Hey kiddo.
Sorry… I guess it’s all I can say at this point. But I guess it’s not something you’ll be able to forgive me for so soon, huh?
Anyway… Sorry.
Life hasn’t been the same since mom and dad passed. Never really had much in the way of dreams or goals to begin with; thought I’d at least make myself useful by being there for them when they got old but, well, they never made it there. Since then I’ve just been drifting aimlessly through life.
Work is the same old… not too great, not too bad. It’s good money, but what am I accomplishing really? Clock in, clock out. Day in and day out, wasting the days away. The new hobbies I pick up fill the void for a while, then just get forgotten after a bit and the cycle starts anew. Well, I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed that already anyway.
Doctor switches out medication every two months, and is always scratching his head when I tell him it’s not improving. I don’t know if I’m more clueless than he is, or if we’re all just faking ‘till we make it. Guess I’m just a broken guy, huh? Hopefully I’ll have better luck next time.
The will is in the lowest drawer of my dresser, under all the photo albums. I’m leaving you everything; don’t really need much where I’m going.
I’ll be long gone by the time you read this. Take care of yourself, little brother. I’m proud of you.
—----
The letter you left on your desk stays on your mind during the whole trek up the road from the last bus station at the base of the mountain. The chilly autumn air prickles your face as you walk and the tips of your fingers feel tingly and sensitive, but it doesn’t bother you nearly as much as the racing thoughts in your head. You let out a deep sigh.
“My mind’s been made a long time ago… Now I just have to do it. There’s really no other way for someone like me.” You think to yourself, the spiral of years of depressive thoughts culminating here on this day.
Ironically, the walk up the hill gives you time to appreciate nature and get a good whiff of clean, fresh air. The leaves are mostly gone now, leaving behind only gray, lifeless husks behind; but still, it’s a beautiful sight if only a somber one. The climb is silent, just accompanied by the sounds of crackling branches, the howl of the wind and the fast beating of your heart, both from the physical exertion and the obvious, natural anxiety over what you are about to do.
Taking a sharp turn as the road levels out, your eyes fall upon your target: an old steel bridge that connects one side of the ravine to the other.
“Hah, brings me back.” You let out a quiet chuckle as you remember the trips you took with your family to visit your grandparents and how you’d always marvel at the feats of engineering necessary to erect such a structure, and gasping as you looked down at the rapids hundreds of meters below. Those were some of the happiest days of your life, and so it’s fitting that you chose here to end it.
Finally your hand touches the metal hand rail at the very start. It shivers, and you’re unsure if from the cold or from the fear of what you came here to do. But taking a deep breath, you steel yourself and finally take a step onto the structure. Then another, and soon you’re back to walking forward at a normal pace. There’s no other way right? We already settled this. Those are the thoughts going through your mind, propelling you forward.
Finally, you reach the midpoint between the two mountainsides. Taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air, you turn towards the guard rail - placing both hands on the freezing metal and feeling the rough texture of cracked paint and rust. “Yeah… me too, old friend.” You smile, looking down and seeing nothing but pitch darkness ahead of you. Not even the moon has come out to see you off. You climb over - ironically, carefully so as to not fall. That duality crosses your mind and you chuckle, just as your feet touch the outer edge of the wide steel beams, and your hands support your weight as you stand between the bridge and the edge of the abyss.
The wind picks up, and your grip on the handrail tightens instinctively - your heart pumping blood through your veins as a reminder you’re still alive. “Heh, why now of all times you need to remind me you can still beat?” You say out loud to fall on deaf ears, and then go silent as the wind dies down again. But as it does, your ears pick up something in the distance.
“Huh?... What’s that sound?”
It’s a faint rumble, or maybe a growl. But as time passes, it gets louder and louder. Your instincts kick in, the fear that a creature - whether a mountain lion or a mountain demon doesn’t matter - is making its way to you. But it grows louder, and it’s no longer just one, but four different but similar sounds. They bounce off the cliffs and hills, echoing far down into the ravine. You frown, blinking once or twice. Are those… cars? At this time of the night?
