Three red lights shimmered in the summer haze. The cars on the start line continued to rev, golden licks of flame shooting from the silver and black exhausts. One by one the lights went dark. Both cars screeched from the start, flame and smoke trails in their wake. Before you could wipe the heat and dust from your eyes it was over. Dad had won again.
‘Well, he’s only gone and done it, Brad.’ I turned towards my little brother, but he himself was already turned away – lost in his own world. Brad had never really shown much interest in racing; he’d never really shown much interest in most of the things our family was known for in the county. I though loved all of it: the cars, the competition, the noise, the excitement. But I was a girl and girl’s don’t race.
The fans in the stands cheered as this year’s champion made his way back towards the pits. In a few years Brad would be expected to take over the family concern – expected to become the next champion to raise the family name high. I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Dad would be heartbroken, but in time I hoped he’d understand.
Other entries for SPF can be found here.
Clever story, Paul, highlighting the stupidity of sexism, and the fact that we don’t all fit into boxes.
Cheers, CE.
Nice take. I hadn’t even thought about the lights at a race track. Maybe she will get to race after all.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
I hope that she gets to race one day… Maybe when Brad doesn’t take over 🙂
Maybe, maybe not. We can but hope.
Interesting story. I like how the child taking ended up to the girl and she is the one who loves racing and wants to carry on the family ‘business’ so to speak. Unfortunate things seem to be sexist in this county still, I think the girl will go a long way to introducing gender equality but it seems like she has a bit of a tough road ahead. Well written.
One could read that in a different way. Something sinister happing to Brad? I’m sure I am reading too much into your nice story.
DJ
Really creative take on the photo! Loved how you interpreted the stars as lights on a racing track. I never would’ve seen that. And I love your choice to explore sexism themes.
Hopefully she will be the first female to race and win. Maybe she’ll see that she is the true heir to the family name. Great story