Jonny with cutting motions. He moved from Jonathan to Val.

I could see Val twitch in place and attempt to move away, as Sven grabbed his head, entangling his fingers in his hair. He forced the Russian’s head to the side and exposed his neck. I saw Val close his eyes and I heard his pathetic whimper. It broke my heart to hear him in such distress and I wanted nothing more than to wrap him up in a big hug and rescue him, but I couldn’t have Nathan or Jonathan killed either.

I was stuck. As much as I hated it, I was stuck and I would need help and time. I had to stall. I did know what was going on, but I was going to take it slowly, so that I could formulate a plan and act. I would have to make up some reasons why Sven hated me at the moment. It was the only way out that I could see.

I narrowed my eyes at Sven and glared him down. He seemed to take pleasure in my anger and was feeding off of it. But I wasn’t about to let him control me and have all the fun. It was time to be smart and stall.

“You’re really still mad about that time I stole one of your nuggets in elementary school? Is that it?”

“No.” He tilted Val’s head back into a straight position and was now fooling around with his hair, much to the poor guy’s displeasure. Tears were flooding into the Star’s eyes and it made my heart break again.

“Stop that!”

“No! If you don’t tell me the real reason, I can do things ten times worse to him!” Sven snapped and began to caress Val’s cheeks with his fingers.

I was losing my mind. I couldn’t think straight knowing the distress my poor baby was in. My plan was backfiring fast. I sank to the ground and cried. “FINE!! I’ll tell you, please don’t hurt him!”

Sven released Val, who sobbed like a little kid and hung his head. The villain rounded him and stood before the three once more. He folded his arms, like he knew he was in control and winning. I glanced up at him and told him the real reason.

“You and I dated in high school and I broke your heart on Valentine’s! But it was Christina’s idea, because I loved...because I loved...I...!” I trailed off, unable to finish. I was remembering it all now. The whole thing.

“...a Russian!” Sven finished for me, spinning around and returned to Val, who looked absolutely petrified. He was staring at me in shock.

“Dimitri Kucherov, the blue eyed Marimba player in the school’s band!”

“Yes, and you thought it would be a BRILLIANT idea to fall in love, keep it a secret from me for, oh what was it, like four fucking months and then finally break it to me on Valentine’s Day! Bitch!”

“Sven, please, I didn’t mean it though. I wanted to break the news sooner…”

“But Christina didn’t let you, did she?”

I looked at my friend, who was looking down at her feet. She knew it was the truth, but her reasoning made sense to me. Because Dimitri and I didn’t know about our love until then and then when I tried to let Sven know, he didn’t want to talk. It wasn’t my fault it was on Valentine’s. It was Sven’s.

I saw the evil man whip out a jagged dagger-looking weapon and hold it in the air. Then he grabbed Val’s hair once more and exposed his neck. He stuck the blade to the Dallas Stars’ neck and started to draw blood from him.

“Sven, don’t!!”

“You broke my heart...so I’m going to break yours!” He pressed harder and more blood came out from Val’s neck. The poor guy’s terrified and agonized screams came out stifled by the cloth gagging him and I froze in place, helpless to do anything.

“Sven…”

Sven ignored me and pushed harder, gritting his teeth in anger. But before he could sink in the blade anymore, he stopped and fell to the side with a loud thunk. Stand behind where he had been was his hockey playing twin. Sidney Crosby held some kind of bat, he’d found in the lobby and had knocked Sven unconscious.

“Fucking imposter!” Sidney spat at him and carelessly tossed the weapon on top of the unconscious body.

He turned and yanked the handkerchief down from Val’s mouth. Then he moved at did the same for Nathan and Jonathan. Christina darted forward and released Nathan from the rope bondage. As soon as he was free she threw her arms around him and hugged him closely.

“I won’t lose you anymore. I’m gonna to keep an eye on you from now on!” she buried her face into him and let him stroke her hair in a soothing way.

“Thanks, Christy. But did you really tell Evelyna to wait and break up with Sven...is that why he doesn’t like you?”

“Yes, I’ll tell you all about it. But trust me, I’m not the villain here and neither is Evelyna.”

“I’ll believe that. Sven was just over-reacting right? You seem to sweet of a person to be evil.”

“Awe, Nathan, you’re the best.” She stood up on her tippy-toes and smashed her lips into Nathan’s.

Then they walked to the side, where Christina told Nathan about her childhood and what had happened with Sven Kramer and the great break-up.

Meanwhile, I wiped my eyes and scrambled to my feet and rushed to Val. I released him from the bonds and surveyed the damage done to his neck. Poor baby Russian. I gazed into his eyes, expressing my concern and worry for him. It was my fault that he had been kidnapped and almost killed.

“Мне так жаль, это должно было случиться с вами, Вал. (I'm so sorry this had to happen to you, Val.)”

