Volume 3 - Panorama 1992

[Andy GT]

I would like to be driving the silver car, I won't tell its name, but I just love its sound.

 

[Smallhorses]

A couple of excellent chapters Lucas! 👍
The new style is great, much more like a novel with some depth to the characters and locations instead of the jerky screenplay style of before.

Have to love a Porsche with Fuchs wheels.
It's making me miss mine, it's having the interior restoration done at the moment, but should look great when it's finished.

 

[Lucas]

I would like to be driving the silver car, I won't tell its name, but I just love its sound.

I believe we all would Thank you for taking the time to comment, Andy

A couple of excellent chapters Lucas! 👍
The new style is great, much more like a novel with some depth to the characters and locations instead of the jerky screenplay style of before.

Have to love a Porsche with Fuchs wheels.
It's making me miss mine, it's having the interior restoration done at the moment, but should look great when it's finished.

I'm glad that you liked it, Nick! 👍 I whole heartly (that's a new expression to me ) agree that the new style is much better than before It adds so much to the overall experience of the story that it is indeed worth the extra time spent in it. All because of your advice, man

The Porsche/Ruf looks amazing with them, doesn't it? I saw a few images of your Porsche, too. Looks great! I hope it indeed looks great when it's done. We can pray together You've got some amazing cars, Nick 👍 I wonder how much do you win in a year Thanks for taking the time to pass by!

 

[TorqueHappenS08]

This is so epic, I love how the personality of the charecters Reflect to the Car's they are driving, The rednecks in the charger, The Old guy in the Cobra, The Tool in the SL 65 amg from deep forrest.(When he said stick to your nascar) All the charecters connect,

Also nice intial D reference with ( God foot and his late braking teniques) SORYAAA!!!!

 

[Lucas]

Thank you so much for the comment, man! I thought many would miss that reference out! Characters relations to their cars is something I love to put emphasis on! Glad you like it!

EDIT: Took some pictures for Pt.2, and to my surprise, I've got 91 pictures already for it And to be honest, I'm not even done yet, which means I will probably get this chapter to Pt.3. Action will be present in Pt.2 and Pt.3, at least Got something interesting in mind...

 

[Lucas]

Volume 2​

Chapter 13 - Always Prepared
Part 2​

​

November 2nd, 2005.

(The Lancer Evolution speeds up as the Shelby Series One follows closely.)

"American cars, don't make me laugh. This race is a piece of cake." (The street punk mocks the reputed handling of american muscle.)

(The Shelby, however, increases its speed faster than the Evo, outclassing it both in power and weight.)

(It is then that the Shelby eliminates the gap between the two at the very beginning of the race.)

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!"

(The Shelby's driver is determined to pass him.)

"I gotcha." (With the roar of the engine, his voice is unrecognizable.)

(The Shelby proceeds to outbrake the Mitsubishi.)

"What's wrong, boy?! Is this all you've got?!"

(The Shelby takes first place, followed closely by the Evo, who is still on the brakes.)

(However, the Shelby has braked too late, causing it to understeer as it enters the corner.)

"You are not so brave right now, are you!" (The SP has the inside of the corner.)

(The Lancer proceeds further onto the corner, regaining first place, but the Series One is starting to recover from the understeer.)

"I can't... I can't believe this." (The SP is amazed at the Shelby, who quickly makes his way through the narrow gap left on the left side of the road.)

(The Shelby's driver pushes further into the gap, slowly overtaking the Evolution.)

"How did he...? Dammit!"

(The bump on the road send the Shelby flying through the road.)

"Damn car! I can't believe it!"

(The Shelby then lands, ready to finish the race at just 20 seconds of starting it.)

"Alright... It's not over yet. I still have three laps to pass him."

(The Shelby's cornering ability far outclasses that of the Evolution, and old muscle cars, for that matter.)

"But three laps... what was I thinking when I agreed?"

"I fell for that old man's tricks. No doubt about it." (The Shelby is too fast for the Evo to catch on the exit of the hairpin, causing it to lag behind.)

"Had I knew they would bring a car like that...!" (The Evo continues pursuing the Shelby, who gets faster with every turn in the track.)

(Clearly in position to take the race, the Shelby driver takes no time to slow down, increasing the gap between the two at a steady pace.)

(At one point, however, the Evo loses track of the Shelby.)

"...Where the hell is he?"

(The Shelby starts braking for the fourth hairpin, while the Evo follows uphill.)

(Still, by the time the Evo gets to the braking zone for the fourth hairpin, the Shelby is away and heading for the hidden face of the island.)

"Grrr!! What the hell is wrong with this track? At first sight, it looks like a normal windy road, but it's actually a racetrack like any other!"

(The Shelby is still going full pace, taking only slight moments to brake.)

"Don't you just see that you can't beat us?" (Arrogance is a common thing in street races, but here, the Shelby driver says it with his best intentions.)

"It's nearly impossible to think we can lose here. We know this place better than anyone." (He pushes the engine further, though he is still careful not to redline it.)

(The Evo is still lagging behind, clearly having trouble to negotiate the corners of the track.)

(Even though the Shelby is apparently factory stock, it doesn't seem to have any kind of trouble going downhill at full throttle.)

"Hello there..."

"Such a shame you are not seeing this, Eric!" (Then it becomes evident that the driver is not Eric, as Charlie had pointed out before, as the Shelby brakes for one of the most difficult corners of the track: the hairpin at the end of the downhill.)

(Rushing downhill is the Evo, with the driver still on his toes trying to catch a glimpse of the Shelby.)

"This race doesn't matter. It doesn't matter!" (The Evo driver is clearly going insane, as he laughs whilst denying the fact he is clearly losing the race.)

"How long can it take him to get here? I'm already getting bored of this." (Gradually, the gap gets longer, and longer, to the point where it doesn't seem a race anymore.)

(And then... it happens. Both cars so close and at the same time so far from each other.)

"Whoever thought this would last long... is an idiot."

(The Shelby indeed doesn't exist anymore for the Evo.)

"What has been done to that car... I need to know!"

(The roads of Capri are filled with people seeing the race, and no matter the outcome, it will be surely a race to remember, where the locals smashed the opposition much easier than expected.)

"I wonder what big of a lead I have..."

"He is not here! Where is he then?!" (His concentration is diminishing as the gap between he and the Shelby increases, only making things more difficult to him.)

(At the same time the Evo started braking for the second to last hairpin, the Shelby crossed the goal, starting lap two. In the crowd, Charlie and Ethan watch carefully.)

"Amazing... He is too fast, it's truly incredible." (Charlie watches amazed, while Ethan looks at his watch.)
"Let's see how long does it take him to get here."

(The street punk exits the last hairpin, slamming the throttle.)

"I am not going to give up just yet..."

(He crosses the goal, and Ethan again looks at his watch.)

