#64 – Speed
Ax
After having morphed a human, I understand their tendency to do dangerous things a bit better. Their adrenal system is crude and primitive – it floods the body with chemical awareness at the prospect of danger. Adrenaline increases the heart rate and dilates the components of the vascular system, temporarily increasing blood flow between the brain and body to an impressive (and somewhat frightening) speed. Events happening around you seem to slow down, making your reaction to them faster. You are actually physically stronger, thanks to the increased blood flow and alertness you have. Decisions are based more on instinct than logic. In humans, I feel that this is a good thing; their logic is often flawed while their instincts rarely are.
Once you have experienced a human adrenaline rush, it is easier to understand their desire to repeat it.
"Hear that whine? The higher pitched noise when the engine revs?" Marco shouted at me to be heard over the bass roar of the cars' engines. I nodded that I did hear it. "That's the turbocharger!"
I resisted the urge to put my human fingers in my ears as smoke began coming off of the cars' rubber tires. "What does this turbocharger do?" I shouted back.
"It forces more air into the engine! The air makes them faster!" He yelled as the signal turned green and the cars went into motion, gaining velocity at a very impressive rate, given their weight and the fact that they never left the ground.
I understood the concept immediately, and my eyes widened unconsciously. "The air does not make the engine faster. If I understand the specifics of fossil fuel combustion correctly, the air raises the combustion rate in your engine. Not to mention the pressure. It makes a dangerous and unstable machine more dangerous!"
Marco shrugged as if this was not important. "Sure, I guess. But it also makes them faster!" The crowd around us in the bleachers cheered as the race ended.
I shook my head in the human way to convey disbelief. "So you humans risk your lives in order to go faster? To what end? Why must you race each other?"
Marco looked at me seriously. "Because, dude. Because of the need."
"The need?"
"The need for speed."
"Those words rhyme, but I do not understand what you mean to say."
"If you still don't get it, watch the track. The next two are lining up, and homie brought an Evo-Eight."
Even though I did not understand the need for speed Marco spoke of, I watched. And despite my disapproval, I was impressed.