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Freddy’s eyes harden and he glances over my shoulder at Henry. “Don’t worry about that, my beauty.”
‘Okay, go and win then.” I offer him a wide smile that doesn’t release the knot of tension in my stomach.
Flashing me his cheeky grin, he nods his head. “Now that, I can do.” Then he’s gone and Dani links her arm through mine.
“Super cool,” she whispers. “Only I knew you wanted to throw up from nerves.”
“That’s alright then.” I grin back at her, but I tighten my arm around hers all the same.
After about fifteen laps I finally start to relax. The final piece in the Freddy jigsaw clicks into place when it becomes apparent his gift with cars doesn’t end with building and fixing them. Watching him drive makes me believe he really is made of magic. He has a natural instinct for the race and manages to find gaps to pass his competitors where others would hesitate. Now he’s hanging back in second place, apparently taking it easy. “Isn’t he going to try and edge out in front?” I question Mr Bale, grabbing his hand in excitement.
“Ha! Enjoying it now are you, Amber?” He laughs loudly, making a few heads turn. “He will, but the guy in front is his main competition so Freddy will make him relax first, leading him into a false sense of security, and then when he least expects it, he will take him.”
“Clever,” I sigh in awe.
“Yep, he’s a clever boy.”
We watch for another twenty minutes as Freddy cruises behind the red car in front. “Come on, boy! Now!” The loud shout of Freddy’s dad next to me makes me jump out of my skin.
“Why now?” I’m shouting as well.
“Because there are only two laps left. He’s leaving it too late.”
But I can see he isn’t. Just as we speak, Freddy slides out to the right. He doesn’t take it too wide, just a hairbreadth between his car and the other. “It’s too close.” I scrunch my eyes closed as I shout.
“Amber, it’s not, look.” Dani has hold of my hand in hers. It feels unnaturally warm in the cold air. I take her advice and open one eye. She’s right. Freddy is now in front and not by a little bit. He’s left the other guy in the dirt.
“Oh my god.” My lungs exhale a breath and I lean down, putting my hands on my knees as I try to recover myself. Adrenaline pumps through me, along with relief. Mr Bale turns to Henry and shakes his hand. “Another one in the bag, son. That will bring in some orders.”
Henry chuckles, “Better than advertising is Freddy.”
“There you go, Amber. You can relax now, it’s a home run.” Mr Bale thumps his palm on my back, and I straighten quickly to stop him doing it again.
I look out onto the course and watch for Freddy to complete his lap. He’s over the far side. I can just see a glint of blue followed by a flash of orange.
There is no orange. I keep thinking it repeatedly and my eyes widen as I watch the scene in front of me unfold. There is no orange on Freddy’s car.
“Freddy!” Mr. Bale’s bellow awakens me from my lapsed state and I look again at the course.
The dark blue roadster is spinning across the tarmac, over and over again it turns while flames lick along the passenger side.
I can’t move, I can’t shout, I can’t do anything. I’m frozen in place as everyone starts to shout and move around me. Fingers of ice spread along my insides.
“Amber!” Dani’s voice sounds like she’s under water. “Amber!” I try to find her face, but I can’t see anything other than Freddy’s car, and the fire engine and ambulance that have circled it now it’s stopped spinning.
“Amber!” her voice reaches for me again, but I still can’t quite get to it. My eyes are going dark, my head is making some weird pulsing sound, and my legs no longer belong to my body.
As my sight turns to black, the last thing I see is Freddy’s car burst completely into flames.
