A Day at the Races (standard:science fiction, 970 words)
Author: Salamander	Added: Oct 04 2000	Views/Reads: 3624/2256	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A girl who wants to drive at 14, an experienced young racer, and a simulator through an endless jungle.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

“Off.” I set my own throttle into cruise and watched the fun. 

Tara suddenly realized what the throttle was just half a second before
it clicked into position. For another millisecond nothing happened. 
Then, the complex thrust program began. The exhaust turned into a blue 
ball of flame, and she rocketed forward at roughly 2,500 MPH. I had 
gone faster, but almost never while staying in control. As a first 
timer, she would be lucky to hold on. My Bike stayed perfectly parallel 
to hers. 

“How do you stop this thing!?” Tara screamed. 

“Hang on for 30 seconds and I’ll tell you.” 

“You dirty rotten no good –“ 

“60 seconds.” She held in a shriek and grasped the handle bars tightly.
The minute went by fast enough, but it was humorous to watch her 
clutching it. Finally... 

“Tell me!” 

“Press the big black button.” Even as she pressed it, I yelled “Warp 20,
captain!” After turbo was activated... 

Tara’s Bike sped down the path at maybe 3,000 MPH. But somehow, she held
on! I followed close behind. No new person had ever done this well 
before. She could make the Rookie Hall of Fame! “AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!” 

“Calm down! Toggle the red switch and move the left handle bar down...” 

And so it went on for the next hour. She got a vigorous workout, and she
had my sympathy for a cruel joke, but in the end she found out how to 
stop, and made a nice 250 foot skid. 

“I can’t believe you did that.” 

“Now you know how to do everything the simulator can teach you.” 

“Wha – Hey! YOU’RE RIGHT! I remember it all! Throttle is accelerate, big
black button is turbo, red switch is hard turn, green button is 
Flash...” 

“Calm down. But you’re real good. With practice... Who knows?” Tara
looked at me a second. 

“Thanks, Steve.” This time it was my turn to blush. Rick entered. 

“Yo Steve! Give her the workout?” 

“Yeah. She’s amazing.” I turned to Tara. “Tomorrow at 3:00, ‘kay?” 

She smiled. “Sure.”


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