"Not bad... It is indeed pretty fast."
"Yeah... He knows how to drive for sure, just looking at the way he took the hairpin."
"I was talking about Conan's Shelby." (Ethan crosses looks with Charlie, who is amazed at his statement.)

"This is too boring... I can't stand two more laps of this." (With a lead that seems infinite, Conan continues to take corners with an amazing grace.)

(The skill he has in Capri exceeds by far the amount of skill shown in Seattle or Deep Forest. It's a whole different Conan.)

"Still... I have to do it. I told Aaron I would. Just because Eric wouldn't."

(The Evo is still on the low grounds, while Conan is showing his mastery of the track and his car.)

"It's like if the rules of thumb of street racing didn't applied here..."

(The Evo proceeds uphill, faster than before, yet still unable to shorten the gap...)

(As it comes out of the second hairpin, the Shelby is already entering the fourth one, with no sign of slowing down.)

"This is definitely my worst race ever. Yet I have nothing to be sad for."

(Conan is already heading for the hidden face of the mountain, and as always, careful not to redline the engine.)

"I came here to race against a Charger, for a fair race, and they brought that... beast, to race against me."

(Swiftly changing direction one corner after another, Conan lives to his reputation in Capri as one of the fastest drivers of the island.)

(His skill, however, seems not to have increased since Seattle. Otherwise, it has barely done so.)

"It's almost time for you to show up, Aaron..." (Conan slams the brakes, and follows soon with throttle.)

Back then, I remember the crowd, chanting, already knowing who would get to be the winner. Conan was and continues to be a great driver. Though, anyone who has been racing in these roads for more than twenty years is sure to be a good driver... What the inhabitants of Capri, including me and possibly Ethan didn't know, was that a surprise was coming at the end of the race...

"Lap two, Aaron. Remember to get ready."

"Still, I feel sorry for that guy. If he thinks we are done with him..."

"...then he hasn't seen what we are capable of yet." (With those cryptic words finished, Conan proceeds to exit the turn.)

(As always, his skill is clearly defined by his control over his cars.)

(The lead of the Shelby is so big that it could easily be measured to be over 18 seconds.)

"Dammit, I have spent over two minutes without a sight of him..."

"He must have already entered lap three!" (The Lancer Evolution is still driving as fast as before, with no apparent improvement on its times.)

(Braking for the hairpin, flames come out of the exhaust, as it prepares to go around the corner.)

(Even with the added performance compared to the normal Lancer, the Tommi Mäkinen Edition is still far from catching the Shelby.)

"It's impossible that this is happening to me..." (The Evo swings constantly from left to right and vice versa.)

(Then, as a ghost, the Shelby appears on the main straight of the track. Ethan, who had been looking at his clock for a while, activates his chronometer.)

"What are you doing?" (Charlie watches Ethan active his chronometer.)
"Just something Aaron told me to do. This way I will know how much of a lead does Conan have over that guy."

"Last lap, baby, last lap."

"This will be over soon." (The Shelby heads for the first hairpin, ready to start braking.)

(Meanwhile, the Evo is still on the last corners of the track.)

(The Evo is considerably slower than the Shelby on the corners, barely managing to clear them in under two seconds.)

(Smashing the throttle all the way to the redline, the Evo crosses the goal, as Ethan stops his chronometer.)

"Alright... 25 seconds, that's pretty amazing, even for Conan's standards." (Ethan talks as he sees the Evo dissapear.)
"25 seconds of a lead...?!" (Charlie doesn't believe that Conan is that good of a driver.) "You can't call that a race!"

(Even though the driver is running 100% of his abilities, the Evo is a slug compared to the cheetah that is the Series One.)

(The Shelby gets closer to the dangerous jump before the fourth hairpin, where many drivers have lost control at, crashing to the wall.)

(Yet Conan doesn't hesitate to go full throttle through it, landing on the brakes...)

(...and going around the corner smoothly without a sign of understeer or oversteer.)

(Wind strikes the sides of the car as it approximates the dark face of Capri.)

(The Shelby Series One, in its lightweight supercharged glory, flies through the island at an inimaginable pace.)

(For sure, one of the most memorable races Capri has ever seen...)

(...and which will remain in the conversations of its inhabitants for the next couple of years.)

Mastering a track can be a difference between winning and losing a race. Getting to know it thoroughly is essential for using more advanced and risky lines, lines which a driver not familiarized with the course would not dare to take. Lines I would have not dared to take back then, and lines I still don't dare to take today. Even the slightest mistake can result in potential danger for me and my surroundings.

(Conan rushes downhill, as he glances at Aaron's house.)

"I'm almost there, Aaron. Trust me, I'm gonna make it on time!" (Conan shouts excited inside the car, as if something was about to happen.)





To be continued...


Link to first short story (proceed to know more about them).

 

[Watchman]

Again a nice chapter.. The fact that the amount of text and pictures about the Shelby Series 1 is bigger than the amount of text and pictures about the Lancer Evolution reflects the great skills of Conan.. Also, you stay in touch with him more than with his opponent, who you don't describe that detailed.. These two things punctuate the huge advantage which is given to Conan.. 👍 Keep it up and bring on the next chapter as soon as possible, Lucas

 

[Andy GT]

What the heck? That's a wheelie in some sort...

Nice chapter anyway, Luke!

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Nah it's just the way the car came down

Great chapter Lucas.

 

[Lucas]

Thanks for the comments, guys, they are greatly appreciated I'm glad you are enjoying it so far.

There's one thing someone who's account starts with S and ends with -Line Audi Fan mentioned to me that I have been paying attention to lately. It seems you are having trouble keeping up with the rhythm the story develops at, mainly because of the "flash-backs", if they can be called that and Lost allows me to. So I have been thinking of adding short stories instead to focus only in these flashbacks, maybe many at a time, so I can leave the chapters only focused on the present time. This flashbacks will also point interesting facts and biography details, so you may want to keep an eye on them.

Here goes the first one, then. Focused on Marcos Villar, which appeared on Chapter 5 of Volume 2.

Short Story Nº1
Marcos Villar & Rafael Villar​

November 2nd, 2005.

(Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. More specifically, the Brooklyn Bridge itself. A very cold night of autumn, where there seem to be no trees nearby, but only the usual sound associated with New York. A very beautiful night indeed, with the sky covered in a black coat, with a star motif. Below it, two cars are parked next to each other. Both are Mercedes-Benz. Both are beautiful. And they are both beasts. Their drivers are sitting in one of the benches next to them. One is approximately 80 years old, or even more. The other man seems much more younger, not far in his fifties. Both of them are caucasian males, and their conversation seems a casual one. The younger one is Marcos Villar. The other one, his father Rafael.)

"It's windy here, dad. You should have put a coat on. You will get a cold." (Marcos expresses concern about his father apparent lack of clothing.)
"I know how to take care of myself, Marcos. But you..." (Rafael replies, then sets his eyes on the Mercedes next to him.)