You turn your head toward the way you came - and moments later, the leafless trees gain a luster that grows brighter and brighter until they’re no longer specters in the night but momentarily beacons of pure light. And then finally it’s confirmed as headlights make the turn and point straight in your direction - a third of a mile away still.
“Hah… what a pain.” You sigh, closing your eyes for a moment; but next time you open them, those headlights are significantly closer than before. “Woah! What the?”
Your curiosity gets the better of you; plus the mood was ruined anyway. Adjusting your body to turn sideways and observe, it becomes clearer and clearer that there are four cars coming this way fast. Very, very fast. And loud - much louder than before, screaming machines louder than any you have seen before.
And just as fast as they approach… they’re gone. With a thundering roar as they fly past you much much faster than the speed limit, the vehicles come and go as a blur, your eyes not even able to adjust fast enough to make out what makes and models they were, and already having trouble remembering their colors after the vacuum they create nearly knocks you off your precarious platform, the only thing standing between you and certain death.
“Woah, those guys are crazy.” You watch as the group of tail lights reach the opposite end of the bridge and quickly turn away to disappear into the mountains once more, the spill of their headlights becoming harder and harder to see as they travel and the roaring sounds growing fainter and fainter as they go.
Finally, peace and quiet returns. You sigh again and take a deep breath, closing your eyes momentarily. The wind brushes up against your hair again, and you finally realize just how cold your nose has gotten. The drop in temperature quickly numbs your senses, the texture of the guard rail almost unrecognizable through your fingertips anymore. A shiver hits you from head to toe, and you open your eyes to look down.
“Well. I guess this is now or never.” Your mind wanders for a second, and you think back to the scene you had just witnessed. That looks… fun. Maybe I’ll give a try in the next life.
But again, your ear picks up something that brings you back to reality and breaks your concentration. The sound is now familiar, but singular.
“Not again. How rude, c’mon.” You roll your eyes, again watching for the approach of headlights, deciding to wait until they are long gone this time around. However, the roaring tune from before has been replaced by a much more behaved sound, but still rowdy and growly, with pops and crackles bouncing off the steel structure. “Just leave quickly, please.” You shrug, turning away and hoping to remain unseen.
But the noise quickly dies down, becoming softer and softer until it’s a rumble, though still a menacing one - and you sense that the vehicle comes to a stop on the opposite end of the road, not far away from you.
“Ah, shit. He must have seen me. Just go away, leave me alone, man, please.” You think quietly, sinking your head into your shoulders as far as they will go. It’s embarrassing, and it’s frustrating to say the least. What, are you going to get a stern talking to by a stranger? Now, of all times?
A moment later, the engine stops and you hear the door unlatch open.
“Sorry, man, but I’m not in the mood for this right now. See ya,” you whisper under your breath.
You take a deep breath, and feel your heart rate rise as you lean forward towards the ledge, your grip on the slippery metal the only thing keeping you from falling.
“One…”
“Two…”
…
“Please wait!”
Your eyes open wide in surprise at the feminine voice that strikes your ears, your surprise making your grip on the railing tighten like a vice.
You turn around almost on instinct, and you bet your face is one of pure awe as you do. Her words are followed by the sound of hastened footsteps that slow down once she has crossed the street, becoming a slow careful amble in your direction. In the dim light of this old bridge it was difficult to see her before, but as she comes ever closer, you get a good look at her.
Waist-length brown hair and large, bright brown eyes adorn her face - her eyebrows furrowed together to complete her expression of worry, trying as she might to hide her panic but unable to keep her eyes from darting nervously. She couldn’t be much taller than 160cm, especially with the flat sneakers she wore, complemented by jeans and a long-sleeved light-pink blouse. A golden star-shaped hairpin shines faintly with the bleed from the car’s headlights.
