IL PREDESTINATO | Charles Leclerc |

Chapter 19

"Something's wrong with the car" Charles said as he pressed the button of his communication line.

"We'll come back to you" Xavier replied to him and then silence. Nothing.

Charles found it hard to turn the wheel as he made his way through the French track. He couldn't make the turns and it felt like the car was unable to move.

He didn't realize when he found himself on the wall. The only thing he could remember was the loud thud that echoed through his body when the impact was made.

He was knocked out cold, not having his senses for a couple of seconds.

"Merde" he sighed as he started to move slowly, feeling the pain overwhelming him and making whatever try of getting out of the car impossible to carry out.

First he smelled the smoke and then he saw it. His lungs burned as he tried to breath but the thick substance in the air made it hard for him.

Then he felt the heat.

The car was on fire and flames were circling him. He could hear Mattia yelling at him through the radio but his wheel was away, he couldn't reply to him.

He could hear the marshals around him talking and yelling at each other as they tried to plan possible ways of getting him out.

The fire was getting stronger, moving along his car. Charles had to move. He had to step out of that car. He couldn't wait from the others to save him. He had to save himself.

He groaned in pain as he moved and undid his belts. His whole body was aching from the collision.

He had fallen right on that wall while going with 300 km/h.

"Charles, you have to get out of there!" he heard Mattia plead.

"I have to get out" he told himself. His mind flooded with all the possibilities. His thoughts went to his family and how would they react to this.

How would she react?

"Come on, Charles" he whispered to himself as he wrapped his hands around the halo and tried to lift himself.

He groaned in pain as he couldn't bring his legs to function. The heat becoming unbearable.

"Charles, are you listening?"  he heard Mattia saying to him. He quickly pulled himself together and brought his attention back to the meeting. "Yeah, I'm sorry" 

After his crush he had been hesitant to get inside the car again. It's hard for the drivers sometimes to return after such a big crush. But his team had made sure that it won't happen again. Or at least that's what they assured him off.

When the meeting was over Charles went to his driver's room to prepare himself for the race. Even though he had to drive during the past days for the practices and the qualifying, the stress that he was currently feeling was nothing like the one he had yesterday and the day before that.  

Christina was interviewing celebrities who were attending the Grand Prix when Andrea came to find her. The Italian trainer was stressed, fidgeting with his fingers as he speed walked towards her. She immediately knew that it had to do with Charles. 

"Charles needs you,"

With that Christina walked through the pit lane in a hurry, avoiding everyone that tried to get her attention so she could reach the Ferrari garage as soon as possible. 

Once she reached Charles's room, she pushed the door open and found him sitting on his bed with his face in his hands. As soon as he looked up, his green eyes said it all. His eyebrows were scrunched up in worry as he bit his lip, and the worry evident on his look.