"...but you... What were you thinking when you bought that thing? It's too dangerous." (Rafael finishes his sentence, staring at the vents present on the McLaren.)
"I'm sure grandpa must have told you the same when you bought the Gaviota." (Here, Gaviota means Gull in spanish, Gullwing -> Alas de Gaviota, gull's wings.)
"I didn't buy it."
"You didn't? I thought you did." (Marcos is apparently confused with the Gullwing's origin.)
"Who told you that, Marcos?"
"Mother, who else?"
"Don't listen to her when it comes to those things. Besides, she left me, so she is not to be trusted, you know? Your grandfather worked hard for his boss, and when he eventually died, he inherited the car from him. Of course, back then your grandfather was in his sixties already, so what was he supposed to do with a car like that? He liked Fords after all." (Rafael explains.)
"And he gave it to you instead? I'm sorry, but how old were you back then?"
"27 years old." (Marcos then bursts into laughs.) "What's so funny, kid?"
"I can't believe he did it. You were 27 years old and he gave it to you anyway. And yet, I'm 54 years old and you even want me to ask you for your permission for buying a car with my own money? It's ridiculous!" (Marcos continues laughing, annoying Rafael.)
"That's not the point! Tell me, how fast that beast is?" (Rafael tries to clear some of his doubts about the McLaren, but seems rather interested in it.)
"Depends on what you mean by fast. Top speed? 0-100km/h acceleration? Come on, be more especific, dad."
"Top speed." (Rafael interest is focused on top speed alone.)
"The top speed for the stock model is of 334 km/h. Very, very fast. But to be honest, I had its weight reduced. Power outpout has been increased slightly, and so the top speed is greater. But I have never reached it. There's no road clear and long enough to reach it." (Marcos is somehow reminiscent of Aaron, but this is explained by the fact that he spent some of his time hanging out with him, something to be expanded in future chapters.)
"You really left me speechless." (Rafael changes the way he looks at Marcos, becoming warmer towards him.)
"See? I knew you would like it."
"No, that's not what I meant... You have... changed a lot these past years."
"That usually happens when you grow up, dad." (Marcos then heads for the McLaren, and takes a set of keys from his jacket.)
"Where are you going, Marquitos?" (Rafael sees his son entering the car, preparing to leave. Marquitos is diminutive for Marcos. Once Marcos enters the car, he lowers the his door's window.)
"I'm going to see someone." (Marcos replies.)
"Will you be back for dinner?"
"I don't think so. Don't wait for me. See you tomorrow, dad." (Marcos starts the engine, and drives away.)
"Take care! Don't get a speed ticket!" (Marcos then disappears with his SLR.)

(Once Marcos is gone, Rafael takes his time to watch the Brooklyn and Manhattan skyline. He watches the clouds in the sky pass by, and the peace of the East River. After he is done, he gets inside the Gullwing, but after starting the engine and steering it to the right direction, he comes out of the car to take a last look at the river.)

(Rafael proceeds to walk towards the river, and searching in his pocket, he finds a coin, which he then throws into the river.)

"Please. Just please. Allow me to see my brother again." (Rafael then gets inside the Gullwing again, and drives away.)

------​

I hope you have enjoyed it! Pt.3 of Chapter 13 is still in progress.

 

[Watchman]

Good to see you took my advice.. The newest write-up is excellent, as always.. And as always I payed attention to the spelling:

- becoming warmer tomards him -> towards
- No, tha'ts not what I meant -> that's

Keep it up, man! 👍

 

[Lucas]

Thanks for the quick reply, man 👍 I corrected those mistakes, and a few more that I found after correcting them. Changed one word or two from the text to make it more appealing, but you get the picture

Currently editing each "To be continued...", adding a link to the next chapter, so that people don't need their browsers to load unneeded comments

EDIT: Done! Now it will be easier for you to proceed from chapter to chapter. Each one of them has a link to the post where the following chapter lies.

 

[Andy GT]

Part 3 will be GAAAAHD!!!, oh well, work onthe next "chapter", waiting patiently!

 

[C-ZETA]

Loving the latest chapter, it's just so epic!

 

[Lucas]

Thanks for the criticism, guys 👍 Last chapter is epic, but the finale of it will be even more epic

Man... I just wish there were more american cars in the game.

 

[Andy GT]

man... I just wish there were more american cars in the game.

+∞

 

[Lucas]

Forgot to mention this. I added "spoiler" tags on some chapters. Not actual spoiler, some are, others are just interesting facts of the chapters themselves. Please, I would like you guys take a look at them

 

[Lucas]

I have been reading some things lately, name Red-Zone and the transcript from the season finale of a TV series I enjoy a lot, Lost, and the way the script was so easy to understand got me thinking it was the optimum way of writing. It's impossible to get lost (no pun intended). This style is so easy to understand I have chosen it to be the last change I will implement on the story. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Short Story Nº2
Rafael Villar & Joshua Sheperd​

November 13th, 1957.


(Location: Monterey, California, United States of America. The place is none other than the location of the Laguna Seca Raceway. The track is brand new, having been used for the first time just four days ago, in a race which Pete Lovely won using a Ferrari. Sitting on the Corkscrew is a caucasian man with brown hair, watching the skid marks left from the first race. A blond man appears to be walking against the Corkscrew, putting an inmense effort to climb it. After doing so, he sits behind the brown-haired man.)

Brown-haired man: Nice to see you made it through.
Blond man: It was an achievement in itself.

(The blond man then sits besides the brown-haired man.)

Brown-haired man: You could have just walked the other way around. As I told you.
Blond man: And be twenty minutes late.
Brown-haired man: Better late than never.
Blond man: It was worth the exhaustion.

(The blond man weeps his jeans, which are covered in dust from the Corkscrew.)

Blond man: Had I know my jeans would end up like this, I would have probably took your advice.
Brown-haired man: How's your brother doing by the way, Joshua?
Joshua: He is doing good. Pretty good, actually.
Brown-haired man: How old was he again?
Joshua: Twenty years old. In fact, it was his birthday yesterday.
Brown-haired man: What did he got for a present?
Joshua: Nothing.
Brown-haired man: Nothing?
Joshua: ...Nothing that he will find a good use for.
Brown-haired man: What did you gave to him?
Joshua: The chance to drive my car whenever he wants to. Probably the most generous present I shall ever give to Aaron.
Brown-haired man: Your car? You mean that old Corvette?
Joshua: It's three years old, Rafael. It serves its purpose very well.
Rafael: Which is...?

(Joshua then stands up, and weeps his jeans again.)

Joshua: To humilliate your Gullwing.
Rafael: Last time I checked, you couldn't keep up with me on the dragstrip.
Joshua: That has changed now.
Rafael: Really? Fastest production car in the world in its time. And you say you can beat it?
Joshua: I'm not saying anything. Want some facts?

(Rafael stands up too, staring firmly at Joshua.)

