Darkened

Chapter 2 : Race Track

I lock the hood of the car, taking in a deep breath for the long run. Looking to my left, I could see Ollie still messing around.

I get closer to his car, realising that he is delaying the race as much as he can.

"How are you doing Ollie?" I ask, leaning against the front door of the car.

"Ow!" he groans, clumsily lifting his head up only to bump it to the hood of the car. Guess my question caught him off guard? Or we're just more alike than I realise. "Oh, I'm doing fine!" He rubs the back of his head nervously. "You know, just checking that you didn't try to sabotage my car."

I raise an eyebrow at him. The guts this kid has!

"You do realise that I am the one who built you this car, right?" I ask. More like state.

"Exactly. Which means you know the ups and downs of this car. The goods... and the bads." He looks at me suspiciously, earning a roll from my eyes.

"Yeah, keep trying to come up with reasons for when you lose." I finally walk towards my car, awaiting everyone.

"Okay guys, gather around!" Veda suddenly calls out to us from the other end of the room.

Everyone around the compound's headquarters, which included members of troupes from all around the compound and all of the members from my team, follows Veda's instructions and gathers around her. We all look at the board that lied behind her, as she starts pointing at the points and lines that are stacked on it.

"Okay, so this should be as simple as it looks!" It does not look simple at all. Well, at least not simple for someone who doesn't leave the compound much. Talking about Ollie here.

"The headquarters are the starting point and the end line." She explains. Ollie and I stand right in front of the crowd, our eyes skimming over the map on the board. "You have to fly up by the Great Tower which is right next to the river channel. The train tracks lead to underground tunnels that have been abandoned for centuries now. You are to zoom through those tunnels. They will lead you towards the edge of the Dark Grounds. Flying a top the Dark Grounds, you will then reach back to the river channel, which you will rush above and then get back here. First one to land their car is the winner!"

A brief unsettling feeling arroses in me at the mention of the Dark Grounds. But I quickly ignore it.

"All clear?"

I eagerly nod, ready to win this race and prove to Ollie that he has messed with the wrong girl!

Ollie, on the other hand, seems a bit pale.

"Don't even think about cheating!" Suddenly, Bubble emerges through the crowd to stand right next to Veda. "We've placed trackers on your car, so we can follow your every move on the computer screens."

Everyone in the room looks at Ollie. "Oh, come on!" He raises his hands up in the air in surrender. "Have you any faith in me?" The silence in the room answers his question.

"Ok! Enough chit chat, let's do this thin!" Veda voices my mutual eagerness.

Without thinking twice, I pass through the crowd and hop into my car. Ollie does the same, but once he is in his car, he looks at me through the window.

"Are you sure you don't want to back down?"

"Not a chance!" Determination fires up from within the depths of my heart. I always take the car for rides outside of the compound when not under petrol. But now, everyone is here to see what I have got stored.