For a few seconds, you’re lost in thought simply observing her. But as she takes a step closer, you snap out of it and pull yourself back towards the guardrail, left completely stunned at that revelation.
“I-it’s fine, I just want to talk.” Her voice cracks a bit, but you can tell it is melodious and soft when she isn’t nervous. She also stays still, a few arms’ lengths from you.
You didn’t really expect this turn of events. And wait, she came out of the driver’s seat; was this girl driving that car at those speeds?! This cute, soft-spoken woman?! Your thoughts race all over the place at this situation. You look back at the vehicle, expecting someone else to walk out but… nothing. It’s just you, her and the faint glow of its blinking hazard lights, after all.
You take a few breaths to calm down and close your eyes momentarily. Another gust of wind rustles your hair.
“Um…” She continues softly.
You turn to face her, that expression of concern leaving you flustered, your heart beating faster and faster - the irony of feeling dead inside for so long and suddenly being proven wrong here of all places, and of all times, not lost on you and you can’t help but chuckle.
“W-what’s funny?” She tilts her head as she looks at you.
“Ah. Sorry, just… I wasn’t expecting an audience.”
She seems a bit stunned by this, and doesn’t respond right away. But after a few moments of awkward silence, it seems the thing she wanted to say the most finally comes out of her lips from the enthusiasm and shakiness of her voice: “Please don’t do this! Please…”
Her words, unsurprisingly… ring hollow.
“... Why do you care?” There’s a certain anger within you, one that you try hard to keep bottled up. But those words really rile you up for reasons you don’t quite understand. Maybe it’s being patronized by a stranger, or maybe because she’s butting in where she isn’t wanted.
“I… Why?” She seems shocked, though you’re not sure why. “Because you’re a person! And you don’t have to do this! I don’t know what you’re going through but - “
“That’s right, you really don’t!” You raise your voice at her, startling the girl enough for her to take a step back. She furrows her brow and chews on her lower lip, holding her tongue as her eyes scan the ground. “Look, I don’t know what you’re doing here, but it’s time to leave.” You face away, your back against the guard rail once again.
“Okay, maybe I don’t, but your friends! And your family… Think about them, please!” Her voice cracks once again, and once again her words ring hollow. The anger they stoke inside you is fierce, to the point of boiling. Why does she have to make this more difficult than it is?
“There aren’t any!” You shout back at her, still looking away. “There aren’t any, OK?” Your voice cracks as you continue on, the anger quickly dissolving into simple self-hatred as the meaning of your own words seems to bring you back to reality. “There’s nothing left for me here, nothing at all…”
“I…” She stays silent for a few moments as the wind howls through the chasm below you. “No… There has to be.” Her voice firms up now in a somewhat commanding, confident tone. “There must be something you can find to make life worth living. I refuse to believe there isn’t!”
Her optimism is commendable, but you chuckle quietly at the childishness of her words. You turn around again and look her straight in the eye.
“Listen… Ever feel like you can’t feel your own heartbeats anymore?” You point to your chest. “Like it just isn’t there anymore, no matter what you do? Whether you’re happy or sad, it’s always beating at the same rate?” You turn around fully, your back now facing the abyss, keen on teaching this overly positive girl some harsh truths. “Or going to bed, year after year, hoping to not see the sunrise next morning? Like it’s all pointless, and a waste of time?”
She bites her lower lip in frustration, averting her gaze.
“Yeah, thought so…” You continue. “There’s just nothing left for me, OK? The world is dull, it’s gray, it’s boring. Nothing gets me excited or happy anymore.” You sigh, softening up your tone. “So… please, just leave me alone.”
Her hands ball up into fists. “I…I…” There’s a part of you that wants the conversation to end here, but another that admittedly wants it to go on. “Nothing?” Her eyes lock onto yours again, a slight smirk in her lips despite her hands trembling in fear.
“Huh?” The question leaves you a bit puzzled.
“You said nothing makes you excited or happy anymore.” She continues, taking a confident step forward.
