I'm glad you guys liked the drag race. I was watching Torque as I was writing it, so it felt exciting while writing. Well, here's another one.

Chapter 13: The King

Steve pulled himself from under a car. He walked over to his boss.

"Okay. I'm done."

The boss looked at his clipboard and then his watch.

"Okay. You can have the weekend off. We're supposed to be rearranging the garage."

"Okay."

Steve couldn't wait until he got off work. Tonight was the night. It was Friday night. The night of the race. It would be his first race against the big leagues. When he got outside, he was Soda leaning against his car drinking a Coc-A-Cola. Waiting on his buddy. When Soda finished his beverage, he tossed it into the nearby grass.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yeah I am. I've been waiting all day for this."

The two got into the car and Steve revved up the engine. The sound of the engine roared through their ears.

"Yeah. I love that sound," said Soda.

Steve peeled out of the parking lot and pulled a sheet of paper out of his jacket pocket.

"Now let's see where to find this place," he said reading the directions.

"Did you like that rumble the other night?" asked Steve not taking his eyes off the road.

"I thought it was pretty cool. A lot of action. Too bad Johnny missed it. He was real interested in what was happening."

"Where was he?"

"Who knows?"

The two drove around for at least fifteen minutes, finally, they found a crowd with many vehicles around it. The two teenagers were amazed by the place. They had never seen anything like it.

Steve stopped the car, and a broad walked up to the window of the car. Soda put on his smile. The lady smiled too.

"You here to race?"

"Yeah."

"The next race starts in three minutes. If you put ten dollars in, then you can race too."

"Alright."

Steve pulled out the wad of cash and went through it. He didn't notice the broad counting the money as he flipped through it. He pulled out ten dollars and cashed in.

"Okay. The starting line is right there."

Steve put the car back in drive and rolled over towards the starting line. One person came up beside the cars. He put one finger up, all the engines started, he put up two, Steve sat up in his seat, he put up three, Steve had a determined look on his face, and go.

The cars peeled off leaving nothing but smoke in their places. Soda was just looking straight forward. He didn't want to distract Steve in his racing.

This track was different from last time. There were turns. Steve was in second, and he edged into first. The other car saw him and tried to ram him. Steve looked at the guy. He didn't look too friendly.

The guy tried to ram him again, and Steve slowed down. The guy missed him completely and swerved out. Soda looked at the guy swerving. He swerved and hit a fence.

Steve picked up speed immediately to avoid anyone else passing him. He made the last turn and headed home stretch.

"C'mon, c'mon," he whispered to himself. Soda was looking dead ahead again. They were going to win!

Steve passed the finish line and swerved to a stop. The other two cars came up. The woman walked up and handed Steve the forty dollars he just won. Steve stepped out the car and so did Soda. This time, he wasn't dizzy.

"Man. That was tuff. How much did you get?"

"Forty. And there's more to come."

Then two kids ran up to Steve and Soda. It was Mark and Bryon.

"Nice ran," said Bryon slowing down when reaching them.

"Yeah. Where's the other guy?" asked Mark.

"He crashed back there," said Soda pointing towards the track.

They all looked in that direction and the car that was in first place came riding up. The guy stepped out of the car. Mark and Bryon looked right at the guy. The guy came up to Steve and looked him dead in the eye.

"I want a rematch. In five."

The guy walked away with his black boots towards a garage. Obviously to get another car. Steve looked at the guy.

"Who was that?" asked Steve.

"That was the king of this track," said Mark.

"The king?"

"Yeah. He doesn't like to lose. And I think he's getting out his best car now."

"I beat him once, I can do it again."

Steve and Soda got back into the car and pulled up to the start line.

"Ready?" asked Soda.

"Been ready."

Another car came up to the start line. Its engine has a similar sound to Steve's. That got both of the boys nervous.

One finger, two fingers, three fingers, Go!

Both cars peeled off. The other car was keeping up with Steve pretty good. The guy tried to ram him again, but Steve pulled off the same maneuver. The car swerved in front of Steve and he picked up speed. Soda looked at the car, it didn't crash this time. It was coming again.

"He didn't-"

Soda's words were cut off short by something blurring right past Steve's car. It nearly rammed him. It scared so much that he swerved and hit the side of a wall. The window of Steve's side shattered. The other car sped past the line.

"What the heck was that?"

"I don't know."

Steve's car was still drivable, so he pulled back up to the finish line. Steve got out and met up with the King.

"I'll need those forty dollars."

Steve handed them over. Otherwise he would have fought, but this guy had some thick muscles. Steve and Soda looked at the car the King was driving. They then realized what made him move so fast. He had nitro in his car. It was very rare around that time. Not many had it.

"Now get out!" yelled the King.

The crowd chanted the same thing. Steve and Soda got back into their car and slowly left the crowd.