Rafael: I would love to.
Joshua: Not today, though.
Rafael: I knew you were bluffing.
Joshua: I don't say it to avoid a race. You should go back to your house now. Your son must be waiting for you.
Rafael: Marcos? He's with his mother.
Joshua: His mother? Don't you mean your wife?

(Rafael sits on the sand again, and Joshua copies.)

Rafael: To be honest... I'm starting to think she is slowly growing apart from me.
Joshua: Don't act like that, Ralph.
Rafael: Rafa.
Joshua: Ralph, Rafa, whatever. You must win her back. Like you did the first time.
Rafael: I'm starting to believe it is impossible with each day that passes.

(Joshua starts grabbing small rocks from the side of the track, and throws them downhill.)

Joshua: I used to think... that coming here was a mistake somehow.
Rafael: Mistake?
Joshua: Yeah. I took a good look at the pictures of the family before they came to America. And I could see that they were happy before, unlike now.
Rafael: Times change. We must move along with those changes.
Joshua: I know... But the point is that, you don't have to give up...

(Joshua then stops throwing rocks, and looks firmly at Rafael, who gives the look back.)

Joshua: ...you must believe you will make it through.

(Joshua starts dropping some tears from his eyes. They fall in his jeans, cleaning them of the dust.)

Rafael: Thank you... Thank you, Joshua. I will keep it in mind.
Joshua: I'm glad you listened to me.

(Rafael then weeps Joshua's tears from his eyes. He then stands, and weeps his jeans, just as Joshua had done before.)

Joshua: Rafael, before you leave...
Rafael: Yes?
Joshua: How old is Marcos already?
Rafael: He is six.
Joshua: I see. It was a pleasure to talk with you, Rafael. I'm glad you asked me to come here.

(Rafael then starts walking downhill, swiftly vanishing from Joshua's point of view.)

Rafael: Say "happy birthday" to Aaron from me!
Joshua: You got it, man.

(Joshua then stands up, and leaves in the opposite direction of the track...)

------​

Did you like it? One more thing. Each short story will have a character that will appear in the next one, as a way to interrelate them all.

Pt.3 of Chapter 13 is still in the making, so please be patient

 

[LolCats]

L this is amazing! I'm sorry i haven't been on much but i got lotz of exams and lots of TOp gear to watch. although in 2 weeks i'll be back to full force.

 

[Lucas]

Nice to see you are back, LolCats 👍 I guess I speak for everyone when I say we missed you.

 

[Watchman]

The short story is very good, Lucas.. The fact you're using adjectives and the fact you include phrases which describe what the characters are doing currently, makes the whole thing more authentic.. It was good idea using Lost as a help to improve your writing style 👍..
________________________________________

Indeed. It's nice to see you back, LolCats and Lucas is right when he says that we missed you I hope you'll come back as soon as possible 👍

 

[Lucas]

Volume 2
Chapter 13 - Always Prepared
Part 3​

November 2nd, 2005.

Conan: I will put an end to this now.

(Conan brakes hard before the hairpin, transfering the weight to the front of the car.)

(Meanwhile, the Evo is in the opposite side of the track, with no chance to win at all.)

Evo driver: I will take my revenge in the next race. I swear I will.

Evo driver: "I have to win this. It's my honor what's been played today."

(The Evo cuts the wind that strikes it windshield, with its driver driving carefully enough not to crash into the walls.)

(At the same time, the Conan's Shelby heads for the last corners of the track.)

Conan: I hope you are there already, I gave you a good margin of time to come out now. Don't waste it.

(He upshifts as he comes out from the hairpin.)

(The Evo is still on the dark side of the track, slowly but steadily trying to catch the Shelby.)

Conan: Come out now, Aaron! He is all yours now!

(Conan shouts to the apparent road behind the Mitsubishi Motors, BP and Gran Turismo signs.)

(He then drives gracefully side to side with the cones, far away enough to avoid knocking them.)

(The Evo then heads for the brighter side once again.)

Evo driver: Maybe if I say something happened to the car... I won't look that bad after the race.

(The Evo is still too slow compared to the Shelby, plus with the disadvantage of racing against Conan, who is almost as fast as Aaron, yet much faster than Charlie, it makes for an even harder race to win.)

(The Evo is not exactly the best car to race against the Shelby...)

(For some unknown reason, the Evo driver seems to brake always in the same spot during the downhill.)

(Likely because the driver feels insecure about the car.)

(Even the people surrounding the car don't seem to be very interested in it. They are far more concerned about the Shelby, who is way ahead to even hear it.)

Evo driver: This is such an embarrasment... I have put japanese cars to shame with this race.

(Meanwhile, Ethan and Charlie are watching Conan as he approchaes the goal.)

Charlie: He is so fast!
Ethan: I agree.

(Charlie, of course, doesn't lose his chance to express his admiration for Conan.)

Ethan: Once again, the clock.

(Ethan activates his chronometer as Conan wins the race.)

Charlie: Is there a point to do so? He won already!
Ethan: This race is far from ending.

Charlie: What do you mean by that?

(Charlie watches Conan speed away with the Shelby, while Ethan seems somewhat concerned about it.)

Ethan: In less than forty seconds, a car will cross this goal. Once that happens...

Ethan: Conan will have to hide the car in that small road you see over there, so the track can be cleared.
Charlie: Cleared? Cleared for what?

(Charlie's face turns from the Shelby to Ethan's, who blinks his eye back to him.)

(The Evo then heads for the same place Conan was at, the only difference being that he is 35 seconds late. Ethan and Charlie continue discussing the meaning of Ethan's cryptic words...)

Ethan: For another car to pass by.

(Ethan then replies to Charlie's question, yet Charlie doesn't seem too convinced about it, scratching his head.)

Charlie: Another car? The race is already over!"

Ethan: As I said before... Don't you love not knowing?"

(Then Ethan smiles to Charlie.)

(The Evo approaches the place Conan called Aaron to come out from. Suddenly, a rumbling sound can be heard.)

Evo driver: Is it the Shelby...? I can hear him, alright!"

(The Evo driver gets his hopes up again, but what is waiting for him is no Shelby...)

Evo driver: No, it's not the Shelby...! But what is it, then?!

(His hopes vanish in a second, and the beast appears in front of him.)

Evo driver: It's the... It's the...!

(He stutters, for he can't believe what he is seeing.)

Evo driver: It's the Charger!

(The rumbling sound coming from the Charger becomes more intense...)

(...and as the Evo passes by its side...)

(...the Charger starts pursuing it.)

Evo driver: So you came, huh?!

(The street driver is amazed as the Charger starts following him at a rapid pace.)

(The Charger then jumps at the declive before the last corners of the track, as the crowd screams in excitement.)

(Though the population of Capri is a relatively small one, most of the grown men of it are watching the race, along with Ethan and Charlie.)

(The Charger then brakes hard for the hairpin, carefully controlling the braking force, allowing the tires to have maximum grip during braking.)

