:.Rei.:
The rush I get from speeding around the track is unbelievable. The fact that at any moment I could crash increases my adrenaline even more.
'I haven't felt this well in a while.' I sighed happily as I rounded the track's curve at a high speed.
This renewed happiness helped me finished my car project I was working on. And it was all thanks to her, Madison. I knew I would eventually like her, ever since I showed her around the school, but I didn't think I would like her this much.
As if my thoughts brought her here at the stadium, I sensed her.
Still speeding, I scanned the sidelines for her. I almost didn't recognize her, for she wearing one of Min-Ji's otaku outfits. God, she was even beautiful from a distance. However, my good mood was altered when I seen him next to her.
Sylvester wasn't suppose to return to S. Korea until 1 year from now. He left last year to Germany for his 10th contract signing of his multi-millionaire weapon company called Fortes. Every country wanted the high tech weapons Sylvester was manufacturing, and this lead to their family becoming even wealthier. Sylvie's dad was the CEO and owner of a defense weaponry company called Cue. And whenever the country buy from them both, their older generation family name, Fortescue, is visible. However, why he is back so early bothered me, and why he was flirting with Madison.
'She's only suppose to like me!' I thought angrily, because that was what Mizuki said.
Thinking back on it, and remembering the cruel trick he played on me while I was in the underground hospital wing of the condos, I can't believe anything he says. I was speeding even faster now, 125 mph and climbing, but I refused to slow down, and I was on the long strip now, a few hundred feet away from the curve. Being side tracked again, a strong memory forced its way into my conscious. The look of utter sadness and hurt that crossed her face when I said I'll never love her.
"DARN IT!" I cried out in frustration and anger as I brought both of my fists down onto the steering wheel.
In the process of slamming my fists onto the steering wheel, two things happened: First, one of my fists accidentally came down onto my nitro switch. Secondly, I was nearing the curve and fast.
:.Madison.:
"So, would you like to go out with me sometime?" Sylvester asked as he pulled out a business card.
"Umm." I replied hesitantly as I stalled for even more time awaiting Sylvie's return.
"I won't bite." he said playfully as I accepted his card.
"Okay then," I agreed, "but I don't have a cell phone.." I ended the sentence sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it, I'll have one mailed to you." he said smiling with that cute innocent face.
Before I could question how he knew where I lived, a blur of burgundy red zipped past, clearly out of control. I watched as the dumb driver accelerated even faster; he must've hit a nitro button.
"Does he not know that there's a curve there?" I questioned to no one as I began to become frightened.
Then, it was too late. Despite the mechanics and people shouting for him to stop or slow down, the driver plowed right into the concrete wall. I used to always think the way cars catch on fire in movies was too quick and it wasn't real. However, I believed it now. Bright red flames shot out from an unknown location of the severely crumpled car. Everyone began running towards the car with fire extinguishers, but not before the loud explosion froze them in their tracks.
At that exact moment, my heart felt as if it was being wrenched like a soggy dish towel, and pain engulfed my head as if I had hit it repeatedly against stone. It was weird, because I'm dead. No heartbeat, nada. Then, a split second later, Sylvie finally appeared by my side, and she was hysterical.
"REI'S IN THAT CAR!!" she yelled as she tugged on my shirt pointing at the now, burning ball of metal.
Ripping off Sylvester's suit jacket, I tied it over my head. Still in pain, I ran. I had to make sure he was still alive. I arrived near the burning metal scraps before everyone else did, and I was over 200 ft away from the accident! That's when I remembered my unnatural speed, and I thanked the Heavens for it. I immediately began searching for an access point around the flames. I figured out a second later it was impossible. As every second ticked on, my cold heart continued to constrict behind my rib cage. Everyone else was nearing now, and they were shouting for me to stand back. Being me, I hated following orders, and decided on a decision that could very well end my life. Or something, since I'm already dead. I ripped one of Min-Ji's sleeves off the shirt I was wearing, and held it over my mouth as a sort of filter. Then, taking a deep breath, I went into the flames.
:.Rei.:
I sat there enveloped by the flames that threatened to burn me. During the impact, one of the random rods, that are used to hold down the engine, came through the dashboard, and I so happened to be in way. I cursed at myself silently as I grabbed hold of the rod that was sticking out of my chest. I was lucky the pole missed my heart, however I could feel it every time my heart beat. The blood that was coming from me looked like a waterfall. However, it quickly dried once the heat got to it. The smell of burning blood and metal intoxicated my nose, as well as the deadly smoke that seemed to be never ending. Since I was a demon, the flames from the car only burned my clothing and not me.
'I guess this is the good side of not being human.' I thought bitterly just as the heat being conducted through the rod finally reached my pulsating heart.
"F***!" I yelled angrily as tears of frustration and pain rolled down my cheeks.
The darn rod wasn't moving, and I was beginning to suffocate. I could easily snatch it out, but I would risk losing too much blood. Plus, those darn blood transfusions make me feel as if my blood was crawling. It always take time for me to adjust after a transfusion. Through my thoughts, I heard a muffled, frantic voice calling my name, but to me it sounded like an angel.