“... Yeah.”
“If… If I can disprove that…” Her chest rises as she breathes heavily. “Will you reconsider?”
“Huh? And how do you plan on doing that?” You smirk, her offer striking you as somewhat comical.
The girl simply takes a step aside, giving you a view of what’s behind her: her car. Sky-blue, and not anything like what you have seen before - but the large opening in the center grille adorned with the three-pointed star logo at least tells you it’s a Benz. You had heard it fly by, and heard it on its way back. You can’t tell what’s inside of it, just that it’s rowdy and loud. You swallow dry as your eyes shift back to her.
“How - how’s this? If by the time we get to the bottom of the mountain you don’t take those words back, then… Then I’ll drive you back here and leave you alone.”
“Look, thanks for the offer but I wasn’t talking about being scared, alright? That I can do. It’s something else I’m lacking.”
“I know what you meant.” She responds quickly and sharply.
The two of you exchange stares for a few moments. The change in her demeanor is certainly a surprise, and her confidence… There’s something to it.
The wind picks up again, far stronger than before, making her long hair flutter and wave behind her. For a second, the halo produced by the headlights that surrounds her, her fierce stare and aura of innocent positivity strikes you as heavenly, as if you were in the presence of an angel or goddess. In the back of your mind, there’s a glimpse of hope, one that your serotonin-deprived brain quickly works to squash. “Maybe there’s a chance… No, there’s no way. But what if… No, it’s too late,” you think quietly, your mind entering a spiral of self-doubt.
“Please, just… Give me a chance.” She continues, her eyes moistened as she holds back tears.
You look at her, then at the ground. “Hah…” You sigh audibly as your eyes return up. “You’ll drop me back here, then?”
She beams up, a hopeful smile in her lips. “Yes!”
You hesitate, fingers gripping the guardrail tightly. It’s scary. The prospect of being proven wrong is scary. The possibility of being led on by yet another false hope is scarier still. But something primal and ancient tells you to keep trying. Something stronger than the todestrieb that led you here.
You carefully pull yourself back over the guard rail, once again standing on solid ground. The girl exhales loudly and brings a hand to her chest, as if a weight had been dropped from her shoulders. Now that you’re here, though, you feel strangely embarrassed and out of place. Without much to do or say, you scratch the back of your head.
“Okay, then… So, I take that as a ‘yes’.” She asks just to be sure.
You nod, to which she responds with a smile.
“Hah… I’m glad. Then… let’s go?” She turns around and looks over her shoulder as she takes a step back across the street.
“Um… Yeah.” You follow her and her instructions as she points you towards the passenger’s seat. As you come closer to the vehicle, you can definitely tell it’s no run of the mill Benz, even if you’re not particularly interested or knowledgeable in cars. The wheel arches protrude outward significantly, as if they had been slapped there after the fact. The tires are comically wide… wider than any you have seen before. Coming around to the other side from the back, though, you can read the badging. “SL65… AMG,” you say under your breath, moving in closer to read the smaller letters under the other logo which are faint and hard to see in the poor lighting conditions “Black?”
“Yeah. Do you like it?” She says with a hint of pride as she opens the driver’s door.
“Yeah, it’s certainly… different.” You do the same, carefully opening the door to take a look inside. It’s certainly… small. But no wonder, considering how low it sits. But the first thing you notice as you enter are the seats - single piece bucket seats, made entirely of carbon fiber. You raise an eyebrow, but follow her lead to finally take your place upon it, sitting down on the hard surface. It’s then that you notice how uncomfortable they truly are, but also how much they contour to your body - like a bear hug, almost. Next to you, the girl has also taken a seat and is busy weaving her arms into a pair of nylon straps that cascade from the slots just above her shoulders.
“Ah. Have you ever put these on before?” She seems to notice your curious stare, and then reaches over to assist with them. Soon you both click the harnesses together, strapped in tightly to your seat. You take a quick glimpse of the interior, and ponder just where to put this machine… it’s a bit spartan, but also luxurious. It’s hard to really put your finger on it. But your doubts about the interior are completely pushed aside once the girl reaches into the center console and presses the “Engine Start” button.
