Tyson Jost Diary

October 13, 2020

Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

The four of us return to the Pepsi Center in Denver, exhausted but alive with the success of the adventure. As soon as we enter, we are mobbed by Gravy and Cale. G walks out, arm-in-arm with Vladdy.

"So, how'd Bobby Mackey's...?" Vladdy begins to say, trailing off into a yelp as his eyes settle on Comphy's bruises. "Go...?"

"It could've been better, but it is. We beat Tkachuk and have chased him back to here. He's trapped here alone. All we have to do is vanquish him from our arena forever more!" I look at G. "Did you and the others grab sage, holy water and such important materials?"

"I did!" G says.

"And more!" Vladdy adds on. "G was able to get a priest!"

G leans toward me and whispers, "It's really just Gabe dressed up as one with the holy Bible."

"Sounds legit!" I shout out, clasping my hands together. "The grand finale! The EPIC conclusion to my Jost Adventures tale! Demons hate church, Bishops/Priests, holy water, Bibles and anything to do with God, so hopefully Gabe brought his A-Game!"

"Let's do this! Let's end it!" Comphy snaps and begins to march down the stairs and toward the locker room, where the rest of the team is gathered and waiting.

As soon as we are all together, Gabriel Landeskog leads the way around the arena. We begin by circling around the downstairs, ground level hall, whisking around the sage branches in all directions, while our captain, Gabe, does his best impression of a bishop, reading from the sacred text:

"Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence

and blameless when you pass judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,

a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart."

We make our way up the stairs to the first floor and begin to sage the halls and area as Gabe continues his priestly notion:

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me."

We now make our way to the second -- Club level seating area, cleansing all the suites and areas.

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased."

We reach the third and top level now.

"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

then you will delight in right sacrifices,

in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

then bulls will be offered on your altar."

We make our way back down to the rink level and hurry through the tunnel, coming to the ice. I can feel the heaviness in the air and the flooding feeling of negativity running through me.

Tkachuk's voice booms out, "Leave me be! I will haunt this location forever!!"

The heavy feeling causes me to sink to my knees. I can feel a burning sensation occurring on my back. I'm quite sure Tkachuk is scratching me, trying to weaken me and take my energy for his own to fight against the Word.

Gabe throws his arm out toward me and shouts out, "Holy Spirit, I ask You to remove anything that would hinder this place from gaining a deeper understanding of Your truth. That would harm any player or soul that enters. In Jesus's name, amen. BE GONE FROM THE PEPSI CENTER!"

I drop onto all fours, breathing heavily. But I can feel the burning has stopped. Probably just scars now. A reminder of my adventures and what not to ever, ever, EVER do again. Don't EVER play around with a Ouija Board!

Tkachuk's distressed, frustrated, evil scream echoes around the arena, causing the entire rink to shake, including the Jumbotron. There is a bright light that flashes, blinding everyone (good thing my head is hanging low for this though).

But then...silence.

And a normal feeling. Maybe a slight electrical charge present, but nothing abnormal.

Gabe drops his arm and squats down to me. "You okay, Josty?"

Comphy stands at my other side. His face is full of concern.

I nod and lift my head up. "That was wild."

"And now we know never to play around with a Ouija Board," EJ remarks, folding his arms across his chest.

Nathan gawks at him and then steps before him, puffing his chest out. "Yeah! Be responsible with your choices in public places. Who cares if you wanna play around and crack open that bitch at home."

"Just don't let anything follow you," Gabe remarks.

I chuckle. "Right."

We all gradually make our way back down the tunnel and into the locker room. From there, everyone breaks off and heads to the player lot, leaving Comphy and I alone. We share a look with one another.

"So, have you learned your lesson or are you going to do it again?" Comphy asks, putting his hands on his hips and cocking an eyebrow.

I shove him, playfully. "Of course! No more Ouija Boards, no more demons, no more ghost hunting. I promise."

Comphy snorts. "I know you'll try something again next October."

The two of us walk outside and turn around to take in the beautiful arena and the sun setting behind it.

We freeze in place.

"Oh...no..." Comphy grumbles.

"Ball Arena...hmmm? I like it, don't you?" I chuckle, elbowing Comphy in the upper part of his arm as the two of us stand outside, looking up at the new sign on the same old hockey arena complex that we've been playing at.

"It sounds stupid," Comphy remarks, shaking his head. "Of all the names you had to curse the arena with the new name of 'Ball...Arena'."

"It's catchy, Comphy."

Comphy shakes his head. "Yeah...it's stupid. It sounds like an immature teenage boy named it."

I bite my lip, fighting back laughter at the thought. "Ball Arena. Ha."

"You're ridiculous," Comphy sighs. "And immature. But for some reason, I care about you and love you too much!"

THE END