Why wouldn’t they tell him? Everything felt good. Nothing wrong with the car. So, what … ?
Nico. Was it Nico?
Rocco: Is it Nico?
Silence.
Rocco: So help me if you don’t tell me, I’m going to ram this car so hard into the embankment, you’ll have to scrap the whole fucking thing!
Silence.
Race Engineer: Nico’s crashed.
Rocco: What?
Race Engineer: When she made contact with Clarke. Looks like there’s an oil leak, and she lost control of the car.
After the race, Rocco would think how people had got it wrong when they said at moments of high stress that everything slowed down.
Not true.
Time stood still.
Suddenly becoming stationary … That’s what gets you.
Race Engineer: Rocco what are you doing? Why are you slowing down? Fuck, Anker’s right on your tail. Push! Damn it! Push!
The checkered flag was just up ahead. And suddenly it didn’t matter. How could it if she wasn’t there to be happy for him? It meant nothing if she wasn’t there. Without that stranger, without that girl, the little prince would go nowhere because there would be nowhere to go.
Because of all the things he wanted … of all those things …
Race Engineer: Fuck! He’s gaining. Anker’s coming up from behind, Rocco!
Casey: Tell him she’s okay! Nico’s okay!
Race Engineer: Did you hear that, Rocco? She’s okay!
Rocco: What? What’s that?
Race Engineer: Nico’s okay.
Rocco: You’re not just telling me this.
Race Engineer: Get her on the radio, damn it! Can you get her on the radio? Can somebody please?!
Rocco saw a flash of color inch up on his right.
Nico: Rocco? Can you hear me?
Rocco: Nico? Are you okay?
Nico: Anker! He’s right there! He’s going to pass you! Put your fucking foot on that fucking accelerator, you annoying, arrogant, asshole, prick!
Rocco felt his heart leap as the car surged ahead. Anker was out in front now. Not by much. But it looked like Rocco would finish second.
A small voice that was almost too small and too far away was telling him second wasn’t so bad.
But then he heard another voice. This voice was not small. And it wasn’t far away. It was here. In the car with him.No, he thought. Not in the car. In him. It was under his skin and it was screaming at him.