"Mad-" I couldn't even finish calling her name before I erupted in a coughing fit from the smoke.
:.Madison.:
"Rei!" I called again through the makeshift cover over my mouth.
I heard a voice, then I heard coughing. It was him; he's alive! As the flames began burning away at my clothing, I extended my hand to feel in front of me. Once my hand touched the hot metal of the car, I winced, but I refused to let go, and I threw the cloth that covered my mouth to the ground.
'All right super strength, I need you now.' I thought as I used both hands to begin tearing the metal apart.
Everything I saw, I seen in a red tint. It was like a nightmare I was trying to escape from. As the flames leapt up at me, it was like little demons beckoning for me to stay and play with them. The double R's on my forearm seemed to glow excitedly and bright. However, I ignored it all, even the pain.
Despite the fourth degree burns my body would be getting after this, I had to save him. My strength didn't fail me, and when I pulled the metal back far enough I saw him pinned to the melted leather seat with a metal rod in his chest. He looked unconscious, yet the flames didn't burn him. I took hold of the metal rod, ignoring how it burned the flesh on my hands, and pulled it out of his chest like slicing butter with a butter knife.
I threw the rod into an unknown direction, and titled Rei's head up. He wasn't even sweating! However, droplets of water began running down his face.
'It's about time someone called the fire trucks.' I thought as I brought Rei's face to mine and kissed him.
The water was refreshing, and the coolness from it soothed my hands and skin. Rei finally responded to my kiss, and kissed me back more urgently. The pain that my cold heart felt melted away. As we finally parted, breathing for air, I looked at Rei. He had a small smile on his lips.
"You...didn't have to save me." he said coughing a little.
I smiled in response, and stood up bringing him with me. I had to support him, because it looked like he might have broken his leg. I didn't notice the worried crowd of people standing at a distance, because I was looking up at the sky, that blue endless sky of possibilities and wonder. It was Rei's voice that caught my attention next.
"I can start working on my final car now." he stated as I looked at him with curiosity.
About 5 paramedics came running towards us with blankets, but I didn't feel hurt. In fact, I felt nothing: I was numb.
"I'm calling it 'Rouge Nightmare'." he said as he stared at the burnt metal scraps lying around us.
"Why?" I asked, even though I already had a reason in mind.
Before the medics reached hearing distance, Rei said, "It gave me a nightmare while I was awake and unconscious, and everything was in different shades of red. And to be honest, it scared me."
The medics also brought stretchers for us, so I was glad I didn't have to walk. The medics were asking so many questions about our health, I decided to play sleep. Instead, I did end up falling asleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke with a start as the last red image of my nightmare vanished from my mind. I sat up only to be greeted with white walls and a curtain that divided my side of the room with someone else.
"The hospital again." I groaned as I laid back down onto the hospital bed.
"It's not that bad, if you know how to bribe the right person." a voice said from behind the privacy curtain.
Sitting up once more, I ripped back the curtain, however I pulled it off the tracks causing the metal rings to make noise as it hit the floor.
"I could get you an American soda if you like." Rei said teasingly with a playful smile on his face.
I smiled as I seen that he still had on his burnt rags from the fire. I looked down at myself and wasn't surprised to see I was as well.
"Had another nightmare?" he asked as I looked over to see his smile completely replaced with a frown.
Sighing, I replied, "Yeah."
"Don't worry. It'll last a few more days." he replied with a look of 'sorry' on his face.
"You've had it before?" I asked, wanting to know everything about this "Rouge Nightmare".
"Not I, but other racers," he said sitting up, but being careful about his broken leg, "I construct all of my cars before racing. Adding weapons and such. Well, I was able to coat my car with Hell demons, thus the burgundy paint."
"Wait, so you mixed the demons in with the paint?" I asked becoming more interested.
"Yeah. And in order to activate the Nightmare the car must catch on fire. So I installed a highly flammable tank underneath the car. Anytime I want to win, I just press the button, and there you go. The entire car is engulfed in flames."
"But won't that explode your car too?" I asked as I sat crossed legged on the bed.
"No, the demons are under my control, and I tell them to maintain the fire. To keep it away from the engine and any other explodable parts. Only the racers are affected, and this is one reason why I'm always winning." he finished.
"What about afterwards," I asked, "when they go home and sleep?"
Rei smiled evilly, "They continue to have the nightmare for a while. Sometimes they forfeit the race, because the nightmares have them delusional."
\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'\
What'cha think? Good, bad, ohkay, funny, boring, interesting... I can go on forever with adjectives. So a review would be highly appreciated.
♪(´ε｀ )
Well~, I'm definitely producing more chapters than normal, so uploads will be sooner. BUT only if I receive 25 reads on the new chapters I upload.
Thanks so much for reading, and remember: Don't trust the Cookie Monster unless he has cookies!!~
XD
YOU ARE READING
Rouge Racer
Action16 year old runaway, Madison Velasquez, aims to find a new life in urban South Korea. However, fate has a way of making things difficult for her, and running into a well known drug dealer/car smuggler wasn't the plan for Madison either. In the mix o...