Your seat shakes, and you feel the vibrations of the engine coming to life directly on your spine. It almost rattles your skull with how little the seats cushion its impact. And the noise! The roar that fills your ears the moment the button is pressed is intense; not as bad as you thought from having heard it earlier, perhaps the insulation does do its job, but still, holding a conversation in this cabin would be a real hassle. It’s certainly anxiety-inducing to not know what’s coming next.
She reaches into the center console and presses a few buttons - you’re not quite sure what they do, but a mechanical noise coming from the trunk has you curious, and looking through the rearview mirror, you watch as the spoiler rises from the trunk lid. “Woah, that’s pretty cool,” you think.
Her hand rests on the gear lever and she turns to you.
“Okay. Ready?”
You look back and nod, eyes now focused straight ahead and out of the windshield. You rest your hands on your thighs just as she engages the shifter, disengages the parking brake and starts moving.
And in that moment you begin to understand why the bucket seats as your head whiplashes back as the car takes off with incredible speed, your eyes opening wide as everything around the two of you becomes a blur - railings, bushes, trees, road signs… The relative quietude inside the cabin is completely replaced by the thunderous roar of the engine and the high-pitched whine of something else you can’t quite make out. But the acceleration is what gives you butterflies in your stomach - it’s nothing you’ve experienced before. Roller coasters have nothing on this.
Second gear comes and along with the loud squealing of tires you feel the car shift dangerously sideways, forcing you to instinctively reach for the hand rest above your window before her hands snap the steering wheel the opposite way with harsh but precise inputs, never once lifting off the throttle, and like a conductor in an orchestra, she guides the car back straight once again. The power hasn’t dropped off; in fact, it almost feels as if the forces squishing you back against your seat have gotten stronger. You finally begin to understand just how she had managed to close the gap between the bridge and the turn down the hill so quickly last time as it quickly comes into your field of view.
You expected her to brake, slow down… something. But as the turn approaches, your heart beats faster and faster from her total lack of acknowledgment of it. Panic sets in and you look at her and her visage of total calm and concentration, eyes firmly planted on the road. A quick glimpse at the speedometer sends your heart rate through the roof as you’re doing over 110 miles an hour through a tight mountain road in the dead of night. Looking ahead again, the turn is just so close that in the back of your mind, you can’t help but think this girl has lost it and she’s taking you with her.
But just as the bucket seats kept you in place on acceleration, the harness around your chest keeps you from being catapulted out of the windshield when it’s finally time for the brakes - a loud, banshee-like scream emanating from the fronts as you feel your eyeballs strain against your eyelids. But you don’t have time to scream or contemplate just how physics-defying this all seems as the speed drops significantly enough for her to release the brakes just as she turns the wheel, your body this time being thrown sideways against the bolstering and the nylon harness digging into your flesh. All your internal organs seem to shift to one side as the wind is knocked from your lungs as the car turns - a long sweeper that lasts a few good seconds, the rumble and squeal of tires fills your ears as the RPM drops and lets other sounds take its place.
The road finally straightens out, but you don’t have much time to catch your breath before the power comes back on once again. “Jesus Christ,” you manage to say out loud as the speed quickly climbs over 100 in no time at all. As for her? Cool as ice. Almost as if you’re not even there with how focused she is on her driving. And after that last feat, you don’t have any doubts left that this girl knows what she’s doing.
The next turn approaches, and it’s another symphony of raw, mechanical sounds as the car slows down and leans surprisingly little as you enter the corner, almost as if it’s on rails. The speed begins to affect you less now, and you start to pay attention at just how quickly her hand movements on the steering wheel happen as she corrects each and every squirrely movement from the rear and wrangles it back in place, even mid corner where you imagine a sudden, brisk movement may send the two of you around a tree. It’s… inspiring, somehow.