“Все нормально. Вы не виноваты в этом. (It's okay. You aren't at fault here.)”

“Но Свен тебе больно из-за то, что я и сделал. Если бы я не причинить ему боль… (But Sven hurt you because of something I did. If I hadn't hurt him...)”

“Ш-ш. (Sh-sh)” He pressed his lips against mine and pulled me in close to him.

I could feel my leg rising up behind me, like the classic romance move of all women in movies. Russians were good kissers...that much I knew. Val was a sweet, loveable guy, who cared.

The real reason why I had broken up with Sven was because he was a horrible boyfriend. He was like the kind who devoted zero percent of their time and effort toward their partner. I had gotten so fed up with it, I couldn’t help it when the first Russian had come around. Dimitri cared and he actually wanted me to be happy.

And as I thought about it, I had a sudden epiphany as to the truth behind what had happened to Dimitri. I remembered the police finding his body beaten, bruised, bloodied and tattered. It was like he’d been ambushed by a New York gang or devoted hockey fans. It was said that it was a possible suicide and I had believed that...but now...I wasn’t so sure.

Sven had killed Dimitri and he’d almost killed Val. But he would never hurt Val again. I wouldn’t let him.

Val and I broke apart and I gently reached up and brushed his sweat-soaked golden blond locks away from his forehead. He was cut there from Sven’s amush of him. It was a nice dark crimson scar. I kissed his forehead, thinking that it would cause his wound to heal.

His dressy blue shirt was tattered on his chest and the top four buttons were undone. I couldn’t help but marvel at the Russian’s chest. He was just simply perfect. I loved Val like I had Dimitri, but things would be different this time. I would NEVER hurt Val and I would always keep him safe.

And if anyone was opposed to that, they’d have to go through me and get their ass kicked. I made sure to hold Val’s hand tightly, as I turned to see Jonathan was talking to Sidney and smiling. The two were chatting like good friends. I really felt awful. Sidney Crosby wasn’t a bad person at all. He was just unfortunately too much like Sven Kramer.

Things weren’t quite happily ever after yet though. Sven had woken up and grabbed the bat weapon in his hands. He swung and hit Val in the head. I heard him scream and his hand vanished from mine. I was on the defense immediately. I whirled around and punched Sven in the nose, bloodying him. He was undaunted by the blow however and he spat blood out of his mouth.

“I must kill that fucking Russian!”

“NEVER!” I screamed and kicked him in his sweet spot. He faltered a bit, but remained in check. I had already rushed to Val’s side though. He was bleeding from a nasty gash caused by the bat now. I was horrified and I watched Sven, as he recovered and raised the bat again. I threw myself over the Dallas Star, blocking Sven’s access to him. He’d have to go through me.

Instead, he swung at the unsuspecting Jonathan Toews and clobbered my brother over the head three times, before Sidney launched into action and rammed himself into Sven’s body from the side.

Sven was outnumbered and he kept forgetting about his twin. Sidney snatched the bat away and shouted, “Evelyna, take it!” I reluctantly left Val and took it from him, just as Sven reared up and slammed Sidney against the ground.

“Sidney!” I screamed and raised the bat up to protect the Penguin who was in the line of danger now.

(Whoa, look everyone, I’m saving Sidney! Never thought you’d read that, eh?)

Sven pinned Sidney on the ground and I swung the bat at the back of his head. I mustered all of my strength and hit him square in the back, sending him plummeting downward. Sidney heaved the body of of him and I began to just send blow after blow at him, beating him with the weapon in my hands. No mercy was shown; Sven didn’t deserve it.

Finally I grew tired and backed away, dropping the bat. I helped Sidney to his feet, who was gawking at me.

“Don’t make me save your ass again, Sid.”

“I’ll try not to, uh, thanks though.”

I walked back over to Val, who was still bleeding from the gash on his head, as well as the beginnings of the slit on his throat. I wrapped my hands back around him and held him comfortingly. “No more. No more pain for you Nichy. You’re safe. You’ll remain safe.” I let go of him once more and snatched the dagger up.

I walked back over to Sven’s unconscious body and plunged the dagger through the man’s back, aiming close to where his heart would be, just in case. He wouldn’t come alive this time. There would be no more pain or suffering or hurting of anyone innocent in this. It was over. I left the weapon sticking out of him and staggered back to Val, who hugged me close.

Notes

What?! What was that Sid? What did you exclaim there in the beginning of this chapter? Oh yes, I'd like to credit the wonderfully talented A Shruinger for that little line there. Her character of Sid always exclaims that and I thought it would be funny to insert there. :P
"Oh my bubbys!" :P
And that folks is why Sven Kramer, a Dutch Athlete, disguised himself as Sid and wrecked havoc on the NHL and Christina and Evelyna.
THREE MORE CHAPTERS LEFT + EPILOGUE!!!! XD


Next up: Thanks Sid. You're not such a bad guy after all.