(The body roll of the car is huge as it goes around the hairpin, yet the driver seems to have perfect control over it.)

(The car is factory stock, what makes even more impressive its display of performance against the newer Lancer Evolution.)

Evo driver: People around here say the Charger is factory stock. Stock my 🤬!!

(The Charger is much different than Conan's Shelby, the result of three decades of innovation favouring the Shelby's performance.)

(Though the understeer and body roll is horrible, all of those drawbacks are mitigated by its driver's skill.)

Evo driver: The Charger is still the usual muscle car, unlike that other car before, which was obviously more handling oriented. This time, the race is mine.

(The Evo driver mocks the Charger, which, even though it has trouble clearing the corners, it manages to keep up with 30 years of innovation.)

(This time, the race will be worth the time spent on it.)

Evo driver: Wheelspin! See? Your car can't win!

(The Charger suffers from wheelspin on the exit of the last hairpin, something that could easily be fixed with a limited slip differential.)

Charlie: Look! Here comes the Evo!

(Charlie pulls Ethan's sleeve, like if he was a little kid trying to get attention from his elders.)

Ethan: I can see it for myself. Really.

(Ethan prepares to stop his chronometer.)

Charlie: But what is that...?!

(Charlie is surprised at the Charger, that appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the race.)

Ethan: That, my dear friend, is Aaron's Charger.
Charlie: Aaron's?!

(Everyone in the crowd turn to Charlie after hearing him scream.)

(Just after the Evo crosses the line, Ethan stops the chronometer.)

Charlie: And?
Ethan: Almost 40 seconds behind of Conan's Shelby. It doesn't matter anymore, though. This is Aaron's race now.

(The Charger then flies past Ethan and Charlie.)

Charlie: Aaron's race...
Ethan: Yes.

(The Charger follows the Evo, but has ceased to increase its speed, due to the close-ratio transmission it has been granted, which is of use only in the 1/4 mile runs.)

Evo driver: When will you americans learn? There IS a replacement for displacement!

(The Evo driver continues to mock the Charger, as both approach the first hairpin.)

(Meanwhile, Ethan and Charlie continue talking.)

Charlie: This isn't a normal race. I can already tell you that. What is it, then?
Ethan: I will tell you once it ends. It's no big deal, really. Just enjoy it.

(The Charger brakes suddenly for the first hairpin, transfering all the weight to the front.)

(It then starts following the Evo, who has a small lead over it.)

(As the Charger exits the hairpin, the Evo is clearly visible through the Charger's windshield, no more than two seconds ahead.)

(The Evo loses contact with the tarmac due to the small jump on the road.)

(The Charger copies it, but with far more grace.)

(It lands on its old yet conserved suspension, with some loss of traction afterwards.)

(Both cars head for the second hairpin at full speed, with the Charger braking slightly later than the Evo.)

(The amount of body roll on the Charger is impressive, but more impressive is the fact the driver has full control over it.)

(The Charger stays close to the Lancer, who has some trouble trying to get away from it.)

(The Charger's stock transmission is excellent for the course, as its top speed is just enough to grant maximum acceleration out of corners, along with an efficient top speed on the straights.)

(This kind of traits are what make Aaron such a renowned person on the island, along with his unique driving style.)

(At corners, however, the Evo's refined suspension make easier for its driver to manage the corners of the track.)

(Still, Aaron, with his decades of experience, has the upper hand in the race.)

Aaron: The car feels different than last time.

(Aaron's voice feels different than last time too.)

(The Lancer struggles with understeer as it almost crashes against the hairpin after the second small jump of the track.)

Aaron: It's a pleasure to drive it anyways.

(Both cars drive through the corner.)

(The Charger continues to keep up with the Evo.)

Evo driver: I never thought the Charger was that fast...

(The american muscle still has a hard time with body roll, but nothing Aaron can't control.)

(The contrasting cars race at the same pace, swiftly through the narrow roads of the island.)

(The Charger, however, seems to be trying to take the lead with every opportunity that appears.)

(The way the Charger is being driving makes it obvious it's not Aaron who is in the steering wheel.)

Driver: Oookay.

(Both cars brake simultaniously for the sweeper before Aaron's house.)

Driver: I will show him that I'm still the same.

(As both cars go around the sweeper, the Charger takes the shorter line through it, not in order to exit with maximum speed.)

(Suddenly, an opening appears for the Charger to drive through.)

(The Evo fights against the understeer that is sending it against the wall. It's the perfect chance for the Charger to charge against the Evo.)

Evo driver: You are crazy if you think I will let you do that.

(The Evo swiftly blocks the road for the Charger to back off.)

(Oddly enough, the Charger's driver pushes the pedal even further.)

(The Evo, who had blocked the Charger's opportunity to overtake it, opens the gap again.)

(However, as the Charger is about to pass, the Evo blocks it again.)

(...yet the Charger's driver doesn't seem to care too much about the left side of the road, rather going for the right side.)

(As last time, the Evo brakes as it carries too much speed going downhill for the driver to control it, leaving the Charger a gap guaranteed to stay open for the right amount of time for its driver to make his move.)

(The Charger reaches the Evo, and both drive side to side downhill for a small fraction of a second...)

(...as his driver smashes the throttle...)

(...and leaves the Evo in the dust.)

Evo driver: That's... that's impossible. How the...?
Driver: This will be the last race I will race for you, Aaron.


(Meanwhile, on the finish line of the track, Ethan and Charlie continue talking about the race.)

Charlie: I don't think Aaron has a chance.
Ethan: He's Aaron. Of course he has a chance.
Charlie: And what? Everyone who has raced against me surely would have thought the same about yesterday's race.
Ethan: Everyone you know can't drive for their life. Eric must have told you that already.

(Charlie stares at Ethan, who does not seem to notice him. Suddenly, Ethan looks at Charlie again.)

Ethan: It's not your fault. You are a good driver, to be honest. But to our standards, you still have a long way to go before you are as fast as we are.
Charlie: Who are you to act like that? Aaron is the one who beat me.
Ethan: And I will gladly repeat it if you have some doubts about my skills. Remember this, kid. I know Aaron since a long time ago, and I know where do I stand in terms of driving ability compared to him. The difference is almost unexistent.

(Charlie stays thinking for a few seconds, until he notices a sound. An engine sound, which is coming through the last hairpins of the track.)

Charlie: Which car is it?
Ethan: Which car do you think it is?

(Aaron's Charger then appears through the corner, ahead of the Lancer.)

(As he drives to the goal, its driver takes away his helmet.)

Eric: If you can't even control it, why do you have it for?

(It turns out the Charger's pilot was Eric, who had been mistaken for Aaron by the entire Capri population.)

Ethan: There's no replacement for displacement. First rule of this place, Charlie. Better get used to it.

Ethan: Those who can drive a muscle car through corners like these, can drive anything.

