The Hell With Earthside: A Novella (STRYDER'S HORIZON Book 1) by Daniel J. Kirk
Authors: Daniel J. Kirk
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1. THE STARTING LINE
Alice pulled up to the starting line. Her music was loud and if there was a melody, it was lost in the screaming singer’s indiscernible lyrics. Alice smiled and blew a kiss with all the subtlety of a stage actor.
It was about time. If anything her late arrival to the starting line had cooled my adrenaline and left me disinterested in how our race would carry out. She had been the one who challenged me after all. I knew I could beat her and I had no interest in proving it until she demanded for the millionth time.
Gregor pulled on an imaginary rope to get himself up out of his tattered lawn chair. It was in such disrepair that it almost followed him as he stood, but the strap broke. He rolled a small flag up around the pole and had to spin it free on his way out to the middle of the road. I thought of complaining that he was more on my side than Alice’s. That would force me to put my tires on the very edge of the pavement when I passed, but the challenge of doing so actually revived the blood in my veins. I felt warm again, like I could live.
I winked at my reflection in the rearview mirror. I looked like shit. Should’ve brushed my hair, or should’ve cut it off. I looked like some frizzy haired punk rocker chick from the ancient 1980s minus the fluorescent headband. It wasn’t all that bright out. But I had my sunglasses on for more than just show, my eye shadow was a little more than normal.
Gregor shrugged and looked at both of us. He raised the flag, which must’ve been exhausting because he yawned. I knew when he brought that arm down I had to pop the clutch into to gear and leave Alice in my dust. Meanwhile, she revved her engine as if that actually worked. It was all about timing. My rod, Old Shepard could get to 280-mph in five seconds. I topped out at 290, that’s when the steering wheel would rattle and I’d be vibrating like a charged electron. But the track was only six miles. So my start did matter since I knew Alice’s vibrant green paperweight could actually haul ass up to speeds over 300.
Alice smacked her hand on her door. Why are the ones who are always late always the most impatient?
Gregor dropped his arm. The flag followed. It was a memory now. An image still clinging to my retina as I listened to the engine accelerate. I couldn’t take my eyes off the road, the first curve happened fast. My faster acceleration meant I had to let off, where as Alice was still speeding up and matched the curve with the right velocity and then zoomed passed me.
I hadn’t lost the race just yet. At mile four there was a turn that was going to take the wind out of her. I just needed to keep up. As long as I stayed close enough, it’ll be like starting at the line again and the acceleration would be enough to beat her in the final two miles.
As I crossed the finish line I realized I’d run this track for the last time. There was no point to it anymore. Alice came in a mere second later. She flung open her car door and called Gregor over to inspect her engine.
“Something has to be wrong!”
I needed to stretch my legs otherwise I would’ve driven home. I’ve never been one to flaunt my victories.
“Looks fine to me,” Gregor said scratching various parts of his body. He probably had fleas. Looked like he had fleas at the very least.
“I don’t buy it. I could’v e beaten her.” Then she turned to me. “I could’ve beaten you on a longer track. No way your rust bucket does that again.”
“You’re right,” I said.
Alice didn’t hear me. “And if you want to go again I’ll show you how you got lucky. I thought I should take it a little easy on you when I passed you so quick on the first turn. Maybe I underestimated you, but you didn’t beat me.”
“Your stereo too loud,” Gregor said yanking a wire. The noise gave the air a piercing silence, one that made Alice’s voice even shriller.
“Come on Kimmie, let’s go again!”
“Stereo eats
Alice pulled up to the starting line. Her music was loud and if there was a melody, it was lost in the screaming singer’s indiscernible lyrics. Alice smiled and blew a kiss with all the subtlety of a stage actor.
It was about time. If anything her late arrival to the starting line had cooled my adrenaline and left me disinterested in how our race would carry out. She had been the one who challenged me after all. I knew I could beat her and I had no interest in proving it until she demanded for the millionth time.
Gregor pulled on an imaginary rope to get himself up out of his tattered lawn chair. It was in such disrepair that it almost followed him as he stood, but the strap broke. He rolled a small flag up around the pole and had to spin it free on his way out to the middle of the road. I thought of complaining that he was more on my side than Alice’s. That would force me to put my tires on the very edge of the pavement when I passed, but the challenge of doing so actually revived the blood in my veins. I felt warm again, like I could live.
I winked at my reflection in the rearview mirror. I looked like shit. Should’ve brushed my hair, or should’ve cut it off. I looked like some frizzy haired punk rocker chick from the ancient 1980s minus the fluorescent headband. It wasn’t all that bright out. But I had my sunglasses on for more than just show, my eye shadow was a little more than normal.
Gregor shrugged and looked at both of us. He raised the flag, which must’ve been exhausting because he yawned. I knew when he brought that arm down I had to pop the clutch into to gear and leave Alice in my dust. Meanwhile, she revved her engine as if that actually worked. It was all about timing. My rod, Old Shepard could get to 280-mph in five seconds. I topped out at 290, that’s when the steering wheel would rattle and I’d be vibrating like a charged electron. But the track was only six miles. So my start did matter since I knew Alice’s vibrant green paperweight could actually haul ass up to speeds over 300.
Alice smacked her hand on her door. Why are the ones who are always late always the most impatient?
Gregor dropped his arm. The flag followed. It was a memory now. An image still clinging to my retina as I listened to the engine accelerate. I couldn’t take my eyes off the road, the first curve happened fast. My faster acceleration meant I had to let off, where as Alice was still speeding up and matched the curve with the right velocity and then zoomed passed me.
I hadn’t lost the race just yet. At mile four there was a turn that was going to take the wind out of her. I just needed to keep up. As long as I stayed close enough, it’ll be like starting at the line again and the acceleration would be enough to beat her in the final two miles.
As I crossed the finish line I realized I’d run this track for the last time. There was no point to it anymore. Alice came in a mere second later. She flung open her car door and called Gregor over to inspect her engine.
“Something has to be wrong!”
I needed to stretch my legs otherwise I would’ve driven home. I’ve never been one to flaunt my victories.
“Looks fine to me,” Gregor said scratching various parts of his body. He probably had fleas. Looked like he had fleas at the very least.
“I don’t buy it. I could’v e beaten her.” Then she turned to me. “I could’ve beaten you on a longer track. No way your rust bucket does that again.”
“You’re right,” I said.
Alice didn’t hear me. “And if you want to go again I’ll show you how you got lucky. I thought I should take it a little easy on you when I passed you so quick on the first turn. Maybe I underestimated you, but you didn’t beat me.”
“Your stereo too loud,” Gregor said yanking a wire. The noise gave the air a piercing silence, one that made Alice’s voice even shriller.
“Come on Kimmie, let’s go again!”
“Stereo eats
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