I run fast. Like, really fast. I don't even know how fast, it's untestable. I run fast enough to turn soft quills into razor sharp saws. I run fast enough to go a mile a minute. But can I run fast enough to break the sound barrier?
All of Knothole seems to think so, and today, I'll prove them wrong or right.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, fastest thing to ever run the planet. I have faith in myself, but the sound barrier is pretty strong. And for a long time all I've wanted to do was break the sound barrier. For any reason. Just to experience what it's like. I wonder what it would look like, too. I've experienced my legs and feet turn into a red figure eight and my legs disappear, which was really kind of terrifying the first two times.
Every single person in Knothole was lined up in two lonnngggg rows. It was late at night, glowing beakers setting up a path for me to run. It was long enough I could gain speed before making a sharp turn—at top speed. Everyone believed that would do it. Tails was flying a small air balloon with all the Freedom Fighters there to record the event on video.
I stood quietly at the beginning of the track, all of Knothole silent, staring at me while I jogged in place. Uncle Chuck stood next to me with a small timer in his hand to keep track of how long it took me to break the sound barrier—or come close. I had never felt so pressured in my life. Saving the world while everyone watches you or depends on you is easy, no sweat, because if I failed they would understand. But running faster than any normal being is what I'm known for—and I can't fail to do this. Not while everyone is counting on it. It's just different with my pride involved, more pressure—less adrenaline.
Uncle Chuck clicked the timer, yelling "Go!" at me. In an instant I took off running, digging out a small divit and kicking grass all over the residents standing behind me. I ran fast enough to kick up grass and dirt, and by the time the line of Knothole residents ended, there was a small trail of fire following my feet.
Dirt and grass, fire, to figure eight. I kicked it up into figure eight, pointing my arms back and lowering my head, a determined look on my face. I was completely focused, the wind rushing by and even the slightest dust threatening to blind me. I just followed the blurred beakers.
I suddenly found myself running faster, and faster, and faster…and then I lost control of my legs, unable to stop even if I wanted to. Only once in my entire life had I run this fast. I might actually do it. The corner is coming up. Only a mile away. In thirty seconds I would reach it, and fate would decide what happens.
My heart was pounding. I was running faster than I ever had in my life. The breath was being forced out of my lungs, making me almost lightheaded. Am I dying? No, I think I'm just running. I made the corner, hearing two LOUD pops, one to follow each of my footsteps. After that came the sound of an explosion, a huge breath being forced into my lungs, my eyes widening as I felt the sound barrier break under my feet. It sounded like the roaring of an explosion the more I ran, and eventually the sound of cheering was heard. In the distance I saw the ramp Uncle Chuck had set up if I actually did it—knowing I would be too fast to slow down.
I let out a loud yell of victory once I got to the ramp, running right up and doing a few back flips to stop my legs from running, landing on my feet and putting one hand on the ground to stabilize myself, what looked like striking blue lightning flying up around me from the powerful force I hit the ground. I smirked with the feeling of being a superhero. I looked up calmly, standing up and wiping dust off myself.
My calm, badass expression was replaced with an insanely proud smile. Ya fuckin' did it Sonic. I thought to myself. I can't wait to see what it looked like. But more importantly, I experienced breaking the sound barrier. The feeling…was incredible. The breath being forced back into my lungs, my heart pumping as fast as my feet, the wind and vapor crowding around me, the loud noises, the feeling of accomplishment…even saving the universe probably wouldn't beat that feeling.
The air balloon touched down near me as I just tried to regain my breath and erase the light headed feeling from my brain. I looked over and smiled as the Freedom Fighters approached me over the cheering crowd.
"Well." Sally said as she approached me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I was panting too hard to reply, only smiling and looking at her, waiting for her to continue. "You really are the fastest thing to live. Now, want to see the play back?"
"Tomorrow, when we…broadcast." I panted, waving my hand slightly and putting both my hands on my knees. I breathed in and out, finally regaining a good feeling in my head again. I then raised my arms as high as I could and just yelled in accomplishment, the crowd just getting louder.
"How did it feel?" Tails asked eagerly, hovering restlessly around my head. I paused, gathering words to try and describe it. Everyone else was looking at me, the crowd suddenly going silent. Story time.
"When I was about two miles away from the turn, I finally went faster than I had ever gone before. I couldn't feel my legs, my arms, nothing, I was just numb, like I didn't even exist. The breath was forced out of my lungs, making me feel light headed. Thirty seconds later, there's the turn. My legs were moving on their own, there was no stopping them as they turned. I felt the two loud pops, each bang in time with both my feet hitting the ground. Then the feeling of breaking it…breath was forced back into my lungs, the feeling of the wind and vapor around me and that loud, successful feeling…like nothing I had ever felt before." I explained with a huge grin. The crowd cheered again.
"You should go home and sleep, that must have taken all of your energy." Sally said.
"You've got noooo idea." I muttered, scratching my quills in an awkward way.
"I wanna see it again!" Tails squeaked.
"Just watch the video, I won't be doing that again for a looooong time."
Tomorrow, the video of my experience was broadcasted. Everyone tuned into their TVs to watch what it looked like from the air. I was watching eagerly, waiting for it to happen.
I was practically a blue bullet before I hit the turn. You could see a tsunami of dirt and grass fly up from under my feet as I hit that sharp turn. As soon as I was running straight, it happened. My feet hit the ground, creating the two ear shattering booms. And after that, I was encased in blue vapor, speeding off faster than anything that had ever been witnessed by any Mobian's eyes. I smiled wide as I watched myself race onto the ramp, the vapor only disappearing and turning into that lightning once I hit the ramp and reached the air.
"That's amazing." I muttered. "Not as amazing as me, though."