Chapter Text
Maya stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She stayed up all night watching television, knowing she had to get up early the next morning. It was a habit she couldn’t let go. She blinked, trying to calm the itch in her eyes. After turning eighteen and getting her driver’s license she expected adulthood to be some kind of milestone. Rather, it was another technicality she had to deal with. She tossed and turned when a sudden light illuminated her room. Was this it? The end? An escape from her exhausting and meaningless life?
RAVI: “Maya! Get up, come on. You have deliveries to do!”.
Her father’s words crashed her back down to reality, a relentless and unkind reality. He did this every morning: turning on the light without warning, dragging her out of bed, and making her do deliveries for the family business. Defeated, Maya stumbled to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, splashed icy water on her face, and looked up, sighing as she covered the mirror with her hand, ashamed of her reflection. She walked out of the bathroom. Her mind was a tangled mess she couldn’t be bothered to solve.
Her father stood in the driveway, his arms crossed, watching over the family’s old "Trueno", at least that's what Maya called it. He had neatly filled the boot with kruidnoten just moments prior. Maya walked out of the house, the chilly morning air slapping her awake as she trundled to the car. She slid into the seat unceremoniously, putting her hands on the steering wheel as she turned the ignition.
RAVI: “You’ve got a heavier load today, Maya.” Her father’s voice was softer than usual, even having a trace of concern buried deep within. “So be careful, no funny business, alright?”.
Maya blinked, making sure she heard him correctly. She turned to look at him, but his back was already facing her, so she didn’t pay too much thought to it. She revved the car a little before putting it into gear and exiting the driveway. She liked these delivery runs as they were the only times she was truly isolated. She’d lost count of how many times she cried her eyes out to the car, her only real friend. She needed someone to listen to her, to her struggles and problems, not judging or interrupting. That’s what the car did, and that’s what made it so special to her.
With the last of the deliveries finished, Maya started driving back home. Turns that had once been obstacles were now nothing more than numbers counting up in her head. Although she didn’t mind driving, it wasn’t something she enjoyed, either. She was never into cars in the first place, yet the bond which she had formed with hers was unexplainable. It’s almost like they were one. She spotted something ahead and couldn’t help but notice the car’s vibrant colour and sleek silhouette. Her eyes narrowed as she tried reading the badge.
MAYA: “RX-7.” She mumbled. Her eyes made their way to the massive, obnoxious rear wing. “Is this... really necessary?”.
Maya pulled alongside the banana yellow sports car as they went into a tight right-handed turn. She looked like she could fly off the road at any moment but straightened the car and continued on her way home, leaving the RX-7 in her mirrors. It felt like nothing more than a brief encounter, but something about that car was still nagging at the back of her mind. She shook it off, for now, as she eased the throttle pulling into the driveway. The beauty of the morning sunrise captivated her. She zoned out for a split second, enjoying the view.
RAVI: “You’re back earlier than expected, Maya.”. Her father’s voice shattered the moment.
Maya spun around, startled, blushing as she looked away from him. “I... uh...” She stumbled for words, her sleep-deprived mind too tired to think of an excuse.
RAVI: “Don’t worry about it.” He chuckled, placing his hand on her shoulder. “I don’t care if you drive recklessly as long as you bring the car, and yourself, back home in one piece.”
Maya felt relieved, nodding as she walked past him and into the house. Exhausted, she slipped back into bed, knowing she needed every minute of sleep she could get.
Coco sat in her room, typing away at her computer. She and Mymy had rented a temporary place where they’d be staying while their street racing team conquered the surrounding roads. Their shared goal was to become undefeated legends of the street racing world who’d have their names etched into the history books, and they had the talent to back up their ambitions. So far, the RodeZonnen remained undefeated, with no one even coming close to beating them. Coco glanced out her window just in time to spot Mymy’s yellow RX-7 pulling into the driveway, the pop-up headlights snapping shut as she darted towards the house. She heard a knock on her door shortly after.
COCO: “Come in, Mymy.” Coco said in her usual caring tone. As soon as Mymy stepped inside, though, Coco knew something was off.
Mymy dropped to the edge of the bed, tapping her foot anxiously against the wooden floor. “Coco… something happened while I was running on Avenhorn. Some car, I couldn’t even tell what it was, passed me. It flew through the corners so fast I could barely keep up with my eyes, let alone my driving. It looked like it was going to fly off the mountain at the speeds it was going at... but it didn’t... it felt like chasing a ghost.”.
COCO: “A ghost?”. Coco spun around to face Mymy, fully intrigued. “Could you describe the car you saw, Mymy?”.
Coco’s unexpected reaction surprised Mymy as she tried to remember. “Well... uhm-... it definitely wasn’t a recent model...” She began. “It was boxy and small, painted black and white, and it had pop-up headlights.”.
Coco pondered for a moment, before turning back around, “Interesting...” She mumbled, creating a new entry in her database: the “Ghost of Avenhorn(1)“.