There really are no sections of this path that do not see a combination of acceleration or deceleration - even during the short, zig-zagging turns that don’t quite make for big directional changes. But whereas a normal driver may choose to simply cruise through them, not her: the constant forward, rearward and sideways forces applied to your body through the seat show just how quick and precise she is on her footwork. As you exit that section into a long straight line, the accelerator is already on the floor just as the corner ends, a bit of sideways travel that she counters elegantly.
Again, the speed takes you by surprise. Or rather, not the speed, but how quickly you gain it. There’s a monster in front of you, along with another just by your side - though of a different kind.
Soon, her feats begin to feel less and less like acts of God and more expressions of skill and talent. While adrenaline still floods your veins, you gain a certain level of inner peace as you put your life in her hands and enjoy the ride to the fullest until your gasps for air have been replaced by chuckles and laughs. It’s the most fun you have had in a very long time, of that you’re certain.
Soon you don’t quite care to look at how fast you’re going, feeling safe that she knows what she’s doing even as she makes full use of the straight just ahead to blast straight past the previous speed record. Knowing that a hairpin is at the end of the line here does put butterflies in your stomach again, but the fear has been replaced by the excitement of seeing just how she would pull this off. And she doesn’t disappoint: another hard pump of the brakes as you slow down 20, 25 MPH a second and feel multiple Gs of force applied on your body just before she snaps the steering wheel to one side, immediately sending the tires squealing while the car enters the turn sideways, drifting the entire 180 degree-turn while your grip on the handguard tightens even more, doing your best to try and keep your body in one place.
It’s easy to forget to breathe sometimes, and that certainly fit the bill - you gasp for air once the lateral forces are replaced by sheer acceleration once again, though this time the car feels even more unwieldy than before, swerving side to side as her arms counter its movements, nearly swerving into the other lane.
“Tch. That was ugly…”
For the first time she lets something slip, though you’re sure it wasn’t you she was addressing there.
It’s hard to keep track of how far you’ve traveled by now, but you know there isn’t much left to go until you reach the base of the mountain. Your eyes suddenly shift from the windshield back to her, mesmerized at her level of focus and concentration. Like a surgeon, the car is her scalpel and the road her patient. You thought of it before, but it’s inspiring… and suddenly you feel a little jealous, jealous of someone who’s truly, unequivocally good at something.
Perhaps another two, three minutes later, the two of you have finally arrived on level ground - the tree line more and more sparse as the forestry gives way to farmland. In the distance, the glow of city lights emanates from behind the hills, and thus you’re sure the time to make a decision has come.
“Hahh…” She sighs, her shoulders finally relaxing and her stern expression giving way to one of relief. “It’s really more stressful when you have someone with you.” She gives you a wry smile as the car begins to decelerate until she has pulled over at the bus stop. “I could only go at 70% at most… I hope that was okay.”
Your eyes go wide. “70… percent?”
Your reaction puts some color on her cheeks. “Ah, yeah - it’s still a public road, I wouldn’t want to go crazy…”
You sigh and close your eyes.
That’s it. She was right. It’s faint, but you can feel it - your heart beating from excitement and childlike amusement. All the distractions and past-times you chased before couldn’t possibly compare to this. The feeling of freedom, of danger… of conquering your fear, of surpassing the limits of what you thought were possible. In a few short minutes, she had shown you the door to something unknown, and handed you the keys. Perhaps it is true that hope is the last thing to die.
Your hands reach for the clasp on your harness, freeing yourself from it and calmly pushing it off your shoulders. You finally look at her, a puzzled look in her face, though she seems curious about what you’re doing.
“Does that…”
You reach for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride.” You turn to her and give her a half smile, opening the door and squeezing your way out - having to support your weight given your legs were still a bit shaky, something you hadn’t noticed until you had to use them.
Her eyes moisten up as she looks at you, and the tip of her nose grows rose-colored. “I’m glad…” Her lips form a wide, sincere smile. You feel your face warm up a bit, finally making note of just how pretty she really is.
