Write a story using the daily prompt. Contest starts noon and runs to noon the next day (10:59 central time). Story must be less than 1000 words or poem less than 40 lines.
Today’s prompt ‘Car Chase’. April 14, 2011
Car Tag
I eased the little silver VW bug up to the corner and looked down the dark street my heart hammering in my chest. Tract houses lined either side of the road with little pools of street lamp light breaking up the gloom. There was no motion among the cars parked against the curb. I let up on the brake and the car roll into the intersection. I tried to steady my breathing. Motion to the right caught my eye. I floored the gas pedal watching in my rear view mirror as a VW van careened after me.
A smile broke across my face as I raced around the next corner. Danger lurked ahead if I wasn’t careful but evading the van was my first goal. Five cars were in this contest of cunning and skill. ‘Car tag’ on a Friday night filled our teenage need for a dose adrenalin. The goal was to trap another car without getting trapped at the end of a cul-de-sac or in a driveway. To add to the element of danger we had switched up; no one was driving their own car.
Two more turns and the van no longer showed in my rear view mirror. I pulled to the curb and waited. I saw the Chevy convertible coast through the intersection ahead of me and I gave chase. I chuckled when they made the fatal turn into a dead end. They were still maneuvering to turn around when I blocked them off. I hopped out of the car pointing a finger at them. I yelled, “Score”.
Back in the car and the chase was reversed. I dodged the Chevy only to be picked up by the yellow Gremlin. I saw the VW van speed through the intersection ahead of me followed by the Ford truck. I turned to give chase and the four of us shot through the next three intersections. I peeled off from the pack and was soon alone.
My heart dropped to my stomach as a black sedan pulled up behind me and flashed its lights. My first thought was plainclothes cop. I had been successfully evading cars all night so I pushed the gas pedal. I left the sedan sitting still. My confidence rose until the car was once again hugged my bumper, lights flashing; horn honking. I maneuvered through the neighborhood that had started out as our playground. The fright rose to choke me as the black sedan clung to me like a tick on a dog. This couldn’t be a cop there would have been lights flashing. Panic notched up a level as other more ominous possibilities raced through my head. I broke from the residential area onto the main streets still my tail kept up with me.
I needed to find a safe spot. I dodged the cars ahead of me and pulled into my friend’s neighborhood. I pulled up in front of his house and was out of the car jack-rabbiting it to the front door. Then I heard the voice behind me.
“I’m going to kill you guys.” Barbara stood beside the black sedan. My buddy’s older sister with arms akimbo glared, freezing me in my tracks. “My homework was in the back of that car, you idiot.”
I fell onto the grass relief washing over me. I curled up with my arms across my stomach laughing till tears streamed from my eyes.
Barbara stood over me. “You’re not going to think this is funny when my dad gets through with you and my brother.”
“It was worth it,” I sighed. “You were amazing.”
A smile broke across her face. “Who do think invented ‘car tag’.” Then with her books clutched to her chest she kicked me in the ribs.
(word count: 625)
I only saw the prompt three hours before the dead line. This story happened my senior year in High School. My sister Barbara was attending college and had left her homework in our VW. Someone else was driving my car while I was in the VW van. She chased that poor kid all over town. Scared the daylights out of him.
