Race

The bang echoed through the air and we all shot off.
My legs were pumping, my toes tingling. The wind rustled my tousled hair, twisting the caramel strands, lifting my lustrous locks. Beads of perspiration trickled down my forehead which was rippled lines of effort.
Yet I was at the rear of the pack of runners.
I gnashed my teeth together in frustration and picked up the pace. My new trainers thudded softly against the dirt track. The muscles in my arms tightened as I pumped them harder and harder. I could feel dirt splattering onto my shirt, the almost unbearable heat from the scorching sun beating down on my back. Rays from the sun’s fierce glare shone into my tight eyes.
I was approaching the runner before me rapidly.
I drew nearer and nearer to the girl. Her russet red ponytail swung behind her like the pendulum of a clock...tick, tock, tick, tock. I needed to hurry. Time was running out. Soon, I would be too exhausted to overtake anybody.
I sprang lightly on the balls of my feet towards her. Fortunately for me, her legs were slowing. With a grin, I leapt past her and towards my next opponents.
Two girls ahead of me were sprinting at the same speed, obviously trying to get ahead of the other. However, they probably hadn’t anticipated a surprise attack from the back...
I was right.
I scampered past the pair, loping towards the girl in front of me. She was panting hard, obviously growing more tired by the second. This would be easy. I slowed to a jog and still easily overtook her.
Now I was near the front of everyone. After abandoning another few girls, it was just me and two others. The girl in first was running at an overwhelming pace, never slowing or showing any signs of fatigue. However, I detected that the second girl was exhausted. Her breathing was loud and uneven, her legs pounding the ground irregularly. Twice, I saw her stumble, on a patch of lush, emerald grass and on a loose pebble. She wouldn’t be too difficult. I was pretty tired myself, but I could still keep going for a while yet.
I accelerated, my legs whirling through the air, my head bowed and my teeth gritted. I sprinted towards the girl. Although she was slowing, she was still rather quick. But she wasn’t quick enough.
I soared past her, my heart beating with exhilaration, my soul light with bliss, my mind clear and sharp. My slender legs moved in perfect rhythm as I left the girl far behind me. From the back, I had come to the front. Now there was only one girl standing in my path to glory.
She was still running at the same pace, never slowing, but never speeding up either. Same as me, but I was unfortunately a few metres behind. I squeezed my eyes shut as the sun shone full in my face, then opened them a crack, just enough for me to see. She was the same distance away. I sped up.
My legs screamed under the pressure, my breaths came out ragged and loud, but I was approaching her fast. The girl probably hadn’t predicted or noticed this. She kept going at the same old speed.
I darted along the dirt track, running at her with all my strength. My body wailed in protest, but I ignored its pleas and continued slaving on. Finally, I pulled up directly next to her.
She turned her head in surprise and glared at me. She accelerated, and we both ran at the same rate. We were both trying to pull ahead of the other. Neither of us were succeeding.
The girl’s right leg suddenly lashed out wildly in my direction. I reeled back in astonishment, but her leg slammed into mine. The impact sent me sprawling breathless, painfully backwards into the dirt.
The girl screeched to a stop. She twisted around to see me, an ugly smirk on her smug face. She gazed at me arrogantly, then turned and continued on.
I lay there, staring up at the cornflower blue sky, as every single girl passed me. I was too weak, too frail, too sapped of my energy to go on.

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