(Ethan then stares at Charlie, who had been looking at him since the moment the Charger appeared.)





To be continued...

 

[Rotary Junkie]

It became obvious it was Eric when you mentioned it not being Aaron.

Ah well, still a great chapter. 👍

 

[Watchman]

Great, great, great.. It was a long read, but it was worth the time 👍 I hope you'll continue with this writing style and that you'll come with the next chapter as soon as possible

 

[Lucas]

It became obvious it was Eric when you mentioned it not being Aaron.

Ah well, still a great chapter. 👍

I think everyone who reads the story will see it coming. It is obvious on purpose, though. How many people on Capri drive like that? Ruling Ethan, Conan, and obviously Aaron out, that leaves only one possibility. I always think that the most predictable thing is in fact the most unexpected one. Usually, someone would introduce an entirely new character, something pretty obvious. I'm glad you liked it, Kyle 👍 We will see many muscle in the next chapters. I just hope your stomach can take it.

Great, great, great.. It was a long read, but it was worth the time 👍 I hope you'll continue with this writing style and that you'll come with the next chapter as soon as possible

Thanks, Nenad 👍 It was even longer to write it And the new writing style really allows me to avoid repeated sentences like "Charlie said this, Charlie did that, etc."

I haven't started working on next chapter yet, but I have a few ideas indeed. In fact, I will post the next short stories in a couple of hours. Just some more character background, which seems to be something lacking on the board. Kinda sad, you can relate more to the characters with something else than one or two lines of background at the beginning of the story.

 

[Lucas]

Rafael: What did he got for a present?
Joshua: Nothing.
Rafael: Nothing?
Joshua: ...Nothing that he will find a good use for.

(Joshua and Rafael, about Aaron's birthday present.)​

Short Story Nº3
Joshua Sheperd & Aaron Sheperd​

November 12th, 1957.



(Location: The Sheperd's backyard, in Monterey, California, United States of America. It's around mindight, and the backyard has flowers growing all over the place, with some buckets of water lying on one side of the wall that surrounds it. There are a few plastic chairs on the opposite side of the wall, and the grass is covered with confetti. The place, a few minutes before filled with people, is now empty, except for only one man sitting in one of the chairs. He has grey hair, and is tall and muscular. His eyes are dull, and as he watches the clouds pass by, another man appears in the backyard, coming from inside the house. This one is caucasian, just as the previous one, but he has blond hair. He is Joshua, and the muscular man a few feets away from him is Aaron, at the peak of his youth.)

Joshua: I hope you enjoyed your birthday, brother.
Aaron: It's just like the others, don't you think?

(Joshua drags one of the chairs in the backyard close to Aaron, and sits on it.)

Joshua: You know... I once thought the same.
Aaron: But?
Joshua: "But" what?
Aaron: People always follow those kinds of sentences with "but".
Joshua: Not me, brother. I'm special. Just like you are.
Aaron: What do you mean by special?
Joshua: I have the feeling that you will get far in life.
Aaron: How?
Joshua: I said I have the feeling. I can't tell you how. You will become a police officer, a doctor, a lawyer. President of the United States of America. I don't know how. I just know I do.

(Joshua then looks up to the sky. The clouds which Aaron was previously watching are now gone, leaving the sky as clear as crystal.)

Aaron: You seem too sure about it.
Joshua: I am.
Aaron: You are crazy, brother.
Joshua: That means so much coming from a guy that hasn't drove a car yet.
Aaron: I told you I haven't had the chance to do so before.

(Joshua stands up and takes a set of keys from his pocket. He then gives them to Aaron, who inspects them carefully.)

Aaron: What are these?
Joshua: A duplicate set of keys of my Corvette.
Aaron: Why are you giving them to me?
Joshua: You said you haven't had the chance to drive a car yet. Now's your chance. You can drive my Corvette whenever you want to. Unless I ask for it first. Mind you, though, that if you break it, you are dead.

(Aaron throws the keys to Joshua, who grabs them in mid-air.)

Aaron: There's no need for me to have them.
Joshua: First, you didn't have the chance to drive a car. Now you don't like cars?
Aaron: What use could I probably give to it?
Joshua: Move from place to place faster than you would normally do walking? It's a car, not a boat.
Aaron: No, thanks. I like to keep my body in shape.
Joshua: It's not like you will drive every single hour of your life. Just once in a while, or whenever you see it fitting.
Aaron: Where could I possible go with it? Just name me one place, and I will give it a try.
Joshua: The gym.
Aaron: Another one.
Joshua: You asked me to name you one. The gym is my pick.
Aaron: I could leave it anytime soon, for what I know.

(Joshua starts laughing, and grabs Aaron's biceps.)

Joshua: Look at me, look at me. Look at these arms. So big, very macho.
Aaron: Hey, stop it!

(Aaron then sets himself free.)

Aaron: Seriously, what's wrong with you?
Joshua: Come on, be honest with me. You wouldn't stop working out even if your bones were broken. I bet you that you will turn out to be a 60 year old grandpa with muscles. Strongest grandpa in the world!

(Joshua starts laughing again, and Aaron tries to resist, but in the end, the two brothers laugh together at the same time.)

Joshua: Oh, God...! I can't... I can't stop!

(As he laughs, Joshua weeps some tears from his eyes.)

Joshua: Okay... alright, that was enough.
Aaron: Good. It stopped being funny ten seconds ago.
Joshua: So... Aaron. Won't you even take it for a drive? I can teach you.
Aaron: No, thanks. I will ask dad to teach me.
Joshua: Alright... Well. I gotta go.
Aaron: Where are you heading?
Joshua: The bed, where else? Aren't you going to yours?
Aaron: I don't need to. I feel quite upright right now.
Joshua: Okay. Good night, Aaron.

(Joshua starts leaving for his bedroom, inside the house.)

Aaron: Good night... Joshua.

(Once Joshua is inside the house, Aaron is left alone in the darkness, with just a few minutes to midnight.)

Aaron: One of these days... One of these days I will find out if I'm as special as you think I am, Joshua. Until then, however, I guess I will live my life the way destiny dictates me to do so...

------​

 

[Watchman]

*claps* Good short story, Lucas.. I enjoy your writing style even more now I like the fact you're using short breaks to describe what the charcters are doing.. This makes the story more enjoyable, realistic and authentic 👍

even if you bones -> your

 

[Lucas]

Volume 2
Chapter 14 - Not always...​

November 2nd, 2005.



Ethan: Those who can drive a muscle car through corners like these, can drive anything.

(Ethan then stares at Charlie, who had been looking at him since the moment the Charger appeared.)

