car ride...
“Out.” The word rang in his head and nothing could stop it. John scrambled out as soon as they came to a halt. John used one hand to push his fringe out of his eyes while his other clutched his chest as he felt his heart race. Laughter filled the quiet night as John’s friends continued to enjoy the high that came with the speed of the ride. John slammed the door shut behind him and sat himself against the door. The closed door returned the silence to the dirt track as the wild laughter is again contained in the car.
The engine was still on and John could feel the rhythmic rumble of the pistons. The air that rushed out from beneath the car warmed John’s cold, clammy hands and gave him a certain degree of comfort. However, nothing seemed to be able to slow his heart. Even though he knew they had stopped, John could still feel the rush of speed. The blurred images of the ride continuously played out in front of him.
It was just another night out with his 2 best friends: Cleo and Bert. The only difference today was that Bert managed to borrow his father’s car. Bert’s dad was a well known car fanatic. The car was tweaked to operational perfection. Tonight, the kids had decided to test the famed operational perfection. They picked the remotest stretch of road they could find and prepared to play dice with destiny.
John was game for the first few runs but the speed turned slate after that. Cleo suggested getting off the road and driving along the dirt tracks of the nature reserve. The unlit trails and uneven road would give an added thrill. Bert and John quickly succumbed to the idea and they made their way there. It was still early and the roads were still littered with patches of cars. Bert drove, and sped most of the way there. Cleo found the taste of speed a drug too enticing to pass on and egged Bert to floor the accelerator. John on the other hand could only see his life flash past him like the landmarks the car whizzed past.
The cool air mixed with the smell of burnt rubber stung John’s nostrils and brought him back to reality. There was no way that John was going to convince Cleo and Bert to send him home in one piece or at a safe speed. The window was rolled down and the techno beat from the sound system spilled out into the darkness. Cleo perched herself on the open window and cheekily poked John, as if to see if he’s still alive. Bert cut the engine, lowered the volume of the radio and got out of the car and sat himself next to John.
The engine stopped its rumbling and John finally felt his heart rate slow down. John wondered if he was ever getting back into a moving car without breaking into cold sweat. The cool breeze swept across their faces as they just sat there and enjoyed the quiet that they could never find in the city. But John knew that this momentary slow down was not going to last for long. Cleo was going to get bored and he knew that were going to have to start up the car again. And John knew that sooner than later, Cleo was going to be itching to drive the car herself.
Cleo’s wild streak was constantly calling out to her. The speed demon within her was itching to unleash itself. A firm smack to the back of both John’s and Bert’s head signaled the beginning of the wild ride. Bert surrendered the keys to Cleo and she plugged the keys into the ignition with her trademark devilish smile. Bert just sighed as he conceded himself to the possibility that it may be the last ride of this carefully cared for vehicle. John caused more of a ruckus as he was slowly coerced to join them.
John strapped himself in at the backseat as Cleo repeatedly revved the engine, as if she was waiting for the imaginary lights in front of the car to turn from red to amber to green. Without warning, Cleo released the brakes and throttled the car into the darkness. The darkness in the reserve seems to swallow everything in front of them. The bright headlights pierced through the darkness only to have its light blanketed metres ahead. The car tumbled down the dirt path growing a tail of dust behind them. All John could think about was when the car would ever slow down. Bert kept his eye on the road and his hand ready to pounce on the handbrake if need be. Cleo just kept going. The tail of dust behind them just kept growing longer.
Just as sudden as it had begun, the car screeched to a stop. All three occupants braced themselves for an impact. But no impact reached them. The tail of dust overtook the car and engulfed the car, turning the car into a prison walled by dust. John opened is eyes, elated to see the car still in one piece. Bert had pulled up the handbrake, his hand still there. Although Cleo was still smiling, a sort of boredom had taken over her earlier eagerness. Without turning the engine off, Cleo climbed into the back seat with John and just waited. Bert looked at the back seat filled with two smiling people, wondered a quiet thought himself and slid over to the driver’s seat. It was a sign, a sign that it was time to go home.
The engine was still on and John could feel the rhythmic rumble of the pistons. The air that rushed out from beneath the car warmed John’s cold, clammy hands and gave him a certain degree of comfort. However, nothing seemed to be able to slow his heart. Even though he knew they had stopped, John could still feel the rush of speed. The blurred images of the ride continuously played out in front of him.
It was just another night out with his 2 best friends: Cleo and Bert. The only difference today was that Bert managed to borrow his father’s car. Bert’s dad was a well known car fanatic. The car was tweaked to operational perfection. Tonight, the kids had decided to test the famed operational perfection. They picked the remotest stretch of road they could find and prepared to play dice with destiny.
John was game for the first few runs but the speed turned slate after that. Cleo suggested getting off the road and driving along the dirt tracks of the nature reserve. The unlit trails and uneven road would give an added thrill. Bert and John quickly succumbed to the idea and they made their way there. It was still early and the roads were still littered with patches of cars. Bert drove, and sped most of the way there. Cleo found the taste of speed a drug too enticing to pass on and egged Bert to floor the accelerator. John on the other hand could only see his life flash past him like the landmarks the car whizzed past.
The cool air mixed with the smell of burnt rubber stung John’s nostrils and brought him back to reality. There was no way that John was going to convince Cleo and Bert to send him home in one piece or at a safe speed. The window was rolled down and the techno beat from the sound system spilled out into the darkness. Cleo perched herself on the open window and cheekily poked John, as if to see if he’s still alive. Bert cut the engine, lowered the volume of the radio and got out of the car and sat himself next to John.
The engine stopped its rumbling and John finally felt his heart rate slow down. John wondered if he was ever getting back into a moving car without breaking into cold sweat. The cool breeze swept across their faces as they just sat there and enjoyed the quiet that they could never find in the city. But John knew that this momentary slow down was not going to last for long. Cleo was going to get bored and he knew that were going to have to start up the car again. And John knew that sooner than later, Cleo was going to be itching to drive the car herself.
Cleo’s wild streak was constantly calling out to her. The speed demon within her was itching to unleash itself. A firm smack to the back of both John’s and Bert’s head signaled the beginning of the wild ride. Bert surrendered the keys to Cleo and she plugged the keys into the ignition with her trademark devilish smile. Bert just sighed as he conceded himself to the possibility that it may be the last ride of this carefully cared for vehicle. John caused more of a ruckus as he was slowly coerced to join them.
John strapped himself in at the backseat as Cleo repeatedly revved the engine, as if she was waiting for the imaginary lights in front of the car to turn from red to amber to green. Without warning, Cleo released the brakes and throttled the car into the darkness. The darkness in the reserve seems to swallow everything in front of them. The bright headlights pierced through the darkness only to have its light blanketed metres ahead. The car tumbled down the dirt path growing a tail of dust behind them. All John could think about was when the car would ever slow down. Bert kept his eye on the road and his hand ready to pounce on the handbrake if need be. Cleo just kept going. The tail of dust behind them just kept growing longer.
Just as sudden as it had begun, the car screeched to a stop. All three occupants braced themselves for an impact. But no impact reached them. The tail of dust overtook the car and engulfed the car, turning the car into a prison walled by dust. John opened is eyes, elated to see the car still in one piece. Bert had pulled up the handbrake, his hand still there. Although Cleo was still smiling, a sort of boredom had taken over her earlier eagerness. Without turning the engine off, Cleo climbed into the back seat with John and just waited. Bert looked at the back seat filled with two smiling people, wondered a quiet thought himself and slid over to the driver’s seat. It was a sign, a sign that it was time to go home.
posted by alvin_c at 2:06 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home