Race

• Josh Townsend, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2010

The tires screech as I take a hard left then an even harder right turn. I am thrown to one side and then back as the g-forces set in. I feel weary and tired but then I have to be ready and aware for the next turn. The tires squeal and protest as I flick it through the corner and slide the back end out. I step on the throttle powering out of the slide and down the main straight. The start line looms nearer and I slow down for the start of the race.

My Mclaren roars as I feather the right pedal and I wait for the Christmas tree light to go green. The first light goes red. Then the second and the third lights go red. Time seems to slow and the green light at the bottom illuminates my eyes as it flashes to green super slowly. My foot slams on the throttle barely a second after the light turns green. My foot comes off the throttle and onto the left pedal and my hand slides the gearstick smoothly into first. The tires create a smokescreen and then they grip. The g-force throws me back in the seat and the engine note climbs in a crescendo of noise and I pass the first car. The second car is behind me almost instantly. The first corner rushes to meet me and there is no scream of pain from the tires as I turn smoothly around the corner. My foot comes onto the left pedal once again and the gear stick slides into seventh. I quickly check the speedometer, my eyes leaving the glistening tarmac for an instant, and realise I am going way too fast for this corner.

I try to turn into the tires to avoid sliding in the gravel and flipping. I smash into other cars and they spin and smash into me as I begin my long spiral of bad-luck. I slide into the sandtrap and I realise I’m not going to flip. BANG! The Mercedes behind me smashes into the cars flank and I feel the car beginning to roll. My head is bounced around inside the carbon-fibre crash helmet, the doors of the car rip out and fresh air floods into the stuffy cabin. SNAP! My four-point safety harness snaps and I am thrown forward into the cracked windshield and I am stuck with half my body sticking through the windshield. SMASH! Another car hits my car and I keep on rolling end over end. I try to push myself back through the window and I manage that. Then more bad luck. The car is engulfed in a giant fireball and I am burnt. I feel the car coming to a stop and rolling until it is on what is left of the wheels. I feel the Jaws of Life rip through the roll cage but the rescue team is too late. The world fades to black.