Page 12 of Race to the Beach

Owen was stuck in the middle of the pack.It was very congested, so it took most of the way through the first lap for the cars to thin out enough for him to make his first move.

He pulled out and passed one car.He was gaining on the next car, but when they came to a curve, he had to back off and downshift.With one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand on the gear shift, he made it flawlessly through the turn.

On the straightaway, he shifted gears and then punched the accelerator.He raced past the car in front of him.And then he passed two more.

The next car was a red MG.It was moving along at a good clip, passing the cars in front of them.As they passed the checkpoint near the beach, they were headed toward the south end of town.

Try as he might, he couldn't gain on the MG.In fact, they were starting to pull away.He had to catch them.He pressed harder on the accelerator.

It took a bit, but at last, he was gaining on them.He moved to the left of them in order to pass.Then the MG’s brake lights flashed on.His body tensed.What are they doing?This was a straightaway.They should be accelerating, not slowing down.

It all happened so fast.The red glow of the brake lights.Then the MG swerved into his lane.He hit his brakes, but the car kept careening forward...

This was it.

This was her chance to live up to her father's expectations.

Maxi's car was situated somewhere in the middle of the pack.As she waited for the start of the race, she glanced around for her aunt.It took a moment, but she spotted her near the starting line.She waved, not sure her aunt would see her, but then Aunt Bonnie smiled and waved back.

Maxi continued to look around.It wasn't like she knew many people on the island.And the people she did know were her aunt’s friends.It didn't stop her from glancing around.

She didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, but she was looking for Owen.After all, they had a bet, and there was no way she was buying him lunch.It wasn't going to happen.

She shifted in the car seat, trying to get comfortable.She adjusted the seatbelt that she’d recently installed.As comfortable as she was going to get, she gripped the steering wheel with both hands.She centered her attention on the flagger.Any moment the flag would drop, and they would be off and racing.

Her heart was pounding.Her palms were damp.Her breathing came in short, quick gasps.Was this what it was like to have a panic attack?

She had to get it together.There was no reason to freak out.The car was in great shape.She might have test driven it on some back roads in Virginia.She might have exceeded the speed limit just a little bit.Okay.Maybe she’d exceeded the speed limit by a large margin.She had to be certain the car was ready for the competition.

You can do this.

You've got this.

She drew in a deep, calming breath.She held it for a few seconds and then slowly released it.She repeated it a couple more times.

As she released a breath, the green flag fell.Her hands tightened on the steering wheel.This was it.Now if only the cars in front of her would move.Her entire attention was focused on the car directly in front of her.

It took a little bit for it to thin out to a point where Maxi could step on the accelerator.She snaked her little red car around vehicle after vehicle.

When she took a moment to glance in her rearview mirror, she found she wasn't the only car working their way to the front of the pack.There was a car right on her bumper.She pressed harder on the accelerator.She wasn't going to let them get by her.In fact, maybe they were just what she needed to keep up her pace as she worked her way one car at a time to the lead car.

She still had five cars in front of her, and now that they were on the second lap, she was running out of time.I can do this.I can do this.She kept repeating the motto in her head.

She slowed for a curve.As she rounded it, a blur of motion caught her attention.What was that?A goat?Why was there a goat on the racetrack?

She had no time to answer that question as she stomped both the clutch and brake.Even though she was practically standing on the brake pedal, the car continued to careen forward.

She cut the steering wheel to the left, away from the animal.It was still moving forward as the tires screeched across the roadway.

It all happened so fast.Everything in front of her was a blur.Then she was jolted hard against her seatbelt.In the next moment, her shoulder slammed hard into the door.

The screeching sound of torn metal filled the air.Time seemed to stand still as the ear-piercing sound continued.And then there was a hit from behind.Her body was flung back against the seat.The car came to rest on the side of the racetrack.When she opened her eyes, she didn't know what to expect.She blinked and looked around.

One by one she moved each part of her body.She was sore, but it didn’t stop her from taking account of what body parts still worked.She wiggled her toes.Her fingers moved, but when she went to move her arms, a sharp pain shot through her left shoulder.She winced.

When she looked around, she didn't see the goat.But it had been there.She hadn't imagined it, right?

Please, don't let me have wrecked the car and lost my chance at helping my aunt because I imagined there was a goat in the road.If her mind was going to play tricks on her, it wouldn’t have conjured up a goat.Definitely not a goat.It would have been something like a cat or a dog.But a goat?No.

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