“Chapter 9

“Dude, who stole the sun?”
Depth Charge huddled behind Charlie the treeman, trying to avoid the worst of the blizzard that had suddenly descended during the second half of Hang Eleven’s match against Buffi CELFI.
“Totally not cool, man.”
Surfin Safari laughed.
“Yeah, right. As if.”
“Hey!” complained Depth Charge, looking at the lineman. “Where’d you get those gloves? And is that a scarf?”
Surfin Safari shrugged.
“Found them lying around in the changing room. Just go get knocked out and pick some up while you’re off.”
Suddenly Surf City came sliding past on a thin patch of ice that had formed over the muddy grass.
“Cowabunga, dudes! Surf’s up!”
And he continued on until he collided with one of the dark elves ahead.

The game had been going all their way in the first half with dark elves being carted off the field at pleasingly regular intervals. With Pipeline and Ride the Wild Surf sitting out the game, Coach Robsson had decided on more of a running game and it had proved very successful.
But the dark elves were nothing if not determined and despite their low numbers, they fought tooth and nail to claw back a score so that at the start of the second half it was 1-1 but with the wood elves in a commanding position. Infact, only four dark elves remained on the pitch when suddenly a blizzard came out of nowhere and swept across the field. Instantly it became a white, freezing nightmare for the sun-worshipping, sea-loving elves of Hang Eleven. The dark elves, needless to say, loved every minute of it and were so inspired they were able to put up a fierce counter attack. As time ran out, Wipeout tried for one last, desperate pass downfield but the ball was frozen to the ground and the whistle blew while he was still tugging it loose.


* * * * *


“Good game,” Coach Robsson said to his counterpart, blackGigio as they shook gloved hands after the match. “I really thought we had you there. Nice come back by your boys.”
The dark elf coach shrugged.
“Yes, I suppose. But I would rather your wood elves had been less like a pack of angry orcs. It will be a while before we’re fully recovered from this match.”
There was a pause.
“Convenient blizzard,” Robsson said, not quite casually.
“Meaning?”
“Nothing. Just saying. Convenient.”
“Are you accusing me of anything, human?”
“Me? No. Certainly not. Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good. I would hate to have to take the matter to the authorities.”
“I bet you would,” muttered Robsson. And then louder. “Well, good game all the same. Maybe next time you’d like to come and visit us. We play out by the coast. Plenty of lovely fresh air. And sunshine. And sea breeze. You’d love it.”
BlackGigio gave a pained sneer and turned away.
“Wood elves,” he muttered. “They smell bad, they smile too much, and they have no sense of the macabre.”
Coach Robsson smiled and waved goodbye, then made a grrr! face when he was sure the dark elf was no longer looking.
”