Chapter Four: North Bay Cold Storage

The old North Bay rink had been dead for twelve years, but it was still breathing. At two in the morning, Shen and Lin climbed the construction fence and watched an exhaust stack breathe white vapor above the ruins. City records called the site an abandoned warehouse. Its meter consumed a household's monthly electricity every minute. Zhou's key opened a side door whose hinges bore no rust. Fresh tire tracks divided the dust. Posters lined the old players' tunnel: Lin Che celebrating; a young Shen behind an oversized goalie mask. In the glass, Shen's father held the camera. A circular scar marked his wrist too. Light broke across Shen's memory. Disinfectant. Restraints. His father's voice: Don't watch the line. Watch the person.