“Ah… I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s…” She hesitates for a second. “Sora.”
You nod, a nervous smile in your lips. “Sora, huh. Well… thanks.” You motion to close the door behind you, but her voice stops you.
“Wait! What’s your name? You haven’t told me yet.”
“It’s A-...” You pause for a moment, thinking quietly. You then smirk, looking her in the eyes. “Sora - if one day I manage to beat you in a race down this road… Then I’ll tell you.” As you are now, you feel you’re not worthy. But one day…
It takes a moment for her to process what you mean, and once she does, she chuckles lightly. “I see. It’s a promise, then.” Her expression of confidence shines through one more time. “I’ll look forward to it, then.”
“Yeah, me too.” You give her a friendly wave, finally closing the door behind you. She waves back, though it’s hard to see through the smoked windows. You finally notice something on her back window: a sticker, not too large, but prominent. A blue sideways triangle with rounded-off edges - not something you have seen before.
As you make your way to the bench for a much needed breather, the engine fires up once more. By now, it doesn’t surprise nor startle you anymore - it’s become music to your ears, and you hope for the chance to hear it again some day.
You take a seat and rest your shoulders, hanging your head over the backrest. Moments later, Sora is back on her merry way further down to the city - and you suddenly wonder if you’ll even be able to catch a ride back home at this time of the night. “Maybe I should have asked for a ride further into town…”
As you ponder the next move, your ears pick up another commotion… this time, from the same place you two came from. The sound of roaring engines bounces off the mountains and the trees as headlights peek through the clearings. This time, it’s no longer a surprise - you’re expecting them. The other cars you’d seen go up the mountain with Sora. As they come closer, their rate of speed slows down considerably, giving you a chance to gawk at the vehicles.
First in line is something that at a first glance is easily recognizable even to you, though the aggressive body lines, black hood and mint-blue paint color makes you believe this too must not be your average Porsche. Unlike Sora’s, its sound is well behaved, but still deep and gowly, strangely evoking pictures of a boxer’s strikes. “GT2 RS” proudly displayed on the door and sporting the same sticker your ride had.
Not far behind it, what you’re sure is the loudest of the bunch drives by - making enough of a ruckus the glass panels in the bus stop vibrate. Lamborghinis are hard to miss, this one especially so with its hot pink paint job and red accents shaped like cherry flowers. You’re not sure of the model, but the aggressive spoilers both front and back make it seem like a true race car. Once again… the sideways triangle is present on her window.
Lastly, and perhaps most surprising, the smallest and most compact of them all. Completely silent if not for the sound of whirring gears, turning of motors and tire noise, the black two-seater drives past you like a ghost - out of all of them, the one you have the most trouble identifying. Black, but with red accents that run from the hood to the trunk, the only identifying marking being the red, stylized “T” in its badge. And as expected, the triangle is there, too.
You can’t see the drivers, nor do they acknowledge you, but something inside makes you excited to see them drive as well, one day. You observe their tail lights until you can’t anymore, left to wonder where they’re headed.
Suddenly, the comedy of it all strikes you and you can’t help but laugh heartily. Alone, in the faint glow of an old decrepit street light, you’re having the best laugh of your life.
You finally had a glimpse of what it really means to be alive.
—----
“I’m home,” you proclaim to your empty apartment as you walk through the door.
Tired as you are, all you want to do is just crash on your bed and go to sleep, so you drag yourself across the house slowly but with a purpose. Opening the door to your room, there it is - your sweet bed, the place where you want to be the most right now.
Your eye spots something on your desk: the letter you had left behind. You take it, holding it in your hands for a few moments.
With a quick movement of your wrists, you rip it in half. Then rip those halves in half. Tossing the confetti in a nearby trash can, you finally let your body fall on the bed with a thud.
You’ll need a good night’s sleep; after all, you’re going shopping in the morning.