15 for 15 contest

Jan 15/Bicycle

Note to self: Message item #1204284

One...Two...One...Two...

A sweat raced down my cheek bones, and I forced all my concentration to the curving road ahead of me. A sharp pain erupted on my knee, making me gasp in utter surprise.

My bicycle, Manny, rocked a little bit to the side as my eyes spun in dizziness. My heart was on its edge, screaming in pure speed.

Road. Race. Win. Road. Race. Win.

Like a scrolling news ad, those three words rang in my head, growing in intensity each passing second.

I felt drenched in my own sweat as my racing uniform plastered with sponsors strived to stick to my back, lest they fall off and dive to their death down the narrow cliff.

Huff, Huff, HUFF!

Quickened breathing...

NO.

I shook my head with all the buttermilk strength I had to spare.

Steady breathing. STEADY BREATHING.

I leaned forward to make the air's push against my chest considerably weaker. I smirked inspite of myself. Knowing these little physics tips helped.
They were going to help me now. And I will win.

I will WIN!

I felt lighter than I did before, and the pain in my knee seemed to go away as if fearing my victory cry.

"#@$*!!!" I screeched. I was jerked forward. My heart bumped against my lungs and beat even faster.
Out of the corner of my eyes-I saw my rival. He was teasing me, grinding his front wheels against my back wheels, making sparks of fire fly fiercely.

My face became contorted with rage. A distant part of me remembered that bulls in bull fights see nothing but red because of something in their eyes. I felt like a bull. I was angry, I wanted this guy to die.

I wanted this guy to DIE.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!! BEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!

TRUCK.

Fear spazzed through my brain and almost made me numb. This cliff was too dang narrow!

We were neck to neck, pushing against each other, teeths flashing, eyes glaring, steams fizzing from our ears. I had the choice. Go in a line, one behind the other to barely scrape against the truck safely.
Or.
Push him off the cliff.

The red spots dominating my eyes were fading away and slowly I realized if none of us did anything, we'd both be crushed by the oncoming truck. He was on the outside, I was on the inside.
If I didn't go behind him, or infront of him and move to the edge, I was going to die.

I was going to die.

The race was forgotten in my mind. All that mattered was living. But something held me back. As my rival glared me down, I knew that he couldn't hear the truck. He was a deaf racer. He was shoulder to shoulder with me, never knowing his life was to come to a close while he rode on his passion.

With one final cry of rage I pushed him to the edge of the cliff and faced the truck furiously trying to make a stop. Futile attempts.
One last thought left a tear in my eyes.

I saved a life.