Racing Hearts - Blood and Steel

Chapter 2

Clarence narrowed his eyebrows, glaring at the white Volkswagen with a stare that would've let the blood freeze in one's veins. "Yeah, very nice of you!" He replied in an angered voice, but just mere seconds later a slight smile appeared on his metal lips. Of course he wasn't actually mad at the white vehicle, how could he be? They had been friends for a long time and both of them were used to jokes like that.
He parked at the table they were standing around, parked there as well and gave each of his four friends a fist bump with his tire. "So, what have y'all been up to, what's going on?" The red Corvette asked his friends, wanting to know about the things they had been doing in the meantime, since the last time they had met.
It was Roger, the red Opel GT, who was first to answer his friend's question. "Well, we participated in a handful of races, within the past few months. Couldn't stand a chance against the others. Probably because we were only a team of four, missing our best man." The Opel shrugged, with Clarence nodding in agreement. "Jürgen told me about that, but I'm certain we will turn it around for the next season." He announced with pride and encouragement in his raspy voice. The other four cars cheering him on.
"No one will be able to win against a Corvette like you!"' Jürgen added in a tone of ambition and eagerness. However Clarence stopped the white and blue Volkswagen before he could continue with his overly excited statement.
"Guys, we'll see about that. It's not just about one of us. We're a team. I wouldn't be here, if it wasn't because of you..." now it was  the Corvette that was spitting out the truth. While these five cars were in theory supposed to be opponents, they often supported each other. Mainly because they knew each other since the very first races they ever competed in, realizing that it was of no use to try and sabotage or fight each other, when it was much more effective to help each other out. At one point, a bunch of years ago these five cars began training together and since then an inseparable friendship had formed. Sometimes they had let the others drive in their slipstream, other times they helped each other overtake other vehicles. With these small gestures of support they often secured their many victories. Of course, they weren't able to participate in all competitions as a team. Yet they would always park in the front row, cheering their friend on. Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost, that's how it goes. Yet more important than a trophy that would collect dust, was the fun they had the whole time. Enjoying the adrenaline rush within their bodies, the electric feeling of uncertainty, the cold wind bashing against their metal bodies. It wasn't just about winning, it was the freedom and the event itself.
Clarence wanted to add something to his statement, but was interrupted by the old Mercedes, bringing the five friends the beer the Corvette had ordered.
"Here you go." The owner of the bar said, placed the drinks on the table and disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared. It was a rare occurrence that the old Mercedes brought the drinks directly to the guests. It was an act of kindness and acknowledgment he only did for good friends or cars he knew for a long time. Everyone else had to come up to the front of the bar and go get the drinks themselves. No one, besides tourists, questioned it.
Just as no one questioned the fact that these cars were drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. That was because they weren't just mechanical beings. They had organs and a bloodstream just like any other living and breathing being here on earth.

Clarence grabbed his beer with his tire, taking a big sip from the bottle filled with the golden liquid. The alcohol running down his throat. It took him a moment before he remembered what he initially wanted to say. But now the words had magically popped up in his thoughts and so the red Corvette spoke his mind.
"Let's not talk about our sport now. What else has been going on in your lives?" He asked interested, trying to change the topic, since thinking about the upcoming race still stressed him out. Especially since he was still afraid the his brakes might malfunction again. Clarence knew what a near death experience was. The panic he had felt that day had manifested itself deep inside his brain. Of course he knew well enough that he had to eventually overcome his fears. What happened that day two years ago, was way past him. He needed to let go of it. But it was harder than he expected.