M) You hold on for your life! The signal is given to start the race and your chariot takes off like a shooting star! Your heart pounds as riders try to drive rival charioteers off the track and into the walls. Whips crack and hooves thunder like the bolts of Jupiter. Your partner hands you the whip and shouts out orders for you to get the horses moving faster. “We’re falling behind!” he exclaims. You merely try to keep from falling off the platform as the chariot makes a turn. You see the red team approaching quickly from the right. Seeing that you are not using the whip, your partner grabs it out of your hands. “I’ll show you how to use a whip!” he says harshly. With that he snaps the whip at the red team’s horses. One horse veers sharply to the left, causing the others to misstep. One of the red team charioteers is thrown off his platform. You look back with horror when you see him crushed under the heavy chariot wheels of the white team. “That’s how you do it!” your partner laughs. As he turns around to face the track again, he fails to see the outstretched arm of the blue team captain. Smack! His blood splatters over your green cloak. He collapses and falls off the chariot! Who is controlling your chariot? You grab the reins, trying to regain control of the valiant animals pulling the ride. You are terrified, but you manage to stay calm. You decide that if you are going to race, you might as well go for the win! You snap the reins, urging the stallions to pick up the pace. Your horses strain and stride, passing the white team, then the blue team. You near the end, heart pounding, sweat pouring off your forehead. The crowd goes wild! You’ve won! As the steeds slow to a trot, the crowd showers you with flowers and grains of wheat. A toga-clad official places a laurel wreath upon your head, symbolizing victory. What a day you’ve had! 

THE END

copyright Jay D'Ambrosio 2000