THE SUN IS DOWN BUT THERE IS STILL LITE IN THE SKY.

I am playing hockey with Bojan and the other mask guy whose name is Peter. I am on there team. Lubor the big boss is playing with 2 guys I dont know. The score is 4 to 4 or maybe 5 to 5. It is tyed.

Vi comes out and then goes back in. She is not a hockey fan. Or maybe she doesnt want to be with Lubor.

I skate hard. My blades are sharp. I am having fun—witch sounds stupid because after all these are my kid nappers. I am a hoss stage. But the only guy I dont like is Lubor and when you play a game with a bunch of people there is usually somebody you dont like.

Think about that.

There is some shoving and elbowing but nobody gets mad xept Lubor. One time I am over by the bords and he trys to cross check me. I duck and the stick goes over my head. I tell him to watch out. Shut up he says. There is a ring of white ice around the mouth of his red mask from where he is breathing. I pass to Peter behind my back and he scores. Lubor slams his stick down on the ice.

On the next rush one of the new guys has the puck. He has boots on and is sliding over the ice. His nose drips. He passes to Lubor but I get my stick out and stop the puck. Lubor charges at me like a bull going after Bugs Bunny. I duck at the last minit and Lubor goes flying over me and hits his head on the bords and lands on the ice and starts to bleed.

We stop playing and carry him inside. Lubor is out cold. The kitchen is the first room we come to and we lay him on the table.

When Vi sees him she starts to cry.

That is rite. She runs over and takes his head in her hands and kisses him. And then glares at me.

You did this she says.

What? I say.

You and Lubor hate each other she says.

She is crying and holding Lubor and calling his name and I am surprised as anything.

AS ANYTHING.

I say the first thing that comes to me.

Your the good cop I say.

Like in a police show you know? Theres a bad cop and a good cop. They seem different but they are working together. They are both cops. So Lubor is scaring me and Vi is kissing me but they both want the same thing. They want to know what I know about Grampa and the anthem.

I forget that Peter and Bojan and the others are there. It is just me and Vi and she is a lyer. She does not hate Lubor. She likes him. She has always liked him. She did not take my note to the police. She and I are not on the same side. She was lying to me all this time.

Wow I say. Wow I think.

I walk outside. Bojan comes with me. And so does the guy with the drippy nose. They are garding me. Bojan takes off his skates and puts his boots back on.

I breath in the fresh air. It is cold and clean winter air.

Vi is not on my side. The police are not coming to get me and bring me home. Wow.

I trusted her and I was rong.

There are no cars on the road. I can hear the nite sounds and the cold sounds—the crack of the ice and the wistle of the wind. I hop over to the rink and skate around while Bojan and the drippy nose guy watch. It is cold and the hi way lites show all the snow and ice that is packed and stacked and planked down. The drive way is coverd. So is the road. It is ice as far as I can see. A real Canadian winter seen.

I get an idea. Partly it is from knowing that the police are not coming. Partly it is from wanting to get back to Creekside and call Spencer who will be worryed. A lot of it is not wanting to be a hoss stage. I had some fun playing hockey but I am not having fun now and I do not want to help these people. My idea is to get away now. Bojan and the other guy are in boots. I am in skates. I can go faster than them. Lubor is sleeping. Vi cant catch me. Why not skate away rite now?

So I do. I hop over the bords and head for the drive. Bojan takes a minit to work out what is happening and then yells at me.

Bunny stop!

Bojan is sort of an ok guy. I can play hockey with him. But I dont want to be his prisoner. I skate down the drive and turn. The road is icy. I am going ok. A bit bumpy but ok. I skate past the 40 sine. I dont know what way I am going but it doesnt matter. I am going away from my prison and that is the rite way.

I am skating home.