The Team // A Formula One AU

Carlos

It's so green, this grass. So precisely cut and grown so thick. A ball can skip off it, roll or bounce, depending on your intent and level of talent. I pause for a moment to look up at the stadium around me. It's beautiful, historic, and I'm on the pitch. I've always supported Real Madrid and standing here it all seems brighter than ever.

"Who wants a game?" Tom shouts over to us and we whoop in almost perfect unison. Phil looks annoyed but honestly, who wouldn't want to play in the Bernabeu?

Erik splits us into approximately even teams and I go over to join mine. It's obviously better. Lando and I share a turbocharged high five and Max is immediately organising a team huddle. I make a mental note of my opposition, Nico my opposite number. Tom kicks us off. He doesn't usually play with us.

Max passes to Yuki passes to Lance passes to me. I run at Nando and he's scared, inexperienced. I get past and I'm easily into the box but there's Nico. Now I'm scared. I look for someone, George or Lando. George. Instinctive pass. Scores. I run to celebrate with him, knowing for certain we'll tear this team to shreds. Suddenly there's a crowd, and they're going wild. It's so loud.

I feel a weight shift on my back as George jumps off and we're both looking for something. A missing piece. Looking for Lando.

Lando.

The breath knocked out of me.

Lando.

That electric sparkler kid.

"LANDO!"

I'm at top speed before I can remember and by his side before he's settled on the grass. Green grass. Oh god, Lando, what happened? His skin is pale grey and he's sweating, eyes screwed shut. He's dying. My best friend. Dying.

It's cloudy, the stadium is full of smoke. The fans aren't cheering, they're shouting. Rioting. It's dark, and Lando's skin feels like wax.

My body aches with adrenaline. Pulse. Nowhere. Wrist. Painful. Lando.

"Tom!" Nobody else is here now. They all seem far away. My best friend doesn't even look like himself now, somethings changing, something's leaving him.

"Lando!" I shake him. Don't leave. Don't die. Die...

Bernabeu. Staggering, on the ground, crying. Lando. I can't breathe through sobs. Hands on me. Face into the pitch. Look up.

I drag myself forward again and find his hand. Who are these people stumbling towards us? They pull me away immediately. Where are my friends? Of course, they have to take him. Lando. I push my head through the crowds and kneel up to get a better view. His blonde hair is made brown by sweat and swept back from his face. He's shivering even though it was just a sunny day and I'm scared. How can he be shivering? Who are all these faceless people?

Suddenly it's silent, the whole pitch, stadium, city, silent again. Checking a watch. We're stunned. I've stopped hearing, or the world stopped moving. The world stopped moving when Lando stopped running. The real world stopped spinning when my world fell down. My best friend.

"Time of death..."