Speeding Through a Blind Curve

LAP ONE

RAE ON-AIR | JULY 2015 - PODCAST #232

[00:01] Hello everyone. It's Rae again.
[00:03] I know I haven't been able to update you guys as much but *sighs*
[00:08] Life has been happening more than usual.
[00:12] The past year and a half has been taxing,
[00:15] but I made it out alive.
[00:20] I SURVIVED! *sound of a single clap*
[00:21] It's officially my last year as an Educ student
[00:24] But thankfully, it seems
[00:27] the universe is being less of an asshole this time around.

- - -

It's her last lap. She relishes every turn and willingly fights against the strong pull of gravity on her body as the slicks lift off the ground at a sharp curve. She steps on the gas. She feels the air hitting her torso with a vengeance. Reluctantly, her foot presses down on the brakes, making the last turn before stopping at the pit lane.

For a student whose expenditures are mostly limited to tuition, books, dorm fees and other school-related things, there is very little room for leisure. But Rae has long resolved to set aside some money every day to pool enough for a round at the Manila Kart track at least once a month.

After their parents died, Rae and her brothers were forced to leave the life they'd become accustomed to. No more family outings, no more jet-setting, no more cruising down the expressway listening to their dad singing along very badly to pop songs on the radio. She lost a big part of herself when she lost her mom and dad, and a trip back to the kart track where her family last spent a day together put the first piece of her broken puzzle back in place.

Rae lifts her helmet's face shield before breathing in the air that she loves the most—thick with the smell of burnt rubber, the atmosphere still simmering from the heat of all the karts on the track.

The friendly track attendant walks over to her kart. "One more round, Rae?" The words are said in a whisper, the slight man bending down a little to make sure the other customers will not hear his next words nor see the wink it comes with. "On the house."

Who is she to say no? She's at a point where it wouldn't be imposing to keep her kart and ride again. Rae has spent enough time in Manila Kart the past few years, she's practically an institution already.

Looking over the attendant's shoulder, she sees the owner, Sir Basti, give her a thumbs up, and she sends back a salute before putting her face shield back in place.

There's a lot of noise being made behind her, a new group of people goofing around. She barely understands any of it and she doesn't care to either. Her grip on the steering wheel tightens as her legs tremble from excitement. It takes only a few more moments before all the attendants are off the track and the timer is counting down from ten.

The sound of the starter pistol sends all the karts on their way.

---

It's three laps in when Rae realizes it's becoming a pretty tight race. Kart number 57 has been consistently pulling ahead and there are two other karts always just behind it. She manages to pull right back in the lead in mere seconds but it's a game of tug-of-war the entire time.

There are two laps left, and Rae is leading. She hits a sharp curve. She's energized by gravity and the force of the kart's weight pulling at her from opposite directions. It's always been bliss to fight that and she feels triumphant for knowing how to hit that curve perfectly every time. As the slicks settle back on the ground, she feels a nudge on the side of her kart. Kart number 57 just sideswiped her.