PitBabeS2, Chapter 2 pg3
pg3
“I’ll try asking Charlie then.”
I knew my words were nonsense. Even Jeff laughed, amused. But some nights, I dreamt of it—a faint dream where I had enough power to do something for my special person, a day when I’d be a little less ordinary.
BABE:
I’m walking on the track, fully suited in racing gear. The familiar atmosphere of the racetrack should feel comforting, but today’s different. It’s empty, devoid of racers, crew, and spectators. Not a single car in sight, and it’s unnaturally silent. Even the quietest days at The Hollow were never this desolate.
I walked forward aimlessly, too afraid to turn back because I didn’t even know where I’d come from. My body felt heavy, sluggish, slower than ever. Everything grew more unsettling until I spotted someone’s back about ten meters ahead. They wore a racing suit like mine, and even without turning around, I knew instantly who it was.
“Charlie!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs, but he didn’t respond, despite being sure he must’ve heard me. That kid’s got ears like a bat. He has my senses—there’s no way he didn’t hear a shout that loud.
“Charlie!”
I yelled again, forcing myself to run, but my body moved agonizingly slow. What was even more frustrating was that Charlie stayed rooted in place. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t seem to close the gap.
“If you don’t turn around, I’m done chasing you!”
In a fit of anger, I shouted out of frustration, and unbelievably, it worked. Charlie turned around. He flashed a wide smile the moment he saw me, and my heart, which had felt trapped in a tiny box, started beating freely again. The kid opened his arms, nodding slightly as if urging me to run to him. I started running again, and this time my body felt light as a feather. Each step brought me closer. Charlie’s bright smile called out, “Babe,” in that same kind voice as always.
“Tired, huh?” Charlie asked when I finally reached him. His long fingers brushed the hair from my forehead—a habit he’d picked up.
“Exhausted,” I replied gruffly, glaring at him. “Why’d I have to run? Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I’ve chased after you plenty, Babe. Your turn to chase me.”
“What, feeling petty all of a sudden?”
“Nah,” Charlie answered with his usual smile before stepping forward to hug me. His embrace felt close to what I remembered. Close… but not quite. In my memory, it was warmer, comforting, safe enough to melt into. This hug was warm, but not secure enough for me to close my eyes. Deep down, it felt strangely lonely, like this wasn’t the Charlie I knew. “You did great, Babe. Really awesome.”
“What’s with you…” I muttered, but stood still in his arms. “Where’s everyone else? Why’s it just us?”
“Huh? Just us?”
My voice dried up in an instant as I looked around. The once-empty racetrack, bathed in sunlight, was now pitch black, as if someone had stolen the sun. A cold breeze drifted by. The Hollow’s sign hung loosely from its rusted frame. This place looked like The Hollow, but a version abandoned for at least five years.
“Everyone’s right here.”
That wasn’t Charlie’s voice. It was another voice, just as familiar, one I hadn’t heard with my own ears in two years.
“Way…” A chill ran through me from head to toe. Turning, I saw Way standing beside me. He wore a black shirt and matching slacks, with the necklace I’d given him years ago dangling from his neck. His relaxed expression and the way he stood, hands in his pockets, watching me from the sidelines—it was exactly the same, down to every detail. He even moved like he did when he was alive. “You… you’re…”
“When are we gonna hit up Auntie’s diner again, huh?”
The moment Way smiled at me, I knew instantly this was a dream. Not the first time it had appeared, but I’d lost count of how many times it had haunted me since my only close friend left this world.
Tears… spilled out without warning.
“Crying again.”
Suddenly, a voice cut through.
He stood on the other side, next to me and Charlie. This was another person whose voice I could never forget—not just the voice, but even the sound of his breath before the words came out.
“How many times have I told you, if you want to succeed, you can’t be so weak?”
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