Charlie: It's... it's amazing that he won. Though I said the Evo would win, deep inside me I knew Aaron would.
Ethan: That wasn't Aaron.
Charlie: What do you mean? He was clearly Aaron. Just looking at the way he was driving I can tell---
Ethan: That you are blind. You just pay attention about how fast people are. How people drive and how fast are they have nothing to do with each other.
Charlie: Alright, genious. Who was the driver, then?
Ethan: How many possibilities are there to rule out? Conan is out. Aaron is out. I am obviously out, unless I manage to drive and talk to you at the same time.
Charlie: Eric?
Ethan: Likely. I know Eric is fast, but I have personally never saw him driving. We hanged out with Aaron in different times.
Charlie: And that's why he doesn't know you.
Ethan: Oh, he does know me. He just doesn't "remember" knowing me, that's all.

(Ethan then starts walking towards his own house, located at the third hairpin of the road. He makes hand signals to Charlie to follow him, which then Charlie proceeds to do.)

Charlie: Where are we going to?
Ethan: My house, where else?
Charlie: What are we going to do once we get there?
Ethan: You? Nothing. Me, on the other hand, I have something to pick up there.

(Both walk towards the first hairpin, while the population of Capri now dissipates from the goal and returns to their normal lives.)

Charlie: Can I ask what is it?
Ethan: Strictly speaking, yes you can. However, don't expect an answer from me.
Charlie: Are you always like this?
Ethan: Only with people I don't trust in.
Charlie: Can I ask you something else?
Ethan: Give it a shot.
Charlie: How long do you know Aaron?
Ethan: That, I can answer. But it's actually "How long have you known Aaron?". I know him from a while.
Charlie: A while, huh?
Ethan: Yes.

(As they walk uphill, Charlie puts more stress on his legs, barely able to walk.)

Charlie: God... How do you guys climb this road?
Ethan: You just put one foot in front of the other one, and then alternate between the two.
Charlie: We have a comedian in the island!
Ethan: And it's not you for sure...

(Before reaching the second hairpin, however, Charlie stops walking, tired from "climbing" the road.)

Charlie: I... I can't... This... 🤬...

(Charlie curses amidst his fatigue, which causes him to rest on the road, while Ethan watches him.)

Ethan: You can always wait for me here. I told you you have nothing to do in my house.
Charlie: Breath... I need... Air... Now...
Ethan: Alright, wait for me here until I return.
Charlie: Don't go anywhere... I can walk... Seriously.
Ethan: No, you can't. If you die on me, I will have to carry your body to the morgue. And honestly, I'm not in the mood to do so. So you will have to wait. Be patient, I will be right back.

(After Ethan leaves, Charlie tries to climb the road, little meters at a time. However, Ethan returns rather quickly, wet, and somewhat exhausted, hinting he had run to his house and returned the same way. Once they are ready, both walk downhill, which is a relief to Charlie, whose legs can't go much further. Some minutes later, Aaron is resting in his living room, while Eric is in the bathroom taking a shower, after his splendid performance. Aaron is reading his book, Franz Kafka's Die Verwandlung, while wearing his glasses. He is almost done with it.)

Aaron: I can't believe! Where did Kafka came up with these things?

(Aaron seems focused on the book, though by this time, he must have read it thousands of times. Suddenly, Eric comes out of the bathroom wearing a towel.)

Eric: Is there any laundry in this place?
Aaron: You don't need one. Just use my clothes.
Eric: I insist. I have clothes, I just need a laundry to clean them.
Aaron: It's okay, use mine. I have plenty of shirts to spare. Keep in mind, though, that most of them have patterns. Last time I checked, you hated patterns.
Eric: I don't want to be an annoyance for two years, Aaron. Just tell me if there's a laundry on the island.
Aaron: Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if you want a laundry, you will have to wash your clothes on the sea.

(Eric then walks towards Aaron's bedroom to take some clothes, while Aaron resumes reading his book. Afterwards, Aaron hears the door leading to the street being opened and subsequently closed. A few moments later, Charlie and Ethan enter the living room.)

Charlie: Good day!
Aaron: Good day. How's it going?

(Aaron puts the book down, and raises from his couch.)

Charlie: Great, because of your race, of course!
Ethan: But we have a question to ask you, Aaron.
Aaron: No, I wasn't.
Charlie: What...?
Aaron: If that was me driving the Charger? No, I wasn't.
Ethan: Eric did it, right?
Aaron: Yes. I asked him to do so.
Charlie: Why? Couldn't you win the race yourself?
Aaron: Theoretically, I could. I just needed to know Eric was as good as last time.

(Aaron leaves for the kitchen, and searches in the fridge for a soda, while Charlie and Ethan stay in the living room.)

Charlie: I don't understand... When did this all happened? I mean, when did they arranged this?
Ethan: I'm as puzzled as you are.

(Aaron then returns, soda in hand, and sits on the couch again.)

Aaron: When you were sleeping, that's when. Early in the morning, a boy arrived outside.
Ethan: Let me guess... The japanese boy?
Aaron: Precisely. So you know part of it, no need to explain it to you, then.
Charlie: I'm sorry, but what japanese boy?
Ethan: We have a long term relationship with those that come here searching for trouble.
Aaron: Especifically, races.
Ethan: Because they think they can do what they want in our roads.

(Aaron and Ethan gesticulate as they speak, while Charlie listens carefully to what his elders have to say to him.)

Aaron: Those people we are talking about mostly come from Japan.
Ethan: The roads around here share a similar layout to those of Japan's mountain passes.
Aaron: Namely...
Ethan: Touge.
Aaron: A word which we despise with all of our hearts.
Ethan: Because every narrow road in this world is called "touge" by those guys whether it is or it is not "touge".
Charlie: That word sounds awfully familiar to me...

(Aaron and Ethan look at each other, and turn their eyes back to Charlie, who watches confused.)

Charlie: Something wrong?
Aaron: Street racing is something we try to avoid here. That's why every race in this island is sanctioned by me and no one else.
Ethan: Therefore, if these people come here searching for trouble, they will find it.
Aaron: Afterwards, we vanish them from here. This special boy came looking for trouble with some of his friends. Of course, I accepted to race against him. With our territory as the prize.
Charlie: What is this place...? What makes it so special?
Ethan: As you have noticed the first day you came here, it's a beautiful island. We have been tried to keep it close to its natural state. We only build on what's already been built.
Aaron: Naturally, if those people get a hold of this place for a prolonged amount of time, the innate beauty of this island will be destroyed.

(Charlie sits in one of the couches, visibly disturbed by Aaron and Ethan's words. Shortly afterwards, Eric appears coming from the library.)

Eric: Alright, you are here already.
Charlie: Eric, I'm so glad to see you!

(Charlie yells in happiness, and takes cover behind Eric's back. He then points at Ethan and Aaron.)

Charlie: These people are crazy, Eric! They say they race against foreigners that come here searching for trouble to keep them from destroying and corrupting the innate beauty of this island!

(Charlie then takes a deep breath, while Aaron watches the clothes Eric put on himself.)

Charlie: And if that wasn't enough...!
Aaron: You choosed to wear my hawaiian shirt, Eric! What a 🤬!

(Everyone except Charlie bursts into laughs.)

Charlie: I don't understand, what's so funny?! I'm telling you these guys are crazy, Eric!
Eric: I find it amusing that you think of them as "crazy guys", because in fact, you will be spending the two next years of your life with them.

(Charlie's face turns white from the notice. A few seconds pass before someone decides to awake Charlie from his shock state.)

Ethan: Say something or we will think you are an idiot.
Charlie: I... I need to drink a glass of water.
Aaron: Give him water. Quick.

(Aaron orders Ethan to deliver water to Charlie with a snap of his fingers, to which Ethan swiftly runs to the kitchen and fills an empty bottle of beer with water. He then returns to the living room and gives it to Charlie, who drinks it slowly.)

Aaron: And...? How are you feeling, Charles?
Charlie: I feel better right now. Wait...!

(Charlie then pukes into the floor's carpet.)

Aaron: Awww, 🤬!



(Five hours later, Charlie is in his room, lying in his bed. He watches the ceiling, while he hears Aaron, Ethan and Eric talking in the living room. Suddenly, someone is heard walking into the living room, and everyone stops talking. The man then speaks...)

Conan: Hello, everyone.

(After hearing Conan speak, Charlie leaves the bed and listens closely to what he has to say.)

Eric: How are you doing?
Conan: Good. Nice race back there, I got to admit it.
Eric: How did you knew it was me?
Aaron: I called him shortly after you came back from the race, while you were in the shower.
Eric: Oh, that's why. Makes sense to me.
Conan: I must say you have impressed me. It's not an easy thing to do.
Eric: Somehow, I must say the same. You impress me.
Conan: Thank you.
Eric: You really impress me. It impresses me the fact that you won a race with a forty second lead when you lost twice against Charlie in different courses and in different conditions.

(Everyone stops talking, and Charlie walks out of his room carefully enough not to be listened.)

Eric: How can you explain that?
Aaron: I can.



(The next day, November 3rd, 2005, Charlie awakens in his bed. To his surprise, Conan is sitting right next to him, smiling at him.)

Conan: Good morning.
Charlie: Good morning. How's it going?
Conan: Fine. I believe you heard our conversation yesterday.
Charlie: I couldn't, you guys---
Conan: It's okay. At least you know the truth now.
Charlie: Have you always been like this?
Conan: Honestly?
Charlie: Of course.
Conan: Not always...

(Conan then stands and walks around the limited space of the room.)

Conan: At first, I was just like you. When time passed, however, things changed. It's a long story, though. Are you sure you want me to proceed? I won't stop if I start.
Charlie: I want to know.
Conan: Alright...



When I was younger, 26 years to be precise, I was living in Italy with my father. Back then, things were much different that they are now, naturally. In case you didn't know, I was born the 22th of March, in 1941, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The wildest 22th March has ever seen in its entire life. Shortly after I was born, my family came to America. The Adams family, no pun intended, was composed of my maternal and paternal grandmother, my maternal grandfather, my mother, and my father. It was my father's idea to live here in America, as Italy was becoming too dangerous according to him, because as you may well know, Europe was enduring World War II. During that year, the Atlantic was the field of the Battle of the Atlantic, as Winston Churchill had coined it the year I was born, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. Curiously enough, Italy was in Germany's side. My father, however, despised the then Nazi Germany. My mother was highly reluctant to travel, since the RMS Titanic had sunk just 29 years ago. My mother didn't have any relatives on the ship, but for some reason, she couldn't help but be sad about them, and afraid that something similar may happen to her and her family, which included me, even if I hadn't been born just yet. I was born a few hours short before we arrived to America. My grandfather died a few months after we entablished ourselves in America... I lived my life there, along with my family, who had been fighting all the way from Italy to survive in the world. When I was 19, I met someone you already know. I'm talking about Ethan, of course. He was a little kid back then, but if it hadn't been for him, I would have not met Aaron, one year later. Me and Ethan spent most of our time learning from Aaron, who had to leave for Vietnam in 1968. Last time I talked to him before he departed, however, was in 1967, when I traveled to Italy with my father, when I was already 26, after my mother died here. I'm now returning to where we started, in case you didn't realized. My father used to talk to me a lot about my grandfather, something understandable, since my grandfather was a great, honorable man. My father used to show me a lot of pictures about him, which I don't have anymore, in case you are wondering. They lie in a chest I buried along with my father in 1970.



Charlie: I'm sorry to hear that.
Conan: Don't worry. I should be the one to say that. I lost my father when I was 26, but you lost yours when you were... how much?
Charlie: Four.
Conan: Four... There's no need for you to be sorry about me, see? Anyways...



I used to drive and race a lot back then. My grandfather inspired me to do that. When he was alive, he was seen driving his Ford Model T almost everyday. He was an active racer in Assisi, called by many "one of the most prestigious" drivers Assisi had ever seen. I wanted to be just like him, and thus, my father bought me an Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto 1600.

I know, we are all a bunch of spoiled brats. But I promised my father to return him the money as I advanced in my career. I was not even close to give it back to him by the time he died. It was a very, very expensive car, after all.

I treated the car with care. I washed it myself weekly. Generally, I found myself driving three to four hours daily. That's how much I loved that car. I don't have it anymore, though. After my father died, I felt that I could not drive the car anymore. After all, I promised my father to give him his money back. But since I didn't, I found it would be better for my conscience to get rid of the Alfa. I hope you won't do the same with your Elise anytime soon. It breaks your heart, really. Those who say you can replace a woman with a car are lunatics.

You really had to see me driving the car in those streets. You have been there, as far as I know. Eric told me the night we arrived here. So, you know how beautiful can those streets be. Add an Alfa to that picture, and you got yourself the work of Da Vinci.

The car was more than I hoped it to be. And to be honest, you are more than I hoped you to be, too. You stayed in silence for most part of the story, which is something I really appreciate. I don't like my stories to be disturbed with questions that don't add anything to it. One question you may be asking yourself, though, is what happened after my father died, and where did I got the AC Cobra that raced against you in Seattle, right? I decided to leave Assisi and never return. I couldn't live there without thinking about my father every second. So I went to England, in the United Kingdom, where I found a decent job as a foreman in a metalurgic factory. With the money I earned, I bought the AC Cobra to a friend of the factory, who was planning to sell it anyways, in 1974. My life was peaceful during my time there, until a person called me in 1982, and told me that a man by the name of Marvin Lovejoy was charged with the murder of eight persons in the state of Arizona, and that I was the only one Marvin would talk to. And that that man, claimed to be Aaron Sheperd.





To be continued...

 

[Watchman]

Superb chapter, Lucas 👍 I can really say that your story is now even more special than before and that just because of this awesome writing style.. I can't get enough of it.. Keep it up!

don't expect an aswer -> answer

 

[Rotary Junkie]

"despised the then Nazy Germany. -> Nazi