Adam's Apple

Chapter 2: Crazy Rock

I look around in awe as I roam around the area I've come to discover. Everywhere I look, everything and everyone looks so... different and expressive, even the way that they dress feels foreign to me! The majority of the women here wore revealing outfits while the men wore baggy clothing, even though most of them are also in costumes! While I could tell that this place is for skateboarders, this isn't exactly your typical kind of skate park. It feels like it's a secret considering that it's hidden on a mountain with security guards all over. I didn't even know that it existed before I came here!

While I'm lost in my thoughts, a group of people run past me and gather up ahead, like they're about to witness something amazing, so naturally, I follow. I make my way through the crowd to where the commotion is and when I get up front, I find a big bulky man with the strangest outfit/look standing at the starting line. I honestly don't know if his look is a combination of a clown and a rock star considering his costume consists of black and grey clothing adorned with spikes while his entire head is covered in white paint with green around the eyes. As ridiculous as that man looks, I could tell that he's someone you shouldn't trifle with, otherwise you could end up getting a beatdown, what with his body being built like a tank.

Noticing the way that he's standing still in front of what appears to be a starting line, it comes to mind that he's waiting for something to happen. Then out of the corner of my eye, I spot someone skating up towards the rock clown, a young teenager actually. He has red hair that sports a blue headband, a yellow hoodie that's layered with a black jacket, and black pants. I furrow my eyebrows together, really curious as to what's happening right now.

"You were smart to run away the last time." The clown gruffs.

"Take back what you said, Shadow. You're gonna regret dissing me." The redhead teen speaks with a serious tone.

That's when the crowd suddenly erupts into cheering.

"It's Beef Time!!!" I hear someone announce ecstatically.

Leaving me no time to think, I instantly hear sirens blare from a pair of speakers and people begin to clear out to the side. I'm quick to do the same as I watch the two skaters take their place at the starting line. While the guards are communicating with each other, the skater named Shadow begins to taunt the redhead by dragging his thumb across his throat, which is quick to irritate the guy.

Then right above the skaters, I see a large traffic light, lighting up with red lights one by one and when the sixth one lights up, all of them then turn green. The horns blare and a female flagger waves a white flag with the S symbol down, sending the two opponents down the hill with their skateboards. I gasp when I see the two of them both ride their boards and take a sharp turn around the corner, disappearing from our sights.

"I get it now. It's a race. A race between two skaters! It all makes sense now!" I speak to myself in my head.

The people around me gather around a huge screen that shows us the rest of the race between the two skaters. So far I see that this Shadow skater is up ahead, skating effortlessly and avoiding the upcoming rocks, not to mention still taunting the young teen. The redhead, who I come to conclude is named Reki, is shown to be annoyed at the clown's taunting and tries his hardest to catch up, even skidding closely behind him in a sharp corner. When he ends up skating past him, Shadow then goes to extreme measures and throws small explosive bombs, making the redhead wobble on his board and then harshly crashing into a crowd of people and rocks.

"Oooh! Yikes." I cringe and close my eyes.

That fall was not graceful! I hope that guy will be alright. I frown at the screen where it